Tatyana needed to talk to Pavel and Boris. She would have liked to talk to Ivan also, but he sat up front with the driver.
The door closed. Nikky and Chan talked outside the vehicle, hands flying. She couldn't see Nikky's face, his back to her. Would she ever see his face again? After today?
"Keep an eye on him, Pavel. You too, Boris." She studied the bodyguards. "No matter what happens to me, protect Nikky."
Boris turned to Nikky's top man as if for direction. Pavel's chest heaved. "Are you going to let him out of your sight?"
Tatyana scowled. What kind of stupid question was that? "Of course not. The ass'll do something idiotic and get himself killed."
A glimmer of a smile balanced on scarred lips. "I doubt the boss will leave your side until this is done, so if we protect one of you, we'll protect the other."
"As long as that one is Nikky, I don't care." She didn't have time to argue. Nikky would return any minute. "This is his medical information." She tapped the file folder tucked into the door pocket. "The nearest hospital isȄ"
"No need." One huge hand raised, palm facing her. "We have a medical team standing by."
"There's a letter in there." She wrote it this morning. She didn't want Nikky blaming himself if anything went wrong. "If something happens to me..." Her words wobbled.
"I'll see that he gets it."
"If he needs blood, I'm a universal donor. No matter what state I'm in." She'd give up her life for his.
"We have pints on site, ready."
They had everything covered, didn't they? But then, she had thought that before and people still died. "If the ass dies, I'm going to be pissed."
"He won't die." That would have been more reassuring if Pavel met her gaze. Why couldn't he look at her? Because Nikky could die? Tatyana's hands twisted.
"The boss has been in worst situations," Boris volunteered.
"Then this is normal for him?" Tatyana's voice rose. He put his life on the line all the time?
Like hell she was going toȄ
Pavel groaned. "Not normal."
The door opened. Nikky ducked into the car, his handsome face grim. "Come, Tatyana." He offered his hand to her.
She took it, allowing him to pull her up. "You're not to take stupid risks, you hear me?"
A chuckle rolled behind Nikky. "Hush, Brat. Everyone heard you." His embrace was fast and hard, the vest blocking some of his comforting warmth. "I know what I'm doing."
"Because you do this all the time." She glared at him. One of these days, he'd get his fool ass killed and see if she cried for him then.
"Yes, because I do this all the time." But he lied. His eyes darkened.
"Don't you dare die on me, Nikky." She gripped his lapels.
"I'm not going to die." He kissed her quickly and turned her around, pushing her forward.
"You remember Joey Chan."
The ass was dismissing her. Her. Fine. The hell with him. She stepped toward his enemy.
She didn't need him.
Chan's lips curved into a grin as though he knew what she was doing. "Miss Tatyana." He raised her hand to kiss it. "You are a ray of sunshine today." Laughter lurked in those dark eyes.
Nikky hadn't found her neon yellow shirt humorous. She tossed the ass a defiant glance before smiling sweetly at the pock-faced man. "I thought about wearing a bull's-eye." As she was the target today.
Chan laughed. "Your Tatyana has a sense of humor, Kaerta."
"I'm not his Tatyana." She gave Nikky another scornful look.
"Brat." A growl.
"I'm my own woman and I refuse to love someone intent on dying. I've seen enough death, damn it." She tucked her hand into Chan's arm.
"Language, Brat."
"She's intelligent, also." Chan commented like she couldn't hear him. "Love only causes pain. Better to make decisions with your brain, not your heart." He patted her hand. "Shall we?" He led her into the house, Nikky's men in front and behind them.
"Welcome to my humble home." Chan waved a hand.
Humble? She peered up at the huge chandelier. His home was a mansion. No, Tatyana remembered the gates and guards, it was a fortress. Would Nikky's future home be as intimidating? Not that he'd live long enough to have one. She glared over her shoulder.
Nikky glared back, his brown eyes stormy with emotion.
"I only regret your visit is under these circumstances," their host continued, as though unaware of the undercurrents.
"This isn't a social visit, Chan. Save the tour for your other women." Nikky's jaw ground.
"Pavel, are the men in position?"
"Yes, Boss."
It was one thing to dismiss her, but now he was dismissing Chan, the man who was opening his home up to them, to this. The least they could do was be polite. "It's a gorgeous house,"
Tatyana cooed, giving her best impression of awe. "Very big."
"Too big for one person." Chan leaned closer to her as they walked.
One person because his wife was dead. He'd killed her. His tiny, pregnant wife. No, she'd killed her. Tatyana looked down at her hands. Would blood cover them again today?
Nikky's blood?
"Too big to easily protect." She'd forced this confrontation. Had she made a mistake? Killed them all?
"My home is secure." Chan straightened. "You don't have to worry, Miss Tatyana."
"People keep telling me that," she grumbled. She didn't believe them. They didn't know what they were up against. She did. "DeathȄ"
"Tatyana," Nikky warned her to stay quiet.
They stopped at the largest office Tatyana had ever seen in a private home.
"This is it?" Nikky prowled around the perimeter, books lining the walls. "The safest room in the house?"
"No." The mobster chuckled. "The safest room in the house is my bedroom. If you'd like her positioned there, I can accommodate you."
Men were such idiots. All this arrogant posturing with a killer nearby.
"This is not a joke." Nikky's face darkened.
Her fiance was spoiling for a fight. Soon, too soon, he'd get one. Tatyana moved toward the huge picture windows, looking out at the green lawn, the perfectly groomed trees.
