Keeping my Mafia Bodyguard (Mafia Devils and their Darlings book 2)

Chapter 7

Niko pulls out his phone, and I already know he’s sending a report to Aleksei. The second the message goes through, his screen lights up. He answers immediately. It has to be Aleksei, there’s no one else in this world Niko jumps for. He doesn’t have friends…does he?

I slipped my hand free earlier so he could type, and now I keep both hands tucked between my thighs like they’re cold. They’re not. They just feel useless, empty. The adrenaline that had me fighting has faded, leaving nothing but the stark awareness of my situation. I abandoned everything on that train, money, phone, ID, my whole life. It pulls up an ugly memory: wandering the streets with nothing but my body to bargain with for food and a place to sleep.

I survived then… somehow. But I’m not optimistic now. At least back then no one was hunting me. Only hunger. Only hopelessness. I listen to his one-sided call.

“Yes, I found her,” Niko says, then goes quiet, absorbing whatever orders he’s given. “What?” His brows pinch together, a rare crack across his usually blank face. “I’ll be back in five minutes.”

The pinch deepens. “Why not? What about Claire?”

My heart leaps at Claire’s name. I don’t know what’s going on, but even if I said I don't want to go back, Niko would drag me back. Claire would be furious. She’d cuss me out. I just hope she doesn’t pity me again. But look at me, hair wild, no makeup, looking like I rolled through a dumpster. Pitiful already. I might as well crawl back and grovel. And with Aleksei’s guards around, there’s no way Craff has the power to mess with us… right?

“Damn it, Zver, no.” Niko grits out, sounding so pissed off, It shocks me. “I’m coming the f**k back. Now.” He pauses, fist clenched tight, glare aimed at nothing. “You think that’s wise?”

He nods once… twice… then ends the call. Whatever he just agreed to doesn’t sit well. His eyes look darker, like something hot is simmering underneath.

“What happened?” I ask before I can stop myself.

He blinks once, glances at me, then away. “Change of plans. We’re not going back to the mansion.” He checks his watch like he’s counting seconds.

“What happened?” The worry immediately fills me. I grab his arm. “Are Claire and Jayden okay? Did someone attack them? What’s going on?”

He gives my hand a stiff, awkward pat with his free one. “Nothing like that,” he says flatly. This man is incapable of comfort. A block of ice wearing a human face. Or maybe he’s just withholding because I’m an outsider.

“So they’re safe?” I press.

He gives a tight nod, though the muscle beside that streak of white hair twitches. He’s pissed about something.

“I see,” I say, forcing myself to relax. There’s no use pushing, he won’t reveal what he doesn’t want to reveal. As long as they’re safe.

“You said we’re not going back. So where are we going?” I turn my face intentionally, letting some displeasure show.

“You… you should probably go to that friend of yours,” he says.

My stomach drops hard. He’s not coming with me? Of course he’s not, he has his own orders.

“Oh.” My head lowers, hair falling like a curtain over my face. “Right. I don’t have any money though, so…”

“I’ll give you some.” He reaches for his wallet.

I shake my head fast. “I don’t want your money.”

That’s a lie. I don’t want it, but I need it, and if he’s not coming with me, I have no choice but to take whatever I can get.

“Here.” He holds out a gold card. I’ve never seen one before. When I meet his eyes, he just stares, unblinking, waiting. “You can get a flight to the location and leave the country. Call me when you’re safe.”

I pretend to hesitate before snatching the card, afraid he’ll change his mind. If a black card has unlimited credit, how much does a gold card carry? I’ve seen Claire wave her black card like a wand whenever she goes shopping, could this be my own wand now?

A warm and stupid little hope blossoms in my chest and I clutch the card close, hiding my smile behind the curtain of my hair.

I guess that makes him my genie.

I glance at that strong side profile for a heartbeat. He really is my type. Too bad he’s hung up on Claire. The way he said her name earlier, no man says a woman’s name like that unless he feels something. I should use this money to get away before anyone can say Jack.

The train stops, and Niko and I step into the night. We head toward the next platform, but he doesn’t hop on the next train like I expect. “I’ll take you to the airport,” he says when I give him a questioning look.

“I don’t have my passport,” I blurt out, too late. “I can’t get in.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll get you in,” he reassures, and I double-take. Without a passport?

The area looks like rural Russia, old ceilings, low houses, everything dim and worn. As soon as we climb out of the subway, the sky feels darker than usual. Niko flags the first taxi, and the ride rattles us straight to the airport.