112
ESTELLE
“Just follow the design and make sure it’s childproof, but the furniture will arrive on Wednesday,” I told one of the guys from K&B Designs.
“Understood, ma’am.”
“I’ll leave you all to my staff. If you need anything, just let them know so they can call me. I have an errand to run.”
“Got it. Thank you.”
I left the house, hoping I could get to talk to Dad before he got swamped with work.
I couldn’t shake the guilt off my body. And I felt ashamed of how I handled the situation earlier. Instead, I overreacted when my husband was right the whole time. I was five months pregnant and just risked my baby. I could have reacted worse if I was in Linden’s position.
“Well, hello, preggy.” I was glad to see Micah. Honestly, I missed her, but I couldn’t keep her with me since Dad needed her more than I did.
“How’s your new boss?”
“Awfully good. He doesn’t demand and makes my job a little easier.”
“Unlike me?” I arched a brow.
She laughed. “Your work is the one demanding. You’re here to see Mr. Bladwyn?”
“Yup, if he’s free.”
“Go ahead. Your Mom is there too.”
“Wow. I’d be surprised if they get back together now that Mom is halfway to her divorce.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
I didn’t want them to get hurt when things did not work out between them again, but they were both adults and knew what they were doing.
I shrugged. “I’m sure Mom’s here about work. I’ll go see them before they do something inappropriate.”
“I pretend I didn’t hear that.” She gestured to her Airpods.
I knocked first. When I heard Dad say to come in, I pushed the door. Yeah, they were still in their clothes, and Mom was sitting on the chair across from Dad with some files on her lap.
“Hey. What are you doing here?” Dad stood up and walked in my direction.
“Hey, honey. I thought taking a long break meant not showing up your ass around here,” Mom said.
“I’m here to see how it’s going and make sure no one sees both of you making out.” I kissed them both. “Kidding.”
“How’s the baby?” Mom smiled as she asked. Her gaze fell on my growing abdomen as if I just swallowed a balloon.
“I felt her move a lot early in the morning.”
“Do you sleep well?”
I looked at Dad. “Yeah. Gabriel bought me a pillow, and it’s so comfy he’s already jealous of it.”
They smiled.
“Now, why are you here? Shouldn’t you be decorating the room or talking to the designers for your gown?” Mom placed her hands on my tummy. “My baby girl, I can’t wait to hold you.”
“The room will be finished this Wednesday. The guys from K&B Designs are actually there right now. And I’ll be talking to the designer this week.”
“Do you need Micah, honey?”
“No, Dad.” I sat across from my mother.
“No. Really, take her with you. I’m sure HR can find me a temporary assistant.”
“Are you sure?” I couldn’t help but smile.
“Yeah.”
“Then I will take Micah once she has a replacement.”
“I’ll call the HR,” Mom volunteered, glancing at my father. “Do you want younger, Gustav?”
“I want an experienced assistant, Dei.”
“Fine.”
“I don’t want you to work hard, Dad. You’re still healing.”
“I’m taking my meds, and the pain and discomfort lessen every day. Don’t worry. I don’t lift heavy weights anyway.”
“Well, are you both free later?”
“Why?” Mom asked.
“I wanna have dinner with you and Jaymes at his restaurant.”
“Okay. I’d love to visit that place,” Mom said.
“Later at seven?”
“Sure, honey.”
“Dad?” I called him, but he hadn’t replied.
“Yeah. Of course, I will be there.”
“Thanks. I got to go. I need to see my husband.” I rose from my seat.
“Is something wrong?” I saw the concern in my father’s face.
“Nah. It’s my fault anyway. I’m going to woo him.” I couldn’t help but giggle.
They shared a look.
“See you later, guys.” I walked out of the office, and they were still speechless.
“Micah?”
“Yes, madam.”
“My ass. Dad will have a new assistant, and you will come with me once he gets a replacement. Is that okay?”
“Does it involve a lot of traveling?” Her eyes sparkled.
“No. You and I will stay home, sit on a couch, binge-watch on Netflix, and eat pizza. Is that okay?”
“You’re boring.” She pursed her lips. Her arms crossed over her chest.
“But you don’t have a choice anyway.”
A slow smile broke on her face before it turned into a grin. “Can’t wait.”
“Just come to the house, okay?”
“Sure.”
“I have to go.”
“Byers.”
On our way to Osmium, Qamar and Quinn were in a conversation in a different language. When they did that, they wanted to make sure I wouldn’t understand.
“What are you two talking about? What’s with the secrecy?”
“It’s an assignment, Estelle.”
“Wow. Since when did you learn to speak Arabic, Quinn?”
“In a training.”
“That intense, huh?”
“I only learn the basics. Jasper is multilingual, though.”
“That’s awesome.”
We arrived at the Osmium. Quinn offered to send me up to Linden’s office. Qamar stayed down and met his colleagues.
Once we got in the elevator, I cornered Quinn. “What did you two talk about, Quinn? And don’t tell it’s above your pay grade you can’t disclose.”
“I can’t tell you not because I don’t trust you, but my lips are sealed, and the more you know nothing about it, the better.”
“Is this about Ilya?”
He shrugged. “Not really.”
“I’m asking Gabriel if you won’t tell me.”
“That’s a good idea.”
“Fine.”
Leaving Quinn behind me, I walked to Linden’s office once the elevator slid wide.
“Mrs. Linden, I’m sorry. Okay?”
“It’s fine, Quinn. I know how it does work around here.”
Before I could enter the office, Hope was on her desk. “Hey.”
She quickly stood up. “Ma’am.”
“I didn’t get a chance to say thank you. So, thank you for what you did back in London.”
“My job, ma’am.”
“Thank you anyway.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Is Gabriel here?”
“Yeah.”
I was about to open the door, but she was about to say something.
“What is it?”
“He has a visitor.”
“Who?”
She opened her mouth but seemed to find it hard to say a word. With my heart beating fast and my stomach knotted with dread, I opened the door to Linden’s office.
Linden turned his head in my direction, and I saw the instant excitement and joy in his eyes.
Hope was right, though. Linden had a visitor, but it wasn’t what I was thinking.
“Hey.” He stood up and left his visitor to kiss me on the cheek. “What are you doing here?” His question wasn’t intrusive. He was just surprised.
“I’m sorry. I should have called you first or waited outside.” I looked over his shoulder while his visitor was already standing behind him.
“It’s okay.” Linden turned. “Estelle, this is Ilya.” Ilya? The Ilya? Oh, my God.
“Ilya.”
“Ma’am.” He offered his hand. He was tall as Linden, with broad shoulders, a wide chest with chestnut brown buzz cut hair, deep, intense blue-green eyes, strong jaw, like a perfect action star. Man, he was beautiful if he wasn’t a mafia.
I had no choice but to shake it. “Estelle, but you know me already, am I right?”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” His accent. I must admit, I almost didn’t catch a hint of his Russian. He must have gone to an international school or something or a part of the grooming process to be a future mafia leader and learn many languages and accents. He was also well-dressed in a black shirt and suit.
“Yeah. I wish I could say the same thing, but I am sure. I owe you a thank you. I guess.”
“You don’t owe me anything. And you don’t have to be scared of me.”
“Well, if I didn’t know who you are, and we just bumped into each other in the street, I wouldn’t have suspected how dangerous you are. But it’s good to finally meet the man behind the hush-hush.”
“Hush hush, huh?” He smiled, showing his perfectly white teeth, which almost looked like veneer but not. His dentist did a good job. And damn, he had dimples too. He really had a good specimen. He turned to my husband. “I should get going.” He extended his hand.
“I wish your father a fast recovery.” My husband shook it firmly.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done. I owe my life.” He then looked at me, “Mrs. Linden.”
I still followed him with my gaze as he walked out of the office. “Damn.”
“What?” I caught the annoyance in Linden’s voice as he snapped.
“Damn. He’s fucking hot.” I wasn’t trying to make Linden jealous, but I admitted I exaggerated with words. It was just a compliment, but I still heard him groan.
“He’s fucking hot, huh?”
When I looked at him, he was already frowning. His jaw locked as I cupped his face and tried to kiss him on the lips.
“You’re hotter, and I am yours. Yours only.” I kissed him hard to erase the frown between his eyes.
“Damn, right, you’re mine.”
“I’m sorry about earlier.”
His expression was blank because he knew I made a mistake and was waiting for my grand apology. “Which one? When you complimented Ilya?”
“When I got mad at you for trying to save my ass from falling. I enjoy being pregnant. I love our baby. Maybe I forget I am pregnant because I don’t struggle with severe back pain, morning sickness, or pedal edema. I didn’t think I would fall when I went up the chair. I’m sorry.”
He sighed and wrapped his arms around me. “I’m an overprotective husband. It’s in my nature. I may say something terrible, but it wasn’t intended for you. I wanna get it out of my chest instead of using my fist.”
“Understand.”
He held my hand, making me follow him, and quickly lifted me as he let me sit on his desk. He then kissed my abdomen. “I’m sorry, too.”
“You have the right to get mad at me, but what is Ilya doing here?”
“They’re leaving the country today. His father had undergone a transplant, and he wanted to take him back home and recover there.”
“So he came to you personally for what?”
“My men had been watching his father for days.”
“Really? You risk your men for him?” I asked roughly.
“We don’t get to choose who we protect, baby. His father may be a ruthless piece of shit, but he’s also helpless. We protect his life and not what he had done.”
“He killed probably a hundred innocent people.”
“I can’t guarantee they’re all innocent. I also did that because I know what it feels like to be hopeless and helpless in a foreign country. And I have no bad blood with him. He also freed Jasper. That’s something I should be thankful for. And maybe I can use him in the future.”
“I still don’t like you involving this kind of people. You are not an ordinary man anymore, Gabriel. You have a reputation and name to keep clean. Be careful of the people you acquaint yourself with. It can be used against you one day.”
He looked at me, eyes sparkling. ”God, I love you. So fucking much.”
