Page 60 of Brutal Secrets

You know nothing about my life, I think so loudly I wonder if he can hear me over the hum of the engine.

Dex’s SUV turns in at a motel ahead. The building has seen better days, and the M in the sign has blinked out. The OTEL proclaims its existence against the darkening sky. There are six trucks parked between the hotel and a bar next door, but it’s quiet, and we sit in tense silence as Dex walks to my side of the car.

“Okay, lovebirds. I’m going to put you together in a family room,” he says with a grin.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Dex tips his chin at me. “Best you stay in the car. That way no one sees you and you can keep an eye out in case anything happens.”

I watch his back as he walks toward the building, and Kesera walks beside him. He stops at the car ahead, and Nona gets out. Dex puts his arm around her and walks into the motel. Just a good old boy on the road with his grandma. Nothing to see here.

I pull out the burner phone and call Sasha.

“Mr. Wolf, at your service, blatnoi.”

“You cleaned up?” Shutting my eyes, I let my head hit the headrest behind me.

“Yeah, it was a real mess. Two Italians and one Russian, by the looks of things.” The world swims behind my eyelids when I close them and listen to Sasha’s voice.

“Not Andrei.” I think about the boy with the blond curls. Did he betray us, or was he really stupid enough to risk our lives for the sake of some pussy?

“He’s messed up, but he’ll live. That muzhik brought hellfire down on our heads and left me one hell of a mess to clean up because he was texting a hooker.” Sasha sounds exasperated.

I almost expect people to sell me out, but Andrei actually put our lives at risk for a woman. When he recovers, he’ll carry injuries as a reminder of his mistake.

“You said there was a Russian among the dead bodies?” I dangle the car keys in my hand, feeling the reassuring press of the knife in my boot and the weight of a holster against my body.

“Looks that way from the tattoos.” Sasha doesn’t say what we’re both thinking. The Night Governor probably knows about Kesera if there was a Russian with the men. “How soon can you get back to New York? I need you here. It’s all moving too fast.”

I look out at the blinking motel light and wonder if it’s safe to leave the family behind. If we can be sure no one has followed us, then it will be better to leave them with Dex than to follow them to the safe house that Sasha has set up. Maybe they should head somewhere with Dex that has no link to me. The faster they cut ties with me, the safer they’ll be.

“I’ll see if I can get back tomorrow.”

“Do that,” Sasha says, and hangs up, leaving me to wonder how long I can afford to stay.

I’m so lost in thought I don’t see a slight figure with a ball cap and dark glasses tapping on the window. I jump, pulling my gun out of its holster and pointing it before I realize I’ve just drawn a gun on the mother of my child. Christ, men like me don’t deserve to father children.

I lower the window.

“Hey,” Kesera says softly. “How are you holding up?

“Tired. I could sleep for a few days.” My lips turn up at the corners in the ghost of a smile. “The adrenaline has worn off.”

“Then I’m glad we stopped for the night. It’d be pretty stupid to die on the run from the mafia because you were so tired you ran the car off the road.” She smiles at me, but it doesn’t meet her eyes. Her face mirrors the strain on my own.

“I don’t think there’s much danger of that.”

“Well, better safe than sorry.”

“No. I’m sorry. You’d have been safe if I wasn’t here.”

She reaches through the window and lays a cool palm against my forehead. Her touch feels comforting and restful, and I don’t think anyone has touched me like that in years. I lean into her despite myself, and she brushes back my hair.

I open my eyes to see her watching me.

“Don’t be sorry. And take some more painkillers in a few hours.” She bites her lip, then turns and walks toward the other car as our daughter jumps out, braids bouncing.

The two of them laugh together, and I wonder what it would be like to be part of a family unit. I don’t have to wait long for my first taste once Dex strides over with a key card.

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