Page 15 of Twisted Vows

“There’s a little Italian place a few blocks from here,” I said, gesturing for her to lead the way. “I thought we could walk, if that’s all right with you.”

She nodded, falling into step beside me. Our arms brushed as we walked, sending sparks of awareness through me. I resisted the urge to reach for her hand and close the distance between us.

She was the first to break the silence. “What do you do for a living, Malachi?”

The question was laden with implications. I considered brushing it off or deflecting as I’d done countless times before, but something in her earnest gaze compelled me to open up, if only a little. “I work in...security,” I said carefully. “Ensuring the safety of certain individuals and their assets.”

Her brow furrowed slightly. “That sounds dangerous.”

I offered her a wry smile. “It can be.”

She worried her lower lip, and I was mesmerized by the simple gesture. “Are you involved with the Yelchin bratva?”

The bold question startled me. I could have denied any association with the criminal underworld, but she already suspected the truth. There was no reason to lie.

“Let’s just say, my line of work often intersects with theirs,” I hedged, neither confirming nor denying her suspicion.

She nodded slowly, digesting my words. To her credit, she didn’t press further, seeming to sense the boundaries I had drawn.

We lapsed into a comfortable silence, the weight of our conversation lingering between us. As we approached the restaurant, I reached out, my hand brushing against hers. She started at the contact, and I was pleasantly surprised that when she was standing beside me, she made no move to drop my hand.

We stepped into the cozy Italian restaurant, the aroma of garlic and tomato sauce enveloping us. Nika’s hand was warm in mine, her fingers intertwined with mine as if they belonged there. A hostess greeted us with a bright smile, and I was about to request a table when my phone vibrated in my pocket.

Reluctantly, I extracted my hand from Nika’s and fished out the device. Rurik’s name flashed on the screen, and an instinctive sense of dread washed over me. “Excuse me for a moment,” I said to Nika, stepping away to take the call.

Her brow furrowed with concern, but she nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.

“What is it?” I asked, keeping my voice low.

Rurik’s tone was brusque. “We have a situation. The interrogation yielded some intel on the Armenian hackers.”

My jaw tightened as I processed his words. The cyber-attack from the Armenians had been a thorn in our side for weeks, compromising our operations and putting us all at risk.

“Where are you?” I asked, already scanning the restaurant for the nearest exit.

“The safehouse on eighth,” he said. “Viktor wants us there ASAP.”

I glanced back at Nika, her expression a mixture of curiosity and concern. Regret tugged at me, knowing our evening was about to be cut short.

“I’m on my way,” I told Rurik, ending the call. Returning to Nika’s side, I took her hand once more, my thumb caressing her knuckles. “I’m sorry, but something’s come up. I have to go.”

Her eyes widened, and she nodded, disappointment flickering across her delicate features. “Is everything okay?”

“It’s...” I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. “Work-related. An urgent matter that can’t wait.”

She chewed her lower lip, and I could almost see the questions swirling in her mind, but she didn’t pry.

“I understand,” she said softly, offering me a small smile. “Be careful, okay?”

The concern in her voice tugged at my heart, and I was fighting the urge to pull her into my arms, to reassure her with more than just words.

Instead, I lifted her hand to my lips, pressing a featherlight kiss to her knuckles. “Always.”

Her breath caught, and her eyes darkened with a hint of desire. For a moment, the world around us faded away, and all I could see was her, but the spell was broken by the insistent buzzing of my phone once more. Duty called, and I had no choice but to answer.

With great reluctance, I released her hand and took a step back. “Rain check?”

She nodded, her smile tinged with sadness. “Of course.”

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