Page 30 of Gangster's Empire: Leeza & Havel

She matched the frost in his tone when she replied in a whisper so Kris wouldn’t hear, “Tell that to the people who died there during Jozef’s takeover.”

His expression became even stonier. “We’ll talk about it later.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away. “As long as you continue giving me no choice in how I conduct my own life, I’m done talking to you. Now and later.”

He remained silent for the rest of the drive, but his annoyance was palpable. She should’ve kept her mouth shut, but her silence had never solved anything either. She was damned if she spoke out and damned if she didn’t. What was the point in fighting? All it did was exhaust her.

A tug on her hair reminded her that Kris was watching their interactions. She plastered on a wide smile and turned to him, signing, we’re going to sleep someplace exciting and new tonight!

He frowned. Kris didn’t like change and there had been a lot of changes these past few months.

When they arrived at Zmatek, Leeza busied herself with Kris’s seatbelt while Havel rounded the car, opening the door to pull Kris out. Kris went easily into Havel’s embrace, leaning his head against Havel’s shoulder while Havel placed a hand protectively on his back.

The move frustrated her. It bothered her how easily her son accepted Havel. He listened to him and looked up to him, almost like… a father figure.

She sat in silence as she replayed the past several years of her life, focusing solely on Havel’s interactions with Kris. He was always there, in the background, watching and protecting. Despite his seriousness, he always had a quick smile and a wink for Kris, sometimes even a treat or a toy.

“Ms. Koba,” Ayaan prompted from the open door, startling Leeza.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, fumbling for her seatbelt. “Jesus, this day can end any time now.”

Ayaan chuckled as she stepped back so Leeza could exit the car, then she stood alertly next to Leeza while Cooper walked beside Havel who was still carrying Kris. The rest of the security detail followed them.

Ayaan took Leeza’s elbow as they walked inside and held her back a few steps. Leeza lifted a brow at the other woman. The bodyguard better be careful because Havel had eyes everywhere and he had an eerie knack for reading almost every situation accurately. He would know Ayaan was trying to speak to her alone and she doubted he would approve.

Ayaan spoke in a hushed voice when Havel and his entourage were out of hearing range. “What did you think of Anne when you met her? Did she seem strange to you?”

Leeza thought back to her interactions with Anne. “What do you mean?”

Ayaan shrugged. “When you were away, I was occasionally sent on errands to Babi’s house. Anne always seemed off to me. Sometimes like a scared rabbit, other times aloof and bossy. Inconsistent depending on who was around. She’d also occasionally try to interfere in Havel’s decisions regarding his grandmother. And I get the feeling she doesn’t want Babi to leave the house.”

“Why would she care?” Leeza asked skeptically. Babi was so independent. It seemed unlikely that Babi would do anything she didn't want to do.

Ayaan grimaced. “No idea, but maybe she thinks as long as Babi is in that house, she’ll need Anne by her side.”

The theory made sense and Leeza’s heart went out to both Babi and Anne. Babi deserved a better place to live, but Anne shouldn’t have to feel like her place in the family was threatened. Still, there was little Leeza could do about the situation. “Why are you telling me this? I’m pretty much the least powerful person in this organization right now.”

Ayaan gave her a scornful look. “You’re alive, aren’t you? That should tell you how much sway you have over your cousin and his number one security expert.”

Leeza narrowed her eyes. Ayaan was overstepping. “You’re better off talking to Havel about your suspicions. He loves Babi, he’ll take good care of her.”

“Anne is his cousin and one of his last surviving relatives,” Ayaan replied, dropping her voice. “I don’t know if he can see her properly. He thinks she’s harmless.”

“She seems harmless to me,” Leeza argued. “Maybe a little odd, but that doesn’t make her ill-intentioned.”

“What’s wrong?” Havel asked, his deep voice hard as he approached the two women.

“Nothing.” Leeza brushed past him to head toward the elevator where Kris stood sleepily rubbing his eyes. “We were discussing Ayaan’s work rotation. If I must have a bodyguard following me around everywhere I go, I like the idea of having a woman.”

Ayaan looked surprised at Leeza’s lie, but quickly recovered. “I told her we’d have to discuss it with you, but I’m happy to join Ms. Koba’s detail if you’ll approve it.”

Havel stared at Leeza, mistrust in his eyes.

She pursed her lips and held her ground.

“Consider it done.”

Leeza was surprised at his easy capitulation and looked at Ayaan, who had a half-smile curving her lips. Leeza’s lie had just landed Ayaan in her service for the foreseeable future. She felt manipulated by the other woman. What were her motivations? Maybe she was a masochist because Leeza considered herself an uninteresting principal. Perhaps Ayaan thought Leeza would try to run away again, making her job more interesting.

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