Sunday. Hotel, Boa Vista, Brazil.MAX WAS WAITING WITH a plate the moment Lumen appeared. Jennifer and Prudence both glared at him, but he managed to get Lumen's attention and steer her into the bedroom where their things had been left. He could tell that Lumen was exhausted and in more pain than she wanted to admit. Besides, she'd never been much for messy emotions and she'd already told him he loved her today. That alone would leave Lumen wanting to avoid groups."Oh, thank you." She settled on the edge of the bed and grimaced."You seemed to be kind of done."Lumen chuckled. "You still know me so well."Max offered her the sandwich. He wished he could give her more, but it was what was on hand for now.The desire to touch her was driving him crazy, but he didn't dare. Instead he retreated to the one arm chair in the room and sat at a safe distance. She might have forgiven him for today, but he kept replaying it and all the moments he should have acted differently.Maybe he
Three months later. Ibiza.THEY SHOULD HAVE ELOPED.Lumen was ready to throw the silly bouquets into the water, scream at the top of her lungs and jump off the cliff herself. Alone.Jennifer appeared almost instantly. "Have a drink, you look stressed."Lumen considered the beverage. She'd meant to abstain from anything that might make her the least bit emotional until after the wedding, but right now it was just what the doctor ordered. She took the glass and downed the contents in two gulps."Way to chug," Jennifer snickered.Lumen thrust the glass back at her. "You. Shut it."Prudence burst in through the curtain, one sheer panel sticking to her bun of braids.Lumen jumped, startled by the sudden appearance. "Shit, what?""It happened," Prudence blurted.Lumen pressed her hand to her chest. "What happened? What now? Fucking hell, people. This is a wedding not... I don't know. What?"Prudence cringed. "I should have thought about this. You might not want to hear before th
Volume 1: Just BusinessWednesday. Home, Arlington, Virginia.KONSTANTIN TITOV MADE IT a rule to not drink before five o'clock.It was a rule he was breaking today.He tossed back the finger of scotch and grimaced as the liquid burned his throat.Today his little girl turned ten.It seemed like yesterday he was wrapping her up and putting her in his backpack as a makeshift bed for her to sleep in safely while they made the harrowing journey to the states. She'd been such a tiny thing back then.He counted it a miracle he'd lived this long. When he'd packed up in the middle of the night and fled his father's home with a baby, he had no idea how to care for, he hadn't honestly expected them to survive. Konstantin had always thought his father would catch up to him someday. He'd always been at a loss for what would happen to Zasha after that. Would his father decide she carried his sins? Or would he let her go?Every birthday Konstantin felt the burden of caring for
HALEY GRIFFIN PULLED THE adjoining door between the condos closed. It was silent on this side of the wall, for which Haley was grateful. Ivana was asleep and their chef was out for a little while which meant Haley would get forty-five minutes of peace to freak the fuck out.She set the tray down on the kitchen bar, grabbed her own bowl of mac and cheese, then walked in a daze to her room. It was the smallest of the three. Not that she minded. She'd always lived ready to pack up and go."Jesus," she muttered to herself and nudged the bedroom door shut.She set the food on the nightstand that sat between her bed and the lone armchair. The way her stomach was bubbling, she didn't want to eat yet. Instead, she picked up the squirt bottle and turned her attention on the shelf of plants.Family dinner.Zasha had figured out a way to rope her into it finally. She'd been trying for over a year now to get Haley to squeeze herself into something like this, but Haley had balked at every
Wednesday. Rose House. Arlington, VA.TASHA STROLLED INTO THE Washington, DC house. Every time she came here she was struck by how much she liked the place. It was a shame it was all the way down here and not up north. She strolled through the rooms, soaking up the quiet, and wound up in the formal living room with its wide windows letting in all the afternoon light.It was time.She'd spent years trying to get here, and now she was ready. All that work to strengthen her position, strategically maneuver herself and others. Almost twenty years, to be exact. A hell of a lot longer than she'd hoped it would have taken her, but here they were nonetheless.After so long, she had to wonder just how much the others had changed.Her transformation was obvious, but what about her husband? Her son?It was hard for her to believe that either of those two had changed much. Oh, she'd gotten updates on both regularly since she amassed her own little empire. Even when she'd been strugg
Wednesday. Home, Arlington, VA.HALEY PEERED INTO IVANA'S room, but the elderly nanny had already retired for the evening.Figured.Lately every time Haley needed help, or an out like tonight, Ivana left her high and dry."Relax, it's just like every other movie night," Haley muttered to herself.Except tonight they'd be watching a movie in Konstantin's living room. With him.It was innocent, really it was. And yet, Haley felt herself getting sucked into something. Lately this whole job seemed to operate that way. Her one and only focus should be Zasha's safety. Instead, Haley had to divide her attention between home duties, safety, monitoring school work and entertaining Zasha.The job was too much. The lines were blurred. She was feeling the strain.Haley stopped in the hall, closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath.She loved Zasha with all her heart. Kids hadn't ever been her thing, but Zasha was special. She was full of wonder and joy that reminded Haley to l
Haley glanced at Zasha's nearly licked clean plate."I notice you didn't have any problem finishing your cake," Konstantin said dryly.Haley hurriedly scarfed down her last few bites."Is it movie time yet?" Zasha asked."You bet, kiddo. What are we watching?" Konstantin asked.Zasha bounded out of her seat and back into the other condo.Konstantin chuckled and smiled after his daughter. Haley had no idea what he'd been like before Zasha, but she thought it was a safe bet to assume that Zasha made Konstantin a better person. With his history it would be far too easy to become cold, distant, cut off. But that couldn't happen with a ray of sunshine running around in pink, frilly dresses demanding movie nights and cake.He glanced at Haley and caught her looking at him.One side of his mouth hitched up, and just like that his amused, fatherly expression turned smoking hot. She sipped from her water glass in an effort to hide getting caught."Thank you for doing this," he
Wednesday. Home, Arlington, VA.KONSTANTIN'S WHOLE WORLD JUST flipped into chaos. He gripped the doorframe with one hand while mentally trying to figure out a negotiating point.Haley could not leave.It just couldn't happen.There had to be a way to keep her.He loved her.Zasha. She needed Haley."You are more than her bodyguard and we both know it," he said, his barely contained frustration seething inside him.Haley tilted her head to one side, her face as serene as always. She'd probably planned this mode of attack. "And that's the problem.""Why is that a problem?" He pushed off the doorway, but his long-enforced rules about keeping his distance from Haley stopped him from taking a step into her bedroom. "Zasha adores you.""I'm an employee.""So?" He licked his lips. Imagining their lives without Haley was not possible. There would be a void where she belonged. "What would it take to get you to stay? More money? More time away?""This isn't a money thi