Page 25 of Daddy Brigadier

My heart pounds, and my fists tighten as I tap my foot against the tiled floor.Damn Ivy!She needs to stay out of my affairs.

Robyn grips my hand to get my attention. “This is a good thing,” she says.

I tilt my head in disbelief, struggling to comprehend how she could think that.

“They’re billionaires. They can afford it, while we can’t,” she adds, trying to reassure me.

I rub my face with my hands, feeling the weight of my frustration, and let out a deep, heavy sigh. Ivy never makes a move without Elise’s explicit permission, and the thought of Elise being involved in any capacity fills me with unease.

“I’ll grab the car,” Robyn says, picking up on my agitation.

When Robyn disappears, I close my eyes, leaning against the wall. My heartbeat steadies against my chest, and for the first time in months, I feel at peace knowing Ruby will be okay and that she’s coming home.

Now, I need to find Petrov so I can keep her safe. And even if I don’t like to admit it, I can make him pay for what he did to me, too.

CHAPTER EIGHT

LEXI

Lying on the couch in my office, I can hear the rhythmic tapping of Robyn’s fingers on the keyboard. With each keystroke, my heart races in anticipation of the results.

When the typing suddenly stops, I turn toward the conference table to see her looking up from her laptop, her brow furrowed in thought.

“Well?” I ask.

She meets my gaze and replies, “We’re broke.”

So, what’s new?

I roll my eyes. “We’re always broke,” I reply with a sigh.

“After covering the hospital expenses, payroll, and rent for this warehouse, we can afford approximately $500,000.” She holds the check we didn’t give to the care facility. “If it weren’t for this check, we’d only have half of that.”

That wasn’t the news I expected. “That’s it? I’m already eating grilled cheese sandwiches every day, and that’s all we have?”

“Since we began our new mission to find Petrov, we haven’t been able to take on paying jobs.”

She’s absolutely right. We need money. It’s time for me to get back to work.

The bell rings from upstairs, and I can’t help but sigh. “I’ll get it,” Lacey calls out, balancing a plate of food as she heads off to help Ruby.

Ever since we took her in, Ruby has been a constant pain in my ass, ringing that damn bell at all hours. Our warehouse has only three bedrooms, and Lacey and Robyn occupy the other two. I gave Ruby my room, which means I’m now stuck sleeping on this lumpy couch. I would do anything for a comfortable bed right now.

“Are you going to share what she said that pissed you off the other day?”

“She’s just being a cunt!” I respond sharply, jumping off the couch as I neatly fold my blanket.

“You sure we want to move into this new venture?”

“Absolutely!” Looking at the whiteboard, I stare at one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. While others may view this old, dingy card room in a rough neighborhood as a waste of money, I see it as an opportunity. Next to the picture is my plan to turn this crumbling business into a small casino with a high profit margin and the ability to launder our illegal cash. The problem is that I need $3 million for renovations.

I was poised to renovate the card room within six months, but unexpected hospital bills have drained my funds. I urgently need to turn the neglected building into a source of income, or I risk losing it when property taxes are due in 90 days.

“I’m not going to say it,” Robyn mumbles, almost under her breath.

“Then don’t!” I retort with frustration.

“Lexi, we need to consider it.”