Page 115 of Scarred Redemption

“All of them.”

“How deep?”

“Deep enough to discover if they’re doing business with anyone else.”

“I’ll get started.” Her voice indicated she was none too happy about the request, but my father used to do it on a regular basis, an old method that I’d forgone. I had begun to realize what I’d considered the ancient methods held some prudence.

Especially now.

“Call me with any discrepancies.”

I hoped there weren’t any.

* * *

Isabel

Good girl.

Why was it when Maxsim called me a good girl, butterflies swarmed my stomach? Just thinking about him was enough to create a wave of heat pulsing between my legs.

“This is a huge house.” Hope walked into Maxsim’s office, immediately heading toward the desk where I was sitting. “Gorgeous, but is being here worth dealing with Mr. Grumpy?”

“He has reasons to be grumpy, you know, and yes, the house is lovely.” Sighing, I allowed the sinful thoughts to fade, glancing at the time on my computer. It was already close to midnight.

“How are you feeling?”

Before I had a chance to answer, a flash of lightning was immediately followed by a rumble of thunder that I felt against my feet.

“I’m fine. Just worried.” I glanced over my shoulder at the crisscross of neon color and groaned. Tonight I hated that there was a storm.

“I asked one of the goons to let me go and purchase a blood pressure monitor and he acted as if I was asking to go to Mars.”

Chuckling, I lifted my head from the laptop screen. “When Maxsim is gone on a mission, security is tight. Especially right now.” I’d told her a few other details about what had happened, although I hadn’t wanted to terrify her. In turn, she’d told me about the confrontation she’d had with Maxsim at the cemetery.

“A mission. You mean when he’s out hunting?”

“Something like that. What I should be worried about is that Bob was given the account.”

“Who’s Bob?”

“A real asshole who was handed my promotion. I bet he has the team in a tizzy.”

“You’ll kick his ass to the curb.”

“You better believe it.”

“You don’t seem very upset that you were kidnapped and held for almost a month.” Hope arched her eyebrows and with a hand on her hip, she appeared more like a nurse and less like my friend.

“Oh, trust me. I’m angry. I just keep thinking I’m forgetting something that could help, even if the brooding Russian doesn’t want me involved.”

She took a sip of her wine, which I was coveting more than I should. “He is a brooding Russian, but I can tell you that he was in significant pain when he thought you were dead. Even I could see that. But you know that even if he is successful in finding the people responsible, there’s going to be another dangerous moment right around the corner.”

“I know that. I’ve told myself it’s a mistake to stay with him a dozen times, but I love him. He’s multi-layered, Hope. He’s possessive and totally dominating, but also sweet and tender when he wants to be. He can make me crazy one minute and turn around and do something so surprising I’m in awe of how much I care about him.”

“You’re in love.”

“Yes, I am. More so now that I have a little life inside of me.” More lightning flashed and I was ready to pull the blind.