Twenty-Four
BODHI
I’d acquired three photos of Zhukovsky and Vedriš during their brief sojourn talking to the ladies. Freddie and I were blending into the background. Ideal for the moment, since neither man had paid any attention to us. No, they barely paid attention to Lainey B.
Except Vedriš had been laser-focused on her until Zhukovsky dragged him into the conversation. The theater owner, however, was all about PPG. What I couldn’t tell was how much of that was genuine interest in her skill, pure lust for her beauty, or mercenary desire for acquisition.
“If he keeps looking at her like that, I’m gonna carve his eyes out,” Freddie said, his light tone conversational and relaxed. “Take my time with it. Then chop off each finger.”
I studied PPG again. She didn’t seem upset. If anything, she was more focused on Lainey B at the moment. She’d barely glanced after the men when they left.
“PPG appears to be handling it.”
“Because people have been looking at her like meat for most of her life.” Freddie’s tone didn’t raise nor were there any stress markers present. Yet everything about him shifted. “She expects to be used. To be abused.”
Head cocked, I narrowed my gaze toward the girls. Lainey B had folded her arms and her smile was genuine. Whatever she was saying to PPG made her laugh. It didn’t take Lainey long to notice me staring.
Her eyebrows raised, a silent question. Was I alright? I nodded once. A stir went through me, a shiver that skated over my scalp and down my back to pulse around to my cock and then up again.
Everything about Lainey B was exquisite, from the sharpness of her mind to her unrelenting loyalty to the fierce determination she possessed to protect everyone around her.
Perfection.
“Maybe,” I finally said, conceding the point to Freddie. “Maybe she used to expect it. She doesn’t anymore. No one will allow any harm to come to her.”
We were all on our guard, Lainey B as well and she was well-armed. I’d go over her weapons again later. Make sure she had everything she needed. If someone tried to make off with the women, they were going to be in for a world of pain.
If Lainey let any of them survive long enough for us to get there.
Amusement speared me at the thought.
“You look way too happy about something,” Freddie observed. “Want to share with the class?”
“Not really.” I cut him a look. “You need to talk though.”
Instead of responding, Freddie frowned and looked back out at the stage. More crew had begun to arrive. O’Connell and his twin had arrived with Vaughn. My phone buzzed with a message from Adam. He and Ezra were almost ready for the meeting with the local Bratva.
The Dovzhenko family had provided introductions and arranged a meeting with potential allies. We’d take all we could get in the city. Adam and Ezra would have backup from a pair of Vandals.
I sent back an acknowledgement then checked the tracking app. Everyone was popping on the screen.
Adam.
Ezra.
Milo.
Me.
Lainey B.
Each one of us demarcated by a different color. If for any reason the apps lost connection with a tracker, a warning message would go out. We’d gone over the program a few times and tweaked the responsiveness.
It was solid.
Didn’t mean I wouldn’t check even with Lainey right there.
“I’ll be fine,” Freddie said after a marked, and a far too long hesitation. “I should probably—”
“We’re going for a walk,” I told him. “Go tell PPG bye.” Then, taking my own advice, I crossed to where Lainey was talking to PPG and the twins, who’d arrived with coffee in hand.
Sliding an arm around Lainey’s middle, I pressed my lips to her ear. “Stepping out to talk to Freddie. Might be a bit. Stay with them until I come back?”
She relaxed into me and tilted her head back so she could meet my gaze. Fresh worry filled those eyes and I smiled.
“Nothing to worry about.” The conversation was for Freddie. Something was up with him.
“Okay,” Lainey murmured. “Don’t disappear on me.”
“I’ll do my best,” I promised.
“All I’m asking,” she quipped easily, the callback made me grin.
I gave her a gentle squeeze then dropped a kiss on her lips before I swung my attention to O’Connell. “Keep one eye on her.”
“Not a problem,” Liam said with a salute. Freddie had already spoken to Emersyn and retreated. He flicked a look toward Freddie then to me. I met his gaze easily. They were Freddie’s people, but this wasn’t a conversation I would invite anyone else to unless Freddie wanted to ask them himself.
