Their Battle for Love (The American Soldier Collection 15)

“Malayna, no one sees you as weak, and in regards to accomplishing things on your own, look at this work, these beautiful pieces of you that you’ve displayed on canvas. My God, Malayna, you’re so talented, and so beautiful and perfect. You light up a room with your presence. You bring happiness to people the moment they meet you. That’s a gift. Your art abilities are a gift.”

“I appreciate your compliments. You’re biased for sure,” she said.

Nalia chuckled. “I don’t think I’m the only one who has noticed you and your beauty both inside and out,” she said to her and Malayna squinted her eyes at Nalia.

“Not for nothing, but four very interesting men seem to find it difficult to stay away from here and from you.”

“Who do you mean?” she asked.

“Oh, come on, Malayna, I’ve seen the way Star and his team watch you and keep nearby when you’re around.”

“No, I’m afraid their actions are purely based on loyalty to Nicolai, and the fact that they were the ones to rescue me.”

“Baloney!” Nalia stated firmly.

“No, it’s true. They made their feelings perfectly clear two weeks ago. I haven’t spoken to any of them since then.”

“What happened?”

Malayna explained in great detail about the episode in the home gym and what each man said. Nalia chuckled.

“They got it bad. That is so crazy because they were like super mysterious men. I asked Cosivan about them the other day and what he knew about them and their pasts. They’ve had some crazy things happen in their lives. Border and Star are biological brothers, but Krane and Lucca met Star and Border in the service and they became inseparable. When they left the service Star’s parents took them all in. Apparently Krane and Lucca had very troubled childhoods. Anyway, they have dangerous, high-profile positions in the Russian mob and specifically their family, the Mulichecks. I can remember years ago hearing that name and I’m pretty sure they own a bunch of clubs and bars, kind of like my men do.”

“I wonder what happened to them when they were little?”

“I don’t know, but from what I gathered from the conversation with Cosivan and from observing Star, Border, Krane, and Lucca is that they are very private men. They don’t take a liking to many people and seem untrusting, so I gather they’re been burned before.”

“You mean by women?”

“I don’t believe so. I asked Cosivan about them dating and he said they are never with any women and that it was also none of my business and why the hell was I asking him that. So I kind of dropped it. But I know they travel a lot and do special jobs. They had been gone for so long searching for leads on you.”

“Which is why they see me as a child, a responsibility. They don’t see me as a woman, or at least one that could make them happy, I don’t know. I guess they’re right. I mean I have no experience with men except for violence and control. I often wonder if and when I meet the right man, if he’ll be understanding to my fears when it comes to intimacy and well, just the need to feel protected and safe. It’s so hard to want to be independent but also to need to be hugged and cared for.”

Nina chuckled. “I suffered from that, too. I had this desire to be free, to be a person my mother hadn’t wanted me to be, and that even my father forbade me from being. He tried so hard to keep me from my destiny as his daughter and part of the family and all that is attached to it. None of that mattered. Those men came for me anyway. They tried to hurt me, in order to get back at my father. In their sick heads they thought they could rape me, impregnate me, and force a connection with a bloodline. It’s a crazy world and I needed and still need to learn a lot about being part of this family and all it entails. You’re going to do the same things. It’s even more important for you to show independence and strength emotionally and physically because Nicolai is your father. He’s one of the highest members of the many families. If you focus on that, on the fact that you’re here now and part of Nicolai’s life, then everything else will fall into place. Who knows, maybe those men who can’t seem to keep their eyes off of you will wake up and realize you’re not a child but a woman. That you have wants, desires, and

a need to be strong and independent but also a need to be cared for and loved. It just so happens that sometimes those types of men need a little push.”

“A little push? What do you mean?”

Nalia smiled wickedly.

“Trust me, Malayna, you have to make them realize that they can’t live without you, that they don’t want any other men paying you attention and wanting you, and that you’re stronger than they give you credit for, and sexier than they could fantasize about.”

“I don’t know about that. No experience with men, remember?”

“I was a virgin when Cosivan and the team had found me and rescued me. They respected that, and I think loved me extra special and took their time because of that. When Star and his team find out you are, they’ll take their time, too.”

Malayna snorted. “Or they’ll cross their fingers in front of me and back up like I’m some freak.”

Nalia chuckled and looked her over.

“Not with your body, or those bold blue eyes and extremely long, beautiful hair. Which, by the way, Nicolai said we need to go shopping for a dress for your birthday.”

“Lovely.”

“Come on. It will be fun. You just need to decide if you want to use the night as an opportunity to establish the kind of woman you really are and want everyone to see you as, or allow everyone else to dictate who you are and will be. It’s all up to you.”

Malayna thought about it a moment and felt that need, that desire to be something more.