Their Battle for Love (The American Soldier Collection 15)

She bowed at him and then smiled. “The pleasure is all mine, Mr. and Mrs. Mulicheck. Thank you so much for coming.”

“It is our pleasure, dear. You are so stunning. My God, Nicolai better keep an eye on you,” Soyva said and Nicolai nodded to the right where two men stood on guard. They stared straight-faced. Her two new security guards were with her whenever she left the house or now, when she was at an event with so many people. Dubkova and Murin were pretty serious and total goons but they shared her native language and she had the chance to speak Ukrainian with them often.

She turned to the right as someone touched her shoulder. She was surprised to see Krane standing there. She caught him inhale against her hair and tiny goose bumps traveled along her skin. Even in the very high silver heels she wore, he towered over her.

“Happy birthday, Malayna,” he whispered and he leaned in to kiss her, placing his hands on her waist.

She closed her eyes and inhaled his cologne

. “Thank you, Krane,” she said back to him, being sure to let her lips touch his ear. She felt his hands tighten on her hips and his fingers traced over her hip on the sheer side. She couldn’t help but to wonder if he were checking to see if she were wearing panties. She wasn’t and it made her feel brazen and mature. It fed her confidence.

The man looked so handsome in a tuxedo, his dark blond hair gelled back, making him appear debonair yet still very dangerous. Then her eyes locked onto Lucca. Krane stepped away and next to his parents, who were talking to Nicolai.

Lucca looked her over from head to toe and gave her a wink. He pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her affectionately, shocking her. His lips kissed her neck by her ear. “Happy birthday, gorgeous. This is some hell of a dress,” he scolded and pulled back, gazing into her eyes and then looking over her bodice. His hands caressed her hips as if he were looking for the panty lines that didn’t exist. She hid her chuckle and hoped she wasn’t blushing. Lucca and Krane made certain body parts come alive.

“Thank you for coming.”

“We wouldn’t miss it, nor miss seeing you, Malayna,” Star said to her. He glided his hand from wrist to upper arm but didn’t step in to hug her. It was like he wanted her to make the first move and she refused to. Tonight was about showing them how mature and womanly she was, and more than capable of handling them and the attraction she felt.

“Happy birthday. You look beautiful,” he said and he leaned closer and kissed her cheek. She took the opportunity to reach up and place her palm against his cheek, which made him stiffen and pull back. It surprised her. He was suddenly cold, but then Border took his place.

“Happy birthday, Malayna,” he said, straight-faced and serious, looking directly down into her eyes as he stepped closer and kissed her cheek. She wanted to hold on to him, to them as they surrounded her but she fought that need. She had to show them that it wasn’t a crush she had on them. That she didn’t fantasize about them because they rescued her. No, it was more than that. She didn’t have to be experienced with men to understand the feelings running rampant through her body, nor the way they looked at her with hunger in their eyes.

“Malayna.” She heard her name and turned around to see Aspen standing there with a tall handsome man. He was gorgeous and his green eyes captured hers and lit up. He looked her over as Aspen introduced him.

“This is a good friend of mine. I mentioned him to you the other day and he was able to make it here this evening.”

He reached his hand out as he said his name, Ellington Cossin, and she shook it hello. “Happy birthday,” he added.

“Thank you, Mr. Cossin,” she replied.

“Oh please, call me Ellington. All my friends do,” he said and winked. She felt his flirtatious tactics immediately and her cheeks blushed. She definitely needed to work on her reaction to other charismatic men flirting with her or she would come off as an easy target. He obviously saw her reaction and surely so did Star and his team. Someone mumbled something.

“Excuse me a moment. It was so nice meeting you. I’m certain I’ll be back shortly. I don’t want to be rude and not say hello to other guests,” Malayna said to the Mulichecks.

“You go on, dear, and enjoy the party,” Mrs. Mulicheck said and gave her a wink as if she found Ellington to be quite handsome, too. Her eyes hadn’t left the man’s face. Ellington nodded at them and then offered his arm to Malayna and she took it as he and Aspen walked through the crowd talking.

* * * *

“Oh, Nicolai, you definitely will have your hands full. She’ll be beating the men away with a club. She’s gorgeous,” Border’s father said to Nicolai. They watched as two guards they hadn’t known were assigned to Malayna followed her closely.

He felt the hand on his arm and then his mom leaned closer. “She is very stunning. That Ellington Cossin looked like a movie star. Do you know him?” his mother asked.

“No, I don’t know him.”

“Some rich asshole who wants to move in on Malayna because of her name,” Star added to the conversation now that Nicolai and his father were in a private conversation.

“I think it was more than that. She lights up a room,” Soyva whispered to them.

“She sure does,” Krane added, sounding angry.

Border looked at their mom, who was watching Malayna and that Cossin guy talking. His hand went to her lower back, nearly to her ass, as he guided her down the hallway away from the crowd.

He wondered where they were going and saw the two guards following. She would be safe. She wasn’t their responsibility. They made their position clear.

When she didn’t return for a few more minutes he got antsy.

“Excuse me a moment,” he told his mother and she gave him a smile and a wink.