Wicked Boss (Bratva Brothers 2)

TWELVE

Luka

I don't know how I convinced Hannah to move in with me, but she agreed. Under the condition that Mikhail is willing to accept Hannah and Bay under his roof.

If I can prove to him that it's good for Madisyn, then he might agree.

I knock on the office door before stepping inside and closing it behind myself. "Luka," Mikhail says, glancing up from his computer. "What a night, huh?" He closes the laptop and cracks his knuckles.

I take a seat across from him in the black leather chair. "Yeah, I'll say." He's working late, so Madisyn is probably growing antsy waiting for him upstairs. "I was hoping I could talk to you about the situation with Hannah."

"That guy is a grade-A asshole. I'm glad you're looking out for her. It doesn't hurt that she's cute. Am I right?"

"You don't remember her?" I'm not sure why I thought that he might. He was with me that night at the bar, but he hadn't spoken with her and definitely didn't sleep with her.

"Am I supposed to?" Mikhail asks, a frown forming at the corners of his lips.

"Probably not. I hooked up with her a couple of years ago. Turns out the little girl, Bay, she's mine."

"Shit," Mikhail mutters under his breath. "Why didn't she try to track you down?"

"Hannah thought I worked at the club. I did wander behind the bar to grab us drinks that night, so I can see where she might have come to that assumption. She lost my number or something and didn't know how to reach me."

"You're a dad, huh?" Mikhail smirks. "Didn't see you beating me to the finish line."

"I didn't realize it was a competition." While Madisyn is pregnant, he's right. Me becoming a father overnight is quite a surprise.

"When isn't it a competition?" Mikhail chuckles. "What'd you want to talk to me about?"

At least Mikhail seems to be in a pleasant mood. "I don't like the thought of Hannah returning to her apartment."

Mikhail's gaze tightens. "You want Hannah to stay here under my roof?"

"That is what I'd like, indefinitely. With Bay being my daughter, it would be nice to have the opportunity to get to know her."

Mikhail pinches the bridge of his nose. "Hannah doesn't know what we do for a living. Do you see how this might be a problem?"

That thought has already crossed my mind. "She won't find out, sir. Madisyn will not tell her, and I'll make sure that we keep our business dealings away from her."

"She'll be living under our roof," Mikhail says. "She's bound to witness something that she shouldn't. Are you sure that she's loyal and won't run to the feds?"

"If she had any inkling of our business dealings, she wouldn't agree to stay."

"Can't say that I'm surprised. I suggest you make sure that she never finds out. Find out what she needs from her apartment and arrange to have the rest of her items brought to the compound or put into storage."

"Yes, sir," I say and stand.

"One more thing, Luka. If she's living here, I don't want any drama. You both need to discuss ground rules before committing to this idea of living together."

"Ground rules?"

What the hell is he talking about?

"Are you co-parents? Fuck buddies? If she wants to bring another man home, how will you deal with that situation?"

My hands ball into fists. "She's not bringing anyone home."

"Good," Mikhail says with a hint of a smirk. "Oh, and I'm going to have Nikita run background on Mark."

"Why? He's out of Hannah's life," I say. What's the point of digging up dirt on a man who may as well be dead to her?

Mikhail's jaw tightens. "Consider it a hunch. You might want to be rid of him, but I don't think he's smart enough to walk away."

Mikhail had better be wrong. "I'll look into it," I say.

"No." Mikhail holds up a hand. "You're too close to Hannah. It's better if it comes from another one of my men. If nothing turns up, Hannah never has to know."

"And if something does?"

"Nikita can be the bearer of bad news," Mikhail says.

* * *

Hannah is nowhere to be found. However, I suspect that she's locked away in her bedroom with Bay. I don't want to interrupt or bother her, especially if Bay's asleep.

Waking the little girl isn't going to win me any brownie points.

I'm not tired.

Pent-up energy flows through my veins. I spend an hour and a half in the gym pounding the shit out of one of the punching bags.

I should be exhausted.

My body is numb, from my knuckles that I've bruised to my heart. I shouldn't feel this way, constantly thinking about Hannah and Bay.

It doesn't help that I've welcomed her to live under my roof, technically Mikhail's. And I will owe him for his generosity.

Sweat coats my skin, and I grab a towel, shucking it over my neck. I'm hot and icy cold at the same time.

Each gasp is loud and raspy as I work to catch my breath from the workout. Keeping in shape is a requirement. I'm a bodyguard for the bratva, and I'd lay down my life for the men I vow to protect.

I run the towel through my hair and toss it in the laundry on my way out of the home gym. I knock full force into Hannah as she rounds the hallway's corner. Shouldn't she be in bed?

My hands reach up to her arms to steady her.

"Sorry," she apologizes. Hannah's gaze moves over my body from head to toe.