“Do you want a…pussy doctor?”
I opened my eyes and stared at him. He wasn’t joking. Seriousness covered his face.
“Yes, Pavel. A gynecologist.”
“That’s what’s it’s called?”
“Yes. Remember that.”
Dear God.
Having new people would be annoying. We both would have to learn each other.
Pussy doctor? Thank God Valentina wasn’t here to hear that.
When we got back to the hotel, Pavel’s phone rang. He answered and walked off. I opened the door, got out, and lifted Emily.
Pavel ended the phone call and hurried back to me. “Kazimir.”
“Yes?” I walked off to the hotel, carrying Emily in my arms.
“There are several vans and cars with French surrounding the hotel.”
What do you want now, Jean-Pierre?
“How many?”
“At least thirty men, but there could be more.” Pavel opened the door to the hotel. “I think we should go somewhere new.”
“It’s two in the morning.” I headed to the elevator. “I’m not waking up my mouse and racing out in the middle of the night due to those pansies.”
“I’m not sure this is wise.”
I thought of the blood moon. “Just in case…put more people outside the suite’s door.”
“I’ll add some to the living room and balcony.”
“Just one more to the balcony. We already have two out there. I don’t like everyone listening to us make love.”
“I believe the French could be a real threat. A move would be a better—”
“Are you scared?”
He opened his mouth in shock. “No.”
We entered the hotel and made it to the elevator.
“Are you sure, Pavel? If so, you have time to resign.”
He cleared his throat. “No, Kazimir. I just…think we should at least have more men.”
“More are coming.”
“The mouse’s men? I’ve heard. That’s good, but I would love to have more of mine here.”
“Good. Call them.” I carried Emily onto the elevator. “Emily’s men should arrive at the airport early this morning.”
“I’ll leave immediately to meet them.”
“Get some rest. You have time.”
“I can sleep at the airport.”
I almost argued against it. Pavel was so excited to get the position, he was overdoing it. But with the way I’d treated Emily’s men, perhaps it would’ve been nice for them to have an official escort.
“Okay. Meet them at the airport. Make sure they have everything they want. They’ll need food and lodging close to us.”
“I’ll handle it.”
“Good. I want them taken care of. They’ll have a job here.”
Pavel arched his brows.
“I’m going to put them on Jean-Pierre.” I shrugged. “It’ll be a fun little hunt for them.”
Pavel quirked his brows. “Do you want me to give them the orders?”
“No. I’ll confirm with my mouse.”
But all of this will happen after the doctor’s appointment. If she’s pregnant, we’ll need rules to her involvement.
“And for the position.” Pavel followed. “Thank you…sir.”
“No formalities, Pavel. We’ve known each other for too long.”
“Sorry, sir…Kazimir.”
I glared at him.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize either. Unless I have a gun pointed at you and I’m mad.”
“Then, it’s just as old times.”
“Indeed.” I left the elevator. Pavel remained on the elevator to head to the airport. I grinned at his motivation, happy I’d at least officially filled one of my three positions.
I got my mouse to bed and passed out.
But I didn’t rest for long.
Emily woke up shaking and crying out. Yawning, I opened my eyes and pulled her closer to me. “Bad dream?”
She blinked and looked around. “When did we get back?”
I rubbed my eyes and glanced at the window. A gloomy blackness had painted the sky, but the sun looked to be rising soon. “We’ve been back at the hotel for a few hours.”
She yawned, leaned against my chest, and whispered, “Yes.”
“Yes?”
“Yes, it was a bad dream.”
I landed a kiss on her forehead. “What happened in the dream?”
“I was at my old townhouse in Harlem.”
I ran my fingers through her hair. “And what happened there?”
“I was sitting on the couch, trying to turn on the television, but it wouldn’t shut on. For some reason, I thought batteries would be in the basement.” Her body tensed.
The basement was where Maxwell’s father had molested her. Long ago, she’d had to take Luka and I through it and had appeared to be close to passing out.
I approached the topic carefully. “So, you went down into the basement?”
“I did.”
“That was very balls to the wall.”
She gave me a weak chuckle.
Good. She’s feeling better.
“What happened next, mysh?”
“A baby started crying, right as I made it to the steps.”
I continued to run my fingers through her hair.
“And…I just stood at the top of the stairs. I didn’t go down. And the baby just cried.” She trembled against me. “I tried to move, but I couldn’t. I just let the baby cry.”
I looked at her.
Tears streamed down her face.
She wiped them fast. “I don’t know why I’m crying. The baby wasn’t real. It was just a dream.”
“But it was a bad dream.”
“Not that scary. No blood or monsters.”
“But terrifying nonetheless.”
She nuzzled against me. “Damn you, Kaz.”