Tempted & Taken (Men of Haven #4)(91)

“No.” She splayed her hand above Knox’s sternum, an urgent touch he couldn’t decide how to interpret. Either she was upset at the concern this guy’s arrival had caused, or she was scared shitless he and his brothers were going to string him up by his nuts and was desperate to stop them. “I told you Yefim called on his own mafiya connections to help me escape. It was Anton’s most trusted avtoritet who actually made it happen.”

“Sergei,” Knox said, hating the way the guy’s name sat on his tongue. Which was thirty kinds of stupid considering if it hadn’t been for the guy, Darya wouldn’t be here right now. “This guy got a last name?”

She cocked her head and studied his face. “Petrovyh.” With her accent, the bastard’s name sounded way too sexy.

Great. One more thing to tweak his ego.

Her lips tipped as though she’d stumbled onto a secret and she moved in close enough to band her arms around his waist. When she spoke, her voice was low and only for him. “I have known Sergei for many years and I owe him much for his actions. But you should also know that he is fourteen years older than me and was raised by Yefim from the age of twelve.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning that in the time I knew him, he treated me as a little sister. Nothing more. And even if he’d had an interest in me, his position with Anton would have made any relationship nearly impossible.”

Right. He’d seen the way men looked at Darya—old men and his own brothers included. No way this Sergei guy was any exception. Still, if all she saw in him was a big brother that was something. He hugged Darya flush against him and focused on Beckett. “I take it he’s here for a chat?”

Phone still pressed against his ear, Beckett covered the bottom half of the phone with his big palm. “Lance says he asked for you and Darya specifically. Said you have a mutual acquaintance that needs attention.”

“How the fuck did he know to come here?” Danny said.

“My guess is the best way to find that out is to ask.” Jace twisted enough to study Sergei in the screen. “Sure as shit doesn’t look like the guy’s in a hurry to leave.”

No. Not at all. In fact, if Beckett’s four guards braced in front of him even remotely gave him the heebees, Sergei didn’t show it. Just stood there with his feet planted hip width apart and his arms easy at his sides. Definitely ballsy.

Knox peered down at Darya. “You really trust this guy?”

She held his stare, her breath coming soft and even. “I will not lie to you. Working for Yefim, I met many dangerous men. None were more so than Sergei. He grew up in the life. Started working for Anton when he was only sixteen. He’s smart. Very well educated. Loyal to those inside his realm. But also deadly.” She paused a beat and twisted in his arms enough to speak to Axel and Jace. “I trust him not just with my own life, but with the lives of your family.”

Jace twirled his toothpick.

Axel rocked back on the rear legs of his chair.

It was Ninette who broke the silence. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.” All the men turned toward the kitchen in time to see her power off the tablet she’d been surfing on and push it aside like she’d had enough of waiting for the men to pull their heads out of their asses. “If Darya says he’s good, let the man up. We’ll get a hell of a lot more answers that way than with the four of you beating your chest and sending smoke signals.”

“Don’t hold back, Mom. Tell us what’s really on your mind,” Jace said.

“I’ll tell ye what’s on my mind.” Sylvie wiped her hands on her dish towel, laid it on the counter and dipped her head toward the flat screens. “The man wears a fine suit and is easy on the eyes. If the four of ye can’t give the all clear, Ninnie and I will for the view alone.”

“Amen to that,” Ninette added.

“Jesus,” Axel said under his breath as he sat up. He looked to Beckett and shrugged. “Do it. We’ll get answers and make the women happy.”

Still wrapped up in Knox’s arms, Darya snickered.

Beckett scowled at each of the women, but peeled his palm away from the phone and growled into the handset, “Send him up.”

The next few minutes passed in silence, Danny and Beckett heading out to the elevator landing with holstered weapons in plain sight while Jace and Axel kept their seats and their unflappable calm. Ninette and Sylvie kept on with their usual synchronized kitchen routine like they hadn’t just welcomed up a known killer to the loft.

The top right screen showed the elevator swishing open and Sergei stepping into the plain gray space.

“You know they’re gonna frisk him, right?” Knox said.

She squeezed the hand she’d laced tight with his the second the guards had stepped aside and let Sergei pass. “It’s no different than what he would do. He’ll respect the action more than be offended by it.”

Knox shifted his attention to hers. “I could give a fuck what he thinks. It’s what you think I’m worried about.”

She smiled at that, her eyes alight with understanding and a little wonder. “I worry about what you think, too. Just remember what I said. He gave me much. Treated me like a little sister for many years. I could no more give him a cold welcome than I could your family.” She skimmed her fingertips along his jawline and lowered her voice. “Will you trust me?”