Page 17 of Bound For You
He answers on the second ring. “Sergi, the warehouse looks to be in order.”
I lean back in my chair.Hmm. “No evidence of a trap?”
I hear him shout at one of the men to leave shit alone, and I smirk.
“Nope, none. There’s a small gap on the other side of the building, but no one can fit down there. Everything looks good, including inside. There’re a few dark spaces where Christian will probably hide before we all arrive, but that’s about it.”
“Alright, do one more sweep, and meet me there again tomorrow. We’ll do another sweep together.” He says okay and I hang up, then call Sofia. It’s our ritual; every other day I call.
“Hey, Sergi,” Sofia answers sweetly, and I smile.
“Hey,sestra, where’s my niece?”
She chuckles. “I see how it is; second best and all that.” She tries to sound serious but the smile in her voice gives her away. I chuckle, then a sweet voice comes over the other end of the phone.
“DyadyaSergi, guess what,guess what?”
I chuckle. “What, sweet girl?” I expect it to be about ballet, but nope. I growl at her next words.
“I have a boyfwiend.”
I scowl. I can hear Sofia giggle in the background, then Damian’s voice comes over the line, “What the fuck does she mean she has a boyfriend? She’s fucking three.”
I snort before I hear the sigh in Mila’s voice. “Daddy, he’s a boy and my fwiend.” This time I laugh my fucking ass off despite being pissed that she has a ‘boyfriend.’ The logic and sass of this three-year-old is funny as shit.
We talk for half an hour before we hang up. I smile as I walk out of my office and down the hallway to the living area, where I expect to see my girl. Nope. Her books are there, all spread out, but she’s not. I furrow my brow and head toward the kitchen before a huge smile spreads across my face. My girl cooking while wearing nothing but one of my shirts, her favorite one, with her hair loose down her back. I walk up behind her, ignoring the scars on the back of her thighs. She has several of them, and has only, in the past few weeks, been comfortable showing them around me. So, I ignore them unless I’m kissing them. I wrap my arms around her waist then place my chin on her shoulder.
“Smells good, baby, but I thought you wanted Chinese?”
She chuckles a little, tilting her head toward me, before kissing my cheek.
“I do; this is homemade Chinese. You had all the ingredients for chicken Chow Mein, so I thought I’d surprise you.”
I move my head into the side of her neck, breathing her in. Fuck, I love this girl, and I tell her so. “I love you.”
She leans into me, and hear the smile in her voice when she replies, “I love you too, babe.” I smile against her neck.
“Did I hear growling a little while ago,” she asks. I tense, still not happy with Mila’s new ‘boyfriend.’
I sigh and state, “Mila has a boyfriend, or in her wordshe’s a boy and her friend.”
Avery giggles. “You went all growly bear on her, did you?” Full laughter erupts as she switches off the stove, moving the pan over. She goes to grabs the plates, but I quickly pick her up, tickling her sides, making her laugh louder. Fuck, I love that sound.
I place her on the charcoal-colored countertop. “Not funny,dragotsennyy, she’s only three, she’s not allowed to have a boyfriend.”
Avery shakes her head with a giggle and says, “She’s not saying he’s her ‘boyfriend,’ she’s saying she has a friend and he’s a boy.” She raises an eyebrow at me, and it clicks.
“Oh,” is all I can say, and she bursts out in laughter again. I shut her up by kissing her, making her moan, then I pull away, making her scowl at me.
I chuckle. “One second, baby.” I get my phone out and call Damian.
He answers grumpily, “What?”
I chuckle, then state, “She’s not saying she has a boyfriend. She’s saying he’s a boyandhe’s her friend.”
“Oh,” Damian mumbles, making me chuckle because that was my same response. I look back at Avery, who’s biting her lip,trying to hide her laughter. I give her a mock glare, and she loses it, making me shake my head. Then I remember…I’m still on the phone. Shit.
“What the fuck, who is that Serg?” Damian asks in shock, and I look back at Avery and smile because of how happy she looks. I shake my head and answer, “Someone I’m about to attack for thinking Mila having a ‘boyfriend’ is hilarious. Catch you later, brother.” He goes to say something else, but I hang up.