Page 58 of The Brigadier

The plan was to head to the beach house, his men remaining on guard at all times. He assured me that the area could more easily be secured, neighbors not even within sight. However, the man remained antsy, which kept me on edge. “What are your plans?”

“A meeting is being established with members of the main Cosa Nostra. I must be there.”

“And leave us alone?”

Reaching over, he grabbed and squeezed my hand. Funny how I didn’t feel additional comfort at this point.

“Don’t worry. First of all, I won’t be gone long. Second, my most trusted, invaluable men are going to protect you while I’m gone. And lastly, as I mentioned, no one knows about the house.”

“Okay. If you say so. It just seems they know every detail about your life and whereabouts.”

I studied him after making the statement and sighed. He was worried what was occurring was an inside job. “Your men are really trustworthy?”

“At least the ones on this detail.”

Detail. The word seemed so foreign to me, so odd to hear him say. However, if I wanted to be with him forever, I had to learn to deal with his life, which was far more dangerous than what I’d lived. There I went again, thinking past the glorious fairytale. Shame on me.

“Now, stop worrying. I think you’re going to love this house. We’re almost there.”

I leaned my head back, staring out the windshield. As the beach came into view, the soft rolling waves, I was shocked just how different the scenery was from Brighton Beach. The smaller homes turned into larger ones, most a significant distance apart. There were few commercial businesses, a small cluster of what appeared to be quaint shops and small eateries off in the distance. The sun was bright, only a few clouds in the sky, and I had to think this was as close to paradise as I would get.

If only it could last.

Remember, this isn’t a fantasy.

The little voice should continue nagging me. While some would consider me a princess of sorts, the truth was I had no business acting like one. I still wanted to be just a normal girl.

Was that possible?

“There she is.” He pointed out the windshield and I had to sit up.

The sight in front of me took my breath away.

“Holy shit.” There was no accurate way of describing my impression of the incredibly gorgeous house. The two-story home with an attached porch seen from the front led to anothersection of a massive building that had what appeared to be cedar shake siding, windows everywhere, and a large chimney on one side. The driveway was aggregate, the three-car carriage-style garage adding to the character of the home.

I opened the window, drinking in the ocean air, noting the gorgeous landscaping all positioned in a beautiful rock design. Through the attached, covered porch, I could see the ocean, including a long wooden walkway leading to the water.

I could only imagine how stunning the house was inside.

“Wow. No other word is feasible.”

He laughed as he cut the engine. “You had me at holy shit.”

As I climbed out, I took a few seconds to simply enjoy the view before lifting the seat. “Hey, Damien. We’re here.”

For a little boy who had difficulty or no desire getting up in the morning, he popped up as if it was Christmas morning.

“Yay.”

I didn’t need to bother getting him out. He jumped out, laughing as he ran toward the house.

“Hey, little man. Don’t go far!” Nikolay yelled as we both headed to the trunk. Meanwhile the SUVs pulled up and down both sides of the street. At least there were no close neighbors; the only other house we’d passed in a little while had been at the beginning of the rather narrow road.

Nikolay’s house was at the end of the road entirely, no others connecting. There was a dune off to the side, blocking whatever was on the other side.

“Come on. We need to drop the bags inside and ensure Damien doesn’t run too far. He loves this beach. He loves the water.” Nikolay acted as if we were coming on vacation and nothing more.

“What about your men? Where in God’s name are they going to stay or even eat? I didn’t even see a motel of any kind.” I grabbed two of the bags, glancing at the men, every man exiting the vehicles in what seemed like a timed operation.