Page 75 of Den of Thieves
Karina, Vladimir and their entourage of security and nannies were waiting on the plane to be refueled so they could return to Panama and spend the upcoming summer with Gustaf. Normally, she would be annoyed that this wasn’t done sooner. Today, she was just happy to spend some extra time with her babies.
While the family stayed in Champagne, she spent most of her time in Paris school shopping. Although the children won’t have a uniform, there was still a strict dress code. Karina ensured her babies would have the best of everything from her favorite fashion houses. Cost was not a factor.
The boys couldn’t care less, as long as they were comfortable, so Karina got them many pairs of pants in each style, followed by a myriad of cable knits and long-sleeved shirts to send to the school embroiderer.
Anastasia was Karina’s fashion princess. The two of them spent days picking out the perfect wardrobe for her upcoming school year. They had so much fun, Karina promised to fly her daughter to at least one fashion capital a year for new clothes.
Vladimir and the boys raced side-by-sides, learned the fine art of falconry, and finished their stay with a wild boar hunt. Anya was so upset she missed the hunt that Vladimir arranged another one the next day.
Karina shivered, remembering their time in the cold, muddy forest. The children caught another boar, and she got sores on her feet and a ruined pedicure. It was all worth it to see the unabashed glee on everyone’s faces.
“Mommy!” Artym ran up to her, holding the front zipper of his pants.
“I told you not to drink all your juice.” She laughed, getting up from her chair in the private airstrip’s lounge.
“Speshite!” Hurry! His little hand tugged her to the single bathroom down the hall.
The private airstrip just outside Paris was empty except for one other plane. Karina and Artym were their way back to the lounge, when a woman with rich brown skin, long straight hair almost to her waist, and a protruding belly bumped collided into her.
“Excuse—Penny? Is that you?” Karina gasped.
“Karina?!”
The women squealed, rushing into each other’s arms. The two of them went to middle school together briefly before Penny, known by many as Priscilla Lee, went off and became a teen sensation and America’s sweetheart.
“Oh, my word! What are the odds?!” Penny asked. She pulled back briefly, smiled and hugged her again.
“Greater than you think. My man likes to travel in style,” Karina laughed, holding up her massive engagement ring, sparkling wedding band, and the third ring full of 2 carat diamonds that Vlad gifted her as a push present after Artym was born.
“My men do too,” Penny laughed, rubbing her belly. Her impressive diamond ring and wedding band sparkled in the overhead light.
“She’s pretty like you, mama.” Artym said, softly.
“And who’s this little angel?” Penny cooed.
“This is Artym, my youngest. Don’t let the sweet face fool you. He is still grounded for the little stunt on the plane with the permanent marker.” Artym’s plump cheeks reddened slightly as he drank from his sippy cup.
“I can’t believe you have a son!” Penny said, touching her chest.
“There are two more munchkins running around somewhere.” Karina sighed, waving her hands around the hanger. “Is this your first baby?”
“Nope, this is my third. I have a 16-year-old and a three-year-old as well.”
Karina opened her mouth to ask how Penny had the time to birth a teenager because they were the same age, when yelling at the opposite end of the hanger caught the women’s attention.
“Kenzie?!” Penny’s mouth dropped at the sight of Anya, Alexander, and what had to be her daughter, Kenzie, driving haphazardly on a golf cart. They were all well under the age of ten. There was a long line of security and nannies chasing after them.
“Chert voz’mi. The more I take away, the more chaos they make being creative.” Fucking hell. Karina shook her head.
“You almost sound proud.” Penny snorted before her eyes zeroed in on her teenage daughter, who had her phone camera panning the chaos. “Jenny!”
“What? The little one’s paid me $100 bucks to record it.” She shrugged. Jenny was beautiful, with a curtain of long, black hair and striking green eyes.
“Lord, give me strength,” Penny said, rubbing her forehead.
“You look like you need a drink. Come, I have some champagne chilling in the lounge.” Karina said, looping her arm around her old friend’s.
“I’m pregnant, remember?”