Page 76 of Den of Thieves
“Wine then.” Karina shrugged. “Some doctors recommend a glass now and then during gestation. If not, I’m sure we can find some juice.”
Penny turned to follow, but raised a dubious eyebrow and pointed at the chaos. “You’re not worried?”
Just then, the cart came screeching to a stop when Vladimir stepped in front of its path.
Vladimir pointed to the glass playroom inside the hanger. “In the lounge now. You two are so grounded when we get home. And who is this?! You recruited someone else to your little mob?”
“I love you, daddy,” Anya cooed.
“That’s not going to work today, missy.” Vladimir huffed as he tucked Kenzie and Alexander under his arms like footballs.
Karina shook her head, stifling a laugh. “Shockingly, he’s a great disciplinarian.”
“How’d you swing that?”
“I threatened him with no sex if he didn’t step up and be Mr. Bad Guy every now and then.”
“And it worked?” Penny gasped.
“Like a charm,” Karina nodded. “Wait, did you say men?”
**
After settling the children in front a movie and passing out little bags of popcorn, Vladimir was in dire need of a drink. He never remembering being that rambunctious when he was little. They definitely got that from their mother, he thought to himself.
Vladimir followed the sound of his wife’s laughter to the adult lounge.
“Vlad! This is my old friend turned Hollywood A-lister, Penny!”
Vladimir quirked an eyebrow at her introduction. That didn’t stop him from stepping forward to clasp the heavily pregnant woman’s hand.
“Vladimir Kokvalyov. I had no idea my wife knew ‘Hollywood A-listers’.”
Penny waved a hand in the air. “I haven’t been on a screen in a long time. But we did go to elementary and middle school together, back in Indiana.”
Vladimir smiled. Now that did not surprise him. “Did you have fun in the city of love?”
“Oh, Karina, that accent!” Penny ignored his question and playfully looked him up and down. He shook his head, remembering Kariana’s increased hormonal states when she was pregnant.
“Sexy, isn’t it? It drives me wild to this day.” Karina laughed and Penny’s flushed face.
Vladimir felt his cheeks heat slightly. He knew he was no slouch in the looks department, but seeing his wife speak to another woman like that made him feel like a prime cut of beef. And he wasn’t sure he liked it.
Penny was about to answer when four tall men—not taller than him but still huge compared to the women—walked into the lounge.
The two biggest men looked like twins, but one had long red hair and the other had short brown hair. The third man was the shortest of the bunch and wore glasses and a permanent frown. The last man had long hair and was carrying the little girl he pulled from the golf cart.
“Answer honestly, princess.” The man with glasses said with a frown.
“Of course not.” Penny winked at Karina. “These are my husbands. Mack, Nate, Don, and Wynn. Husbands, Karina and Vladimir Kovalyov.”
Their eyes bulged, but they pasted on easy smiles to cover up their shock at shaking the Bratva King’s hand.
Vladimir assessed Penny’s husbands. They didn’t look familiar, but he didn’t have much business in that part of the States. He would have Pavel look into these men. With the exception of the man in glasses, Don, they didn’t look like the corporate CEO type. Mack and Nate looked like bodybuilders and Wynn looked like someone you wouldn’t want to come across on the street, much less a dark alley.
Karina stood, mouth agape, after she shook the hands of Penny’s four husbands.
“It was great catching up! Don’t hesitate to call whenever you’re back in the States!” Penny waved as they boarded their small jet.