Stolen from the Hitman: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance (54 page)
Read Stolen from the Hitman: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance Online
Authors: Alexis Abbott,Alex Abbott
“
I
remember
when this place was just an empty lot filled with broken-down car parts and stuff,” comments one of Eva’s many cousins, whose name I can’t place.
“Me, too!” I exclaim. “I used to ride my bike here with my friends and play with the metal scraps. I suppose a park is probably a little safer for the kids, though.”
We all laugh, gathered together on checkered blankets and handmade quilts offered earnestly by Wanda Lawrence. The Lawrences are perched at a wooden picnic table nearby, the sweet elderly couple beaming at each other over a basket of cheese and fruit. I smile, leaning into Leon’s shoulder. He kisses the side of my head and tugs me closer.
“I’m just glad we were able to make something good come out of this whole ugly mess,” Anya says, holding hands with her new boyfriend, none other than the
former
Officer Samuels. After everything that went down, he quit the force and started hanging around the Glass, earning his stripes until he was finally, officially initiated. Ever since the day he threw down his badge and gun, he’s been latched to Anya’s side. The two of them are an unlikely couple — but he’s such a lovable goof that he helps her lighten up and laugh a little. I’ve never seen her smile as much as she has in the past few months that they’ve been together. And the Lawrences are over the moon that their former daughter-in-law has found someone who makes her happy. Wanda tells me it’s what Henry would’ve wanted.
“This park is beautiful,” Genn comments, leaning back in the grass. “I’m so glad the kids have somewhere cool to hang out now.”
“Yeah, and it’s nice to see some of the local resources finally taking care of this part of town. God, it used to be such a sad place. Now it hardly looks like the same neighborhood,” Vasily says. He’s standing proudly a few feet away, surveying the park with a grin.
We’ve all spent the past six months finagling with city planners and gathering the funds to get this park up and running. Hard to believe eight months ago this field was the horrific site of so many shallow, unmarked graves. Such a sad place filled with dark memories — but we refused to let it stay that way. With the assistance of the feds, we’ve managed to track down the family members of those who were buried here, allowing the families to give their loved ones a proper burial. And now, across the field, there is a beautiful black marble memorial plaque with all their names etched into it with golden lettering. We want to be respectful of those whose lives were carelessly, cruelly squandered away. On the bottom of the list is my dad’s name, immortalized.
But that doesn’t mean we’re going to let this field rot and fester in sadness.
Now, it’s home to lovely green grass, an impressive playground, an outdoor barbeque area, several picnic tables, and even a bike trail cut through the surrounding wooded area. The field, first a desolate scrap metal yard, then a heartbreaking crime scene, is now bustling with activity and filled with laughter and love.
I am proud of what we’ve all accomplished, and I am bursting with joy to think that one day, my own child will play here, too. I wonder if he will be just as daring and determined as his father, or if he will be impossibly curious and loyal as me. I plan to name him John, after my dad. I think I’m finally living up to my potential, carrying out all the dreams my father had for me. Ellen Hardy was impressed with the article I produced about Doyle and Chandler’s big scandal, and she has agreed to keep me on staff as a writer and editor — while allowing me to work remotely. I have my big-city dream job, but I still get to live in my beloved hometown!
We’ve moved back into my dad’s old house, and with the help of the Club, Leon and I have given the place a massive makeover — restoring the house to its former glory without losing any of its distinctive, vintage charm. It’s just enough to suit the three of us, with room to grow.
Rubbing my swollen belly, I turn to look up into my husband’s handsome face. His vivid green eyes meet mine and that same exhilarating thrill passes down my body. I don’t think I’ll ever stop being amazed by him. I’ve never known love like this, and I’ve never been so happy in my entire life. I can’t help thinking that all my aimless wandering, my inability to really find my happy place in New York, was all just a series of road signs pointing me back home. I have become a firm believer in fate. Leon and I are a testament to the existence of destiny. After all, he’s the one who saved me from drowning so many years ago — but I’d like to think that, in the end, we really saved each other.
K
otika - Kitty cat
Nichego - Nothing
Klyanus - I swear
Zasranec - Asshole
Da, da, moy drug - Yes yes, my friend
Podruga - Girlfriend
Politsiya - Police
Khorosho - Alright
Devushka - Girl
Sotrudnik - Officer
Mudak - Asshole/dickhead
Chert voz’mi - Damn it
Byet ostorozhen - Carefully
Zatk’nis, mu’dak - Dumb asshole
Pidarasy - vacation
Vy prekrasny - Beautiful
Obeshchayu - I promise
Ne volnuytes, kroshka - It’s okay, baby
Ochyen priyatno, sestra - Nice to meet you, sister
Moy brat - My brother
Bratishka - Little brother
Pozhaluysta - Please
Smelaya devushka - Daring girl
Sestra - Sister
Spasibo - Thank you
Da svidaniya - Goodbye
Fsyevo harosheva - Safe travels
Pizdoon - Fucking liar
A
lexis Abbott writes
about bad boys protecting their girls! With super steamy sex, gritty suspense, and lots of romance, she's a fixture on Amazon's best-seller and all-star lists.
She also writes as Alex Abbott for her erotic thrillers and contemporary romance.
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