YURI (Her Russian Protector #3) (22 page)

"Yeah," Vivian said, her voice unnaturally tight. "She definitely has some issues that you'll have to work out together."

"She's worth it. Hell," he said with a self-deprecating laugh. "I'm not exactly baggage free here. I've got my own hang-ups."

"We all do, Yuri." She pointed to the stool. "Ready?"

Naked from the waist up, he sat down and straightened his back. "Like this?"

"Yes. Just so you know—I'm not doing any face captures. I'm only interested in your tattoos." She moved closer and held the camera up to her face. "Do you have a story behind this tattoo?" The camera came down to reveal her smile. "Obviously it's about brotherhood."

"I had it done while I was in the military. Dimitri and I were stationed in different areas. Nikolai and Ivan were in prison." He absentmindedly touched the tattoo as Vivian crouched down to snap a photo from a different angle. "It made me feel close to them again. It reminded that our bond could survive anything."

Vivian finished her quick photo session. "I like that description. I'm going to find a way to incorporate that feeling into the painting."

His part finished, Yuri grabbed his shirt and slipped back into it while Vivian uploaded the pictures and made some notes in a spiral notebook. She glanced over at him as he fixed his cufflinks. "Thank you for doing this. I've been so lucky to have such great friends willing to sit for these photos."

"I'm happy to do it. I'm glad you consider me a friend."

"Well, you are my best tipper at the restaurant," she said with a cheeky grin.

He laughed and teased, "I think you're setting the bar for friendship a bit low."

"Probably."

"Since we're friends, perhaps you wouldn't mind helping me with something?"

"That depends. What kind of help?"

"It's for Lena." He slid his arms into his suit jacket. "She was wearing this really beautiful blazer this morning—"

"The poppy red one with the black piping?" Vivian interjected.

"Yes."

"I love that color on her. Isn't it great?"

"Very," he agreed. "I noticed that her left wrist looked a little bare. I wanted to get her something pretty."

"Something pretty?" Vivian leaned back against the table. "Like jewelry?"

"Yes. Gold, I think."

"And you want me to—what? Recommend something?"

"I thought you might know if there's a piece she's had her eye on or maybe a certain style she prefers."

She reacted with mock shock. "You're asking me for advice on how to woo a woman? I thought you were supposed to be some internationally renowned playboy."

Yuri took her playful jabs in stride. "It's different with Lena. She's not just any woman. With anyone else, I'd go to my jeweler and ask for something bright and gaudy and obscenely expensive. I want to get it right with her. I want something that’s special to her." Letting some vulnerability into his voice, he said, "I want this to be perfect for her. Please?"

Vivian's expression softened. "We went window shopping a few weeks ago. I'll make you a list and some recommendations."

"Thank you."

She picked up a pen and her notepad and gestured to the far wall. "Why don't you look at the paintings while I make this list?"

Yuri crossed the warehouse to the horizontal racks storing her canvases. The unit had swinging arms that allowed the canvases to be flicked through one by one. He couldn’t help but wonder what Nikolai had spent on this little contraption.

Studying the first canvas, he finally understood what Lena meant. This series of paintings staggered him. He leaned back as he gazed at the canvas so he could take it all in and digest it. The haunting portrait showcased a torso marked in prison tattoos. They weren't the Russian tats he was so used to seeing but the kind a man would get in a place like Mexico or Central America.

A few more canvases flicked by and he found Dimitri's phoenix. She'd painted the broad expanse of his back and the fine detail of his tattoo in the foreground but the background was a swirling mass of flames and smoke with fine ash littering the bottom edge of the canvas. If Dimitri didn't make an offer on this one after her show, Yuri intended to snatch it up for his gallery wall.

At the very back of the collection, he spotted a canvas covered with a cloth. Curious, he lifted the cloth and took a peek at the painting underneath. His heart stuttered in his chest as the sight registered.

The painting depicted an eerie night scene with a dilapidated two-story house and broken window along the top story. Bloody streaks marred the pointed shards of shattered glass. There, in the shadowy background, a tattooed chest was barely visible.

Yuri's gut clenched as he realized what she'd painted. It was the night she'd been shot while breaking into a house for her father. It was the night Nikolai had saved her life. It was the night the two of them had been inextricably bonded.

It was the night the lies between those two began.

Hearing her approaching footsteps, he hastily covered the painting. He tried to look nonplussed but she wasn’t fooled.

"I don't mind you looking at that one. I prefer to keep it covered because it's an ugly memory." She touched the covered painting. "Sometimes I think I remember more of the man who shot me but it's never enough."

Yuri eyed her carefully. "What do you remember about him?"

"Just that he had that strange tattoo in the center of his chest," she said while touching her shirt. "He didn't speak. He just shot me." She had a faraway look in her eyes. "And then I was falling and I hit the ground so hard. When I woke up again, Nikolai was standing over me. He had a hand on my stomach and he was whispering so softly." She inhaled deeply. "And then I blacked out again and woke up in the hospital."

"They never had any leads?"

She shook her head. "Nikolai said that he'd seen a dark-haired man running from the house after the gunshot. For a while, the police suspected my father had accidentally shot me. Then the theory was that one of the many men he'd crossed had done it." She shrugged. "It doesn't really matter anymore. It's in the past."

How Yuri wished that were true! He cast one final glance at the covered painting before asking, "Has Nikolai seen this collection?"

"No." She held out the folded sheet of paper but didn't let go when he tugged on it. "I'd prefer that you didn't tell him. I want the collection to be a surprise when he comes to the show. I want him to see what kind of beautiful art I'm able to create because of this wonderful space he gave me."

Yuri saw such excitement in her eyes. She clearly hoped to knock Nikolai off his feet—but Yuri worried his old friend would be reeling with a different kind of shock when he got a good look at the tattoo-inspired pieces.

"I won't ruin the surprise but perhaps you'd prefer to show him before everyone else? Maybe a quiet, private viewing for the two of you?"

Interest flashed in her eyes as she released the folded sheet of paper. "Maybe."

He prayed she'd choose that route. Yuri didn't know what would happen if Nikolai walked into that downtown gallery and spotted
that
painting hanging on the wall.

Yuri pocketed the list. "Thank you."

"Anytime, Yuri." She walked at his side as they crossed the warehouse. "Would it be all right if I dropped by your house to see Lena tomorrow? She mentioned that you've got her on house arrest to keep her safe."

He snorted with amusement. "Yes, I'll be a good warden and allow my prisoner to have some visits."

Smiling, Vivian said, "I'll have to bring my babysitter."

"Just Kostya or the Houston PD too?"

"I'm pretty sure your house is outside their jurisdiction."

"I highly doubt your cousin is going to let a little thing like jurisdiction keep him from watching you like a hawk."

She didn't argue that point. "I'll let you know when your painting is done so you can take a peek before the show."

"You realize I'll want to buy it, right?"

"Yes—and you realize I'm going to add a special billionaire's premium to the price, right?"

He laughed. "I expected nothing less."

"Tell Lena I'm coming to see her tomorrow."

"All right."

Walking out of the warehouse, Yuri couldn't shake the feeling that sweet Vivian was playing with fire—and Nikolai would be the one who felt the heat.

Chapter Thirteen

I knew the moment Yuri arrived at the house that evening. Sasha had been quietly sleeping at my feet in the kitchen as I discussed the staffing issues with Feodor but he jumped to his feet and raced to the front door with a loud, excited bark. Feodor started to follow him but I held up my hand and slid off the stool. "I'll go."

As I hurried to catch up with the beastly dog, I heard his growl change from that higher pitched excited whine to a lower, menacing growl. The fine hair on the back of my neck stood on edge and goose bumps broke out on my arms. Jake appeared from a nearby doorway, the one leading into the second living room, and gestured me back away from the door.

Trotting over to my side, Sasha pushed against my belly with his big head and forced me behind him. With his bottom just inches from my feet, Sasha used his body to shield mine. I put a gentle hand on the back of his head and brushed my fingers through his fur. Moving my hand lower, I gripped the back of his collar, just in case.

When the doorbell rang, Sasha let loose a series of barks so loud they made my ears ache. With a hand on the weapon holstered at his hip, Jake opened the door. A tall beautiful blonde woman came into view. Her panicked gaze jumped to Sasha who snarled and snapped at her.

I tugged on his collar. "Sasha! No!" I tried to remember the words Yuri had taught me during breakfast but blanked. I used the only Russian word I could remember. "
Nyet
!"

Sasha glanced back at me and grumbled before plopping his bottom down again. He wasn't going to attack but he didn't like having the door open or that woman standing there.

She raised her voice so I could hear her. "My name is Anna, and I work with Mr. Novakovsky. I've brought some paperwork for him. He was already out of the office when I finished it and I'm headed out for a personal trip." She flashed a glossy folder. The movement made Sasha bark and Anna took a nervous step backward. Extending the folder toward Jake, she said, "I'll just leave it here."

"I'm sorry," I called out as she backed down the steps. "Sasha isn't good with people. I'll make sure Yuri knows you stopped by this evening."

She flashed me a tight smile before scurrying down the steps and out of view. Jake closed and locked the door and engaged the security alarm again. He waved the folder. "I'll put this on Yuri's desk."

"Okay." I let my grip on Sasha's collar loosen. The dog looked up at me with gleaming eyes. He seemed so proud of himself for protecting me. I didn't have the heart to scold him for being so over-the-top. "You and I have to work on our obedience training."

He made a yowling sound and smacked my leg with his paw.

"You're a big boy and you could really hurt someone. Again," I added, thinking of Tommy. "You're supposed to defend Yuri's house but that doesn't mean you have to scare the piss out of
everyone
who comes to the front door."

My phone started to ring so I fished it out of the pocket of my skinny jeans. I recognized the number as Ty Weston's. We'd exchanged some texts but hadn't spoken at length since our wild night cruising Houston's gay bars.

"Hello?"

"Hey, sweetheart! How are you?"

"Good. You?"

"I'm damn fine as always. Listen—you have a few minutes to talk?"

Just then, Sasha tried to lick my face but I blocked him with my hand. He didn’t take rejection well and slobbered all over my hand. "Sasha! No!"

"Uh—did I catch you at a bad time?"

"No." I couldn't stop the giggle burbling in my throat as Sasha continued to beg for attention. "It's Yuri's dog. He's sort of infatuated with me."

"Just like his master, if my spies around town are right."

I didn't dignify that with a response. Wagging my finger at Sasha, I managed to get him to calm down. "What did you want to discuss?"

"You're not going to confirm or deny your relationship with your moneyed Russian honey?"

"Are you asking as a friend or a tabloid blogger?"

"Both."

"Then no comment."

"Uh-huh."

"Look, I have the right to some privacy."

"Okay. Okay. No need to be so touchy."

I rolled my eyes. "You have ten seconds to tell me what you wanted to discuss or I'm hanging up."

"
Rawr
!" He playfully growled at me. "Now I know why the bouncers at 716 called you the Dragon Lady."

"Really, Ty? I'm hanging up now—"

"No! Wait. I have a business proposal I wanted to discuss with you. Your social media cover-your-ass blitz last night pushed a ton of business toward the bars and clubs we'd visited. Apparently, they had bachelorette party bookings like crazy! They were really pleased. They wanted me to see if you'd like to do some promos for them. You know—waving cover charge for your followers if they have a QR code at the door. They're willing to kick a nice fee your way."