Tim had been with the brotherhood longer than me, so I guessed they were telling him to take the lead on this and make sure I did my job. But I wasn’t offended. This was a very serious job. I wouldn’t let them down.
Tim stayed behind while I stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind me.
And collided with Annika in her wheelchair.
CHAPTER NINE
Annika
Eavesdropping on conversations wasn’t something I did on a regular basis, but in this instance, it was necessary. Because it involvedmeand I wasn’t about to be left in the dark.
I watched from down the hallway as Adrik and Timofey entered my grandfather’s office, and the door closed behind them.
Then I quickly wheeled my chair forward, pressing my ear against the door, and listened in.
My grandfather was doing what I’d asked. He was assigning Adrik and Timofey to be my bodyguards. I shouldn’t be surprised, but I was. Never had I been consulted on any situation before. Normally, they just told me how things were going to go, and I had to deal with it.
This time, they were listening to me. They were doing whatIwanted. They cared about my comfort and what I thought.
Warmth settled into my chest. Of course, they did. They loved me. They were trying to keep me safe.
Lost in my musings, I didn’t hear the door open.
An unexpected flash of movement came from directly in front of me right before something rammed into my chair.
My brain catalogued the presence in a flash: large, intimidating male dressed in black.
A startled gasp flew past my lips. I wheeled my chair backward, my gaze climbing up, up until it settled on wisps of shaggy dark hair falling out of the side of a hoodie that covered the man’s face.
Adrik.
He startled, bowing his head, and turned away from me.
My heartthump-thumped.Awareness snaked through me. Why did the man’s mere presence make my mouth go dry? And why did he suddenly seem so big when it was just the two of us alone?
Snap out of it, Annika!
“Sorry,” we both said at the same time.
Chuckling, I studied his profile, wishing he’d lower that hoodie and turn and let me see his face.
He didn’t.
I cleared my throat. “So, tell me about yourself, Adrik. Where did you come from? What’s your last name? Whoareyou?”
He hesitated, and I sensed his reluctance to tell me about himself. Finally, he said, “My last name is Volkov, but don’t hold it against me. My life before the Bratva is not worth mentioning.”
The sound of his voice—deep, slightly husky—sent an unexpected tingle low in my belly. There was no reason for me to be turned on by the man’s voice, but my body apparently disagreed, my lady bits humming with awareness. I didn’t understand his effect on me, and while it annoyed me a little, it wasn’t wholly unwanted, either. A part of melikedthe way this man affected me.
Then I considered his words:but don’t hold it against me.
What did he mean? What was wrong with that name?
Adrik Volkov.
Adrik.Dark.
Volkov.Wolf.