Haley got Zasha dressed and her hair tidied up before daring to wake Ivana. The old woman didn't mutter curses at Haley, which bode well for their day. Between Haley and Ivana they managed to gather all of Zasha's things and get out the door five minutes late, which was actually on schedule. Haley had long since realized that she wasn't going to change the lateness, but she could change what time she told the others they had to be places.The drive to the center where Zasha had both her piano lesson and art class was fairly quick with only the normal traffic. Konstantin was methodical about his choice of homes and the proximity to his various offices. Everything was done with purpose.Haley did her normal routine of parking and walking them in when they were joined by the other bodyguard. After a quick rundown of the schedule, she left the trio and headed back to the condo.The quiet ride home was rather nice. It gave her space to think. Which might not be a good thing, given tha
Thursday. Titov Enterprises, Arlington, VA.KONSTANTIN PACED HIS OFFICE. Why of all days did today have no meetings or projects that needed his full attention?He could do with a distraction. Some mental problem for him to untangle.What was he going to do about Haley?Last night he'd convinced himself that they would be okay without her. Today he wasn't as certain. It took a lot for him to trust people in his space. The idea of having to go through a whole new period with multiple new staff did not sit well with him.It had been years since his father had tried to install one of his people within Konstantin's household. He wouldn't put it past the old man to try again, given the opportunity.Was there a way to fix things with Haley? Had he simply not come at this from the right direction yet?He sat down at his desk and fiddled with the mouse.His most recent searches auto populated the bar as he hovered over it.Close to a dozen different searches for plants and
Thursday. Learning Center, Arlington, VA.HALEY'S LEGS AND LUNGS burned as she ran clear across the campus.Zasha loved the playground under the trees.How many times had Haley brought her there while Ivana went to the car to rest and sleep?Haley squinted and counted the small figures scaling the equipment ahead under the shade.Six.None of them were Zasha. None of them had on the right clothes or the hair was wrong. Still Haley went a few yards farther, peering into the cool shade.No Zasha."Shit," Haley muttered and turned in a circle.She had to find Zasha and Ivana first. The look on Konstantin's face? The death stare? Haley feared for Ivana's life if Konstantin found them first.There had to be a logical reason for all of this.Where else could Zasha and Ivana be?Campus security had mobilized to cover all entrances and a few to the main parking lot, but until police arrived-if they came at all-there was still too much ground to cover.Calling Konst
Thursday. Home, Arlington, VA.KONSTANTIN PACED THE LIVING room, taking care to step over the line of stuffed animals each time. He didn't know why Zasha had them there, but he wasn't going to fuck it up.He wanted to be in the bedroom, soothing Zasha, but he couldn't deny that this job was best done by Haley. She had become Zasha's security, the person who made Zasha feel safest. And Haley was going to leave them.That was not today's problem.He glanced down the hall at Ivana's open door.Konstantin had told her to go in there and wait until he could speak to her. At least that was what his head had wanted to say. He was pretty sure he'd snapped, "Get out of my fucking sight," at her when she'd tried speaking to him. He'd also told the rest of his security to cool it in his condo, out of Zasha's sight, but still close enough they could be useful if anything happened.His rage was simmering and very close to boiling over. He had to stop, stare out the window and draw in
Konstantin studied Ivana in those moments.She smoothed her hands down her skirt, picked at some lint, but she didn't look at him.One of the few things his father had said that Konstantin took to heart was that an employee who couldn't meet your gaze was no longer loyal.So who had Ivana's loyalty now? And when had that happened?"Here we go." Haley passed around three bottles of water.Konstantin set his down without taking a drink.Both Haley and Ivana twisted off the caps and drank.Haley glanced from him to Ivana, then sighed. "Want to explain today, Ivana?"Ivana looked up at Konstantin then and began speaking fast and furious in Russian.He held up a hand. "English."While he understood her, he needed Haley to be part of this. He needed her reasonable mind to weigh in when he would act out of emotion.Ivana sighed and muttered something under her breath. "Your mother. She wanted to meet her grandchild.""Wait, what?" Haley planted her hands on her hips.
Thursday. Home, Arlington, VA.HALEY WAS READY TO drop. Her face hurt so much from the continued smiling, but Zasha had needed the unending cheer to keep her own spirits up. Haley hoped that after everything, the kiddo was able to have a peaceful night's sleep.She paused outside Ivana's darkened room and stared into the shadows.Security had come to get some of her things and move her into one of the rentals. Konstantin owned several condos in the building and rented them out. They were lucky the tenants of one had moved out two weeks prior and the place was staged to show to potential renters. Ivana would be staying there tonight along with two guards.The security team also gone through every inch of her room looking for the missing picture from last night, but hadn't found it.Haley reached into the room, grasped the doorknob and closed the door.Zasha already wanted to know where Nanny Ivana was. Haley had distracted her, but how long would that last? Zasha was a br
Friday. Home, Arlington, VA.KONSTANTIN WAS UP EARLIER than normal. He hadn't been able to make himself sleep. Every time he closed his eyes it was a gamble what he would see.Haley's face.Or his mother's.His memories of the woman who'd born him were hazy. More than anything else, he remembered how she'd made him feel.Apprehension.Gut churning dread.Outright fear.He wouldn't wish any of that on his daughter. There was no way he'd allow that woman into their lives if she thought she could treat Zasha the same way she'd treated him.Ivana was more like a mother to him, but she'd always been just a little distant. Because she'd felt her loyalty was to his mother? He'd always assumed that was just how people of that generation were.Had Ivana still been loyal to his mother while in his employ? What were the chances Ivana knew where his mother had been all these years?He checked the time.Six.Still too early to have another chat with Ivana, but he was gr
HALEY WAS AWAKE BEFORE her alarm.She hadn't slept much or well, so it wasn't a surprise when her eyes popped open half an hour too early. Her thoughts bounced around, from the events surrounding Ivana to the kiss with Konstantin and right back to the fact that she wasn't going anywhere.How was she supposed to deal with him now?The girls hadn't been any help.After the initial outburst happened and they all got on the video call things had devolved. They each had their own stressors. Haley's eventful day was, in the grand scheme, normal. The women who did what they did faced down real threats. They didn't just wear a gun on their hip and hang around. If someone hired them they needed protection.Which was exactly why Haley would remain Zasha's primary security, though Haley didn't think Konstantin would like her plan.She got up and dressed, putting more thought than usual into selecting her clothes.Normally, Haley wanted to appear as inconspicuous as possible. Her war