Chapter4
Kendra woke to an empty bed. She could still see the dent Sacha’s head made in the pillow, but the sheets were cold. He’d been awake for a while. She didn’t hear the shower so she took one. She still didn’t have clothes, but the woman from the store was supposed to come today to get clothing for her and Cliff.
She was excited to shop. Not a true clothes horse, she still liked looking good on her days off. She didn’t get much of a chance since she’d been raising Cliff for the last five years. Nor did she date, so good clothes were a waste when you just lounged around the apartment.
In her robe, she wandered out to the kitchen. A similar scene as yesterday, but this time, Sacha was making waffles. Did the man know how to make breakfast or what? Why didn’t Cliff find her? Guess he was starved for male attention. Maybe Kendra needed to find a husband to help her raise Cliff, but she didn’t have any prospects.
“Hey,” she said in the doorway. Sacha handed her a mug of coffee. “Thanks.”
“Mr. Kozlov said we’re getting clothes today,” Cliff said.
“Yes, we are. I know that isn’t exciting for you, but it is for me.” She sat next to Cliff, ruffled his hair. “Your nanny is coming today, too.”
“Cool.”
He’ll appreciate the attention.
“Waffle m’lady?” Sacha said.
Cliff laughed at what he’d said. Kendra couldn’t help smiling. The day did look brighter after having sex not once or twice, but three times last night. Technically that was their quota for the week, but she could be talked into it again. Sacha was good at it. She felt well and truly fucked.
“Sure.”
She spun around to face the counter as Sacha put a plate in front of her. She detected something different in his eyes. He was picturing her naked with a more accurate rendering. Oh. God. If she could blush, she would. Her face went warm for sure.
She broke away from his gaze, looking down at the food. “Strawberries. They’re my favorite.”
He smiled as if he were proud that he’d given them to her. “I ran down to the market. I figure Cliff needs to eat better than I normally do.”
“He is a growing boy.”
Sacha leaned against the counter, his coffee mug in his hand. She watched him take a sip. She liked his hands. They were soft and long, but peasant hands in some way. She could see that his ancestors could have been farmers. She dug into her waffle. Her eyes fell closed when she put a bite in her mouth. “This is really good. You’re going to make a good husband for someone someday.”
He frowned. What had she said? She wasn’t making any gestures that he was going to be her husband. Did he have no plans to marry? He pushed away from the counter, then put his mug in the sink. “I have to go to work for a few hours. I’ll be back before Nikolai, my cop friend, gets here.”
He left. She glanced at Cliff, but he hadn’t noticed the frostiness in the air. The phone rang. Sacha must have answered it because it only rang once. He came out of the bedroom with his tie on and his suit jacket over his arm.
“The nanny is on her way up.”
Kendra longed to go to work, to be back around other people. It had only been two days, but she was already feeling cooped up. She had work to do on the race so she’d finalize her permits for that. Hopefully registrations would start to come in, but she had to get them from her mailbox. She stopped Sacha before he went into the elevator.
“Can you make a stop on your way home for me?”
“Sure.”
The iciness of earlier was gone, but he wasn’t as warm as he’d been last night.
“I need my mail from my post office box.” She showed him the address on her phone. “I’ll get the key.”
He was still at the elevator, but the nanny had arrived. She was already cleaning up from breakfast and talking to Cliff. They had made friends in that short time.
“Here.” She handed Sacha the key. “It’s box four zero nine.”
“What will be in it?”
“Registrations for the race.”
His eyebrow quirked up. “Okay. I’ll get them.”
He hopped onto the elevator then left her, not looking her way as the door closed. Her heart hurt a little and she knew she was reading too much into it. They had an arrangement. That was it; sex without strings. No emotion at all.
She wanted it this way as much as he did. She’d drafted the agreement. Shrugging it off, she felt better. The phone rang again. This time it was the stylist that Sacha hired to outfit her and Cliff. She told the doorman that the woman could come up. The elevator dinged a few minutes later. The woman breezed in with a rack of clothing. They set up in the living room. Kendra had no idea where the nanny and Cliff went, but she’d find them eventually.
Sacha was patient about having all of these people in his space. She wondered if he entertained much normally. The place would be wonderful to have a party in, not that she was a partier, but she’d hoped that someday she’d own a house. And that she could have friends over. Now wouldn’t be the time to do that.
Besides, this wasn’t her place.
The woman measured her then had her try on clothes. By the end of it all, she and Cliff had new wardrobes. It had broken up the morning, but now she had to face Sacha’s cop friend. Sacha came home first and handed her a pile of registrations.
“Thank you.”
***
Sacha couldn’t believe the number of registrations in Kendra’s mail box. Must have been fifty. “Is there something you need to do with them?”
“I have to open them, organize the checks, and then put the names in my database. Eventually I’ll have to stuff the goody bags. We have a number of sponsors for the t-shirt and other companies that are giving away goodies.”
He blinked at her. He had no idea what she’d said. “Huh?”
“Have you never entered a race?”
“No.”
He’d meant to, but the time had never presented itself. Guess he better enter this one since it as important to Kendra.
“Well you get a t-shirt then some goodies. You also get a number to pin on your shirt so your time can be recorded.”
“Oh, okay. Let me get into some jeans then I can help you.”
“You don’t have to,” she said. “I could stand to borrow your dining room table.”
“Go ahead. I never use that room.”
The formal dining room had a table, but only because his mother had bought one for him with chairs. The room would probably be empty if Sacha had anything to say about it. When he’d changed into jeans, Kendra was elbow deep in paperwork and the table was covered with it. Looked like a big job.
“So how are you organizing this?”
“I don’t know.” She looked defeated.
“How about this. You open the envelopes and take out the checks. I’ll put the actual registration in alphabetical order by last name. That way when you enter them into your database they’ll already be in order.”
“That sounds great.”
He worked in silence with her for a half an hour when the house phone rang. “Mr. Kozlov there is a Mr. Alman to see you.”
“Send him up. He’s expected. Thanks Jeeves.”
Sacha left Kendra to go greet his friend. Nikolai had been his roommate in college. He shook the man’s hand when he entered the apartment.
“I always forget how rich you are,” Nikolai said.
Sacha laughed. “You could have invested with me in college.”
“Yeah, I know. I’d be living in a penthouse instead of going undercover for the narcotics squad.”
Sacha laughed. “You’d hate your life.”
“So tell me a little more about why I’m here,” he said.
“Well, let me get Kendra and she’ll tell you her story. This took place in a building I bought and have since changed the locks on. Have a seat in the living room.”
Kendra hadn’t moved. “He’s here and ready to listen to you.”
She nodded then followed him out to the living room.
“Nik, this is Kendra,” Sacha said.
They all sat after Kendra shook Nikolai’s hand. Sacha wanted to be there for Kendra. She glanced at him. “You don’t have to be here if you have work to do.”
Sacha shook his head. “It can wait.”
“You sure you don’t want to get a head start on those registrations? That would really help me.”
Was she trying to get rid of him? Didn’t she want him there?
“No, I’ll stay here.”
She shrugged. Nik had an amused expression on his face. Of course Sacha would stay. He was her to support Kendra and this might be difficult. It wasn’t part of their agreement, but he’d been raised this way. Kendra was his responsibility, even if she didn’t like it.
She frowned at him then turned her attention to Nikolai. She told him what she’d told Sacha. Nikolai asked a few questions. Kendra answered them. She wasn’t intimidated by Nikolai, which was good. Instead, she seemed relieved that he was truly interested in what she had to say. At one point, Kendra’s hand was on the couch. Sacha patted it and Kendra gave him a strange look. Shouldn’t he touch her? How odd. A lesser woman would be cowed by what she’d been through. Clearly Kendra was not.
He rested his arm on the back of the sofa, which put it in proximity to her neck. She glanced at him, but didn’t say anything. What had he done now?
Nikolai left when the interview was over. He said he’d been in touch, but that Kendra had supplied some great information.
“Do you have surveillance cameras in your building?” he’d asked before he left.
“No, but I’ve changed the locks so I doubt the councilman will be back.”
“He’d find a way. I’d bet he’s been using that building while it was up for sale.”
Sacha hadn’t thought of that. “I can put cameras up.”
“Good. We might catch a break in this case. So far the big players have been elusive. I knew Lopez was involved, but I didn’t know to what extent.”
They shook hands. Sacha returned to Kendra on the couch.
“You okay?”
“I’m fine. What was that all about?”
“What do you mean?”
His instincts told him to tread lightly. She was upset about something. They weren’t in a romantic relationship, but his ability to get sex would be hampered if she were pissed. Technically they’d already done their three for the week. He wished he’d held out for a larger number, but he hadn’t realized just how attracted he’d be to Kendra.
“The touching my hand, the arm on the sofa; It was all uncalled for.”
He didn’t know how to respond. “It’s just part of me protecting you.”
“You can offer me safe haven, but I don’t need to be fawned over like I’m going to swoon any minute.”
Her fists were clenched and her eyes held a fire he hadn’t seen before. “Uh, noted.”
“Good. Now that we’ve cleared that up, you still up for helping me?”
He eyed her for a moment. “Sure thing. We can finish what we have then you can put the names in your database.”
“Thanks. It’ll go faster with both of us.”
Sacha followed Kendra into the dining room, not sure what had happened. He wasn’t sure what he’d done wrong.
*
Kendra knew something was wrong when Cliff wasn’t awake before her. She’d slept in her own room last night, still smarting from Sacha’s behavior. Sacha was already gone and Kendra had no idea what his schedule was like for the day. She let Cliff sleep. She called the nanny and cancelled her for the day, knowing that if Cliff was still sleeping at nine then he was sick. Hopefully nothing that needed a doctor.
She made herself some breakfast and drink the coffee that Sacha had left for her. She was going to miss coffee from a French press when she moved back other apartment. She couldn’t afford that and her mother’s care for sure. She chose not to think about she’d do when Sacha’s generosity ran out. That was a problem for another day.
With nothing else to do, Kendra went into Cliff’s room to check on him. The boy lay on top of the covers, his face ashen. His eyes were open.
“Cliff? You sick?”
“Yes.”
“What’s wrong?”
“My ear hurts and I’m all achy.”
Ear infection probably. She didn’t have any fever medication with her. Damn. She’d forgotten to have Sacha get some and of course now that she needed it, she couldn’t run out and get it. She felt Cliff’s forehead. He was hot. She didn’t have a thermometer either so she’d have to guess that it was over one hundred degrees.
“Okay, I’m going to put you in the bath.”
“No, Kendra. I just want to sleep.”
“No, honey, I need to get your fever down and I have no other way.”
He began to cry. He must be miserable. She left him on the bed, then ran a tepid bath. She went back to him. He hadn’t moved. He was still crying. “No, Kendra.”
“I have to, Cliff. I’m sorry.”
She undressed him then carried his limp body to the tub. She put him in. He screamed. She knew it wasn’t hot; he was just that achy. She washed him down then dried him off.
“You feel any better?”
“No.”
She laid him back on the bed. She had to get him to a doctor so she called Sacha. His driver could take them, but she had no way of getting in touch with him. Sacha didn’t answer. He must be in a meeting.
She gave him fifteen minutes to call back; when he didn’t she called down to the doorman.
“Jeeves, it’s Kendra up in the penthouse.”
“Hello Miss Kendra. What can I do for you?”
“I need to take my brother to a doctor. Are there any clinics nearby?”
“Yes there is one in this block. Is everything okay?”
“Probably an ear infection, but I have nothing to give him and I’d like to have a doctor see him.”
“Right Miss. I can direct you when you get down here.”
“Thanks.”
She put her shoes on and sneakers on Cliff who might as well have been a rag doll. She carried him downstairs where Jeeves pointed out the location of the clinic. It was a slow day thankfully and they only waited a half an hour. Kendra put the bill on her credit card. She’d fret about paying it later. The diagnosis was actually an ear infection. Now she had to fill a prescription. She sighed.
“Here are some samples if you don’t have any fever medicine,” the nurse said after the doctor left.
Kendra was able to get Cliff to take some. Hopefully his fever would go down. Now she had to carry him to the pharmacy at the other end of the block. Her arms were sore by now. She wanted to make him walk, but she couldn’t do that to him. If he’d been in school, she could have dealt with all of this better. The school he went to had an infirmary so this could have waited until she was better prepared.
While the pharmacist filled the prescription, Kendra shopped for the other things she’d need during this illness. She would have like to put Cliff down, but he’d gone back to sleep. She couldn’t chance anything happening to him. Finally, she had no choice. She couldn’t keep him in her arms and hope to get home with him. The pharmacy waiting room had chairs, so she put him down on one. He curled up and she sat next to him waiting to purchase her items.
Finally, she was called. She paid for the prescription and other items. When she turned, Cliff was gone.
“Cliff?”
No answer. She whirled back to the pharmacist. “Did you see what happened? He’s gone.”
“No, I wasn’t paying attention.” He looked in a big mirror that showed the whole store. “I see a man carrying him.”
Kendra headed for the front door to cut off the man. He saw her and put down the boy.
“What’s your problem?!” she said, getting up into his face.
He looked at her as if he didn’t understand then ran out the front door. Maybe he was just a weirdo and had nothing to do with the reason Sacha was keeping her safe. He’d seemed confused. She picked Cliff up from the floor, then picked up her packages.
The pharmacist had come out from behind the counter. Kendra dropped her purchases, but the pharmacist picked them up.
“You going to be okay?”
“I have no choice.”
“No one else is here or I’d help you. I’m sorry.”
Kendra nodded at him then left. Her arms hurt now. Cliff was dead weight in her arms. Finally she reached Sacha’s building. She leaned Cliff up against the counter to rest her arms before she went into the elevator.
“Mr. Kozlov is here,” Jeeves said. “You want me to call him?”
“No, I can make it the rest of the way. Did you tell him where I was?”
“No, he didn’t ask.”
The phone rang at the desk. “That’s him now. I’ll tell him to come down.”
***
When Sacha entered the apartment and found it empty, his heart raced. He called Kendra’s phone, but heard it ring in the apartment. Damn. She’d forgotten her phone. He searched the place then called down to the front desk.
“She’s on her way up.”
He waited by the elevator. Kendra looked bedraggled when the doors opened. Cliff was limp in her arms. He wanted to throw his arms around both of them, but that would imply an emotion he wasn’t supposed to be having. Instead, he lifted Cliff out of her arms.
“Where am I going with him?”
“To bed. I have to get some medicine into him before he goes back to sleep,” she said.
Her hair was in disarray.
“Where’s the nanny?”
“I gave her the day off because I knew he was sick. I called, but you must have been away from your phone. You didn’t answer. He needed to see a doctor,” Kendra said.
Sacha nodded, trusting her judgment, but that didn’t mean he liked it. She could have called his driver to accompany them. They could discuss this later. He put Cliff on the bed. The little boy yawned, but sat up. Guess he knew the routine.
Kendra came in with a spoon and two bottles of medicine. She gave them to Cliff who then curled up under the covers. He was probably asleep before they left the room. Sacha followed Kendra to the kitchen.
“You okay?”
“No.”
She stored one bottle in the refrigerator and one with his vitamins.
“What happened?”
“I put Cliff down to pay for the prescription. He was asleep on the chair. Some guy picked him up.”
He put his arms around Kendra. “That’s terrible.”
She sank into him. “I was so scared, but he didn’t make it out of the store before I accosted him. He just put Cliff on the floor then ran out.”
“Well everything’s okay. I was worried when you didn’t answer when I called back. We need to have a contingency plan for times like these. Sometimes I can’t answer the phone.”
“Sometimes kids get sick.”
“I see that. What’s wrong with him?”
“Ear infection,” Kendra said. She stepped away from Sacha, looked a little less weary.
“How long does that take to clear?”
“He’ll feel better in a few days. I have antibiotics for him for two weeks,” she said.
“You scared me,” he said. He hadn’t meant to say it. He hadn’t meant to reveal that much to Kendra. It didn’t jive with their “no emotion” bargain they’d agreed upon.
She looked up at him, her eyes getting misty. “I was scared. When I turned and saw Cliff gone I thought all sorts of awful things.”
He took her in his arms again and let her cry. This was the most vulnerable he’d seen Kendra, a new side to her. “Let me go fill the bathtub and you can read or just enjoy a moment,” he said. “If Cliff wakes up, I’ll take care of him.”
“He isn’t your responsibility.”
“He is. It’s all part of keeping you safe,” he said. “Besides, Cliff and I are buddies. We’ve had some great talks in the morning before you get up.”
She eyed him as if she weren’t sure if he was serious. “Uh, okay.”
“You want some wine?”
“It’s the middle of the day?”
He shrugged. “Are you going anywhere?”
“No, but I need to get some more names in my database,” she said.
“I can do that.”
She eyed him again as if he had two heads. “You’d do that?”
He brushed a hair out of her face. “Sure.”
He kissed her forehead then left her standing in the kitchen. He didn’t want to think about the affection that he was beginning to have for Kendra. He didn’t want to admit that he was feeling something for her, something odd and foreign to his heart. He liked Kendra. It was beyond how she was in bed. He liked being around her. Shaking himself, he chose not to analyze things. Best not to go there.
He filled the bathtub in his bathroom with warm water and bubbles. He lit a few candles. When he turned to go Kendra was in the doorway, looking a little lost. As if no one had ever done anything like this for her.
“It’s filled.” He took a towel out of his linen closet. “Here’s a towel. Take all of the time you need.”
She stood in the doorway a moment more before she entered the bathroom. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he said with a grin.
He left her to take her bath in peace. He booted up her laptop in the dining room then began to type in names for her. He was just about done when she appeared in the doorway.
“Done already?”
“I’ve been in there for half an hour. I’m not used to just sitting around.”
She was in sweats and she still looked sexy. How could that be? He was a goner. Good thing her stay here was only temporary. He didn’t want to get tangled up with Kendra. Not wanting a wife ever, he couldn’t imagine falling in love. What a vulnerable situation that would be, and he wasn’t that. Ever.
“I have the names in. Did you check on Cliff?”
“He’s sleeping. He’ll probably sleep through the afternoon and the night. He’ll wake up tomorrow very hungry.”
“Then I’ll be sure to be up early to feed him,” Sacha said.
“You don’t have to.”
“I know, but I’m up anyway. I don’t need much sleep.”
She yawned.
“You should go take a nap. I’ll make sure Cliff is okay. Does he need medicine if he wakes up?”
“Yes. Both bottles have instructions.” She yawned again. “You sure you don’t mind?”
“Not at all. Go to sleep Kendra. I’ll wake you for dinner.”
She nodded then left. When he checked on her a few minutes later she was fast asleep in her bedroom. He put the covers over her, kissed her forehead, and then left to get his own work done.