26
Promises.
Nick sighed, hoping his plan would work.
They stood in a small office at the back of one of Ramon’s restaurants. It was private and away from the armed men outside.
“I still don’t like this,” Ian said, flattening the front of his suit jacket. He had voiced his discomfort with Nick's idea more than a hundred times since he had returned from the meeting with his business associate that morning.
Ian’s disapproval was punctuated by his need to have an army of men tonight even though he had packed every possible gun and blade he could disguise under his suit.
Nick was tired of the fighting, hiding, or having to look over his shoulder. He wanted it all to end. He wanted to be able to walk down the street without a worry. He wanted to wake in the morning from a peaceful sleep without the weight of the world on his shoulders.
But most of all, he wanted a future with Ian. And if having a sit-down with Petrov brought him closer to that dream, then he was going to pull out the weapons at his disposal and make it happen. “Please trust me.”
Ian’s lips thinned to a straight line and his scowl deepened. “You know I do.”
“Then why do I feel as if I’m in the middle of some turf war with all these men outside that door.”
“They’re here because I don’t trust Petrov and I refuse to let anything happen to you.”
Nick’s heart hammered in his chest. Sometimes, Ian surprised him with a few heartfelt words that left his head spinning. “Don’t do that right now. I need to focus.”
“Do what?”
“Never mind.” He shook his head, trying to cool his rising desire. He was about to confront the man who had made his life a living hell for the last few years, the last thing he should be thinking about was having Ian to himself.
“I don’t like this one bit,” Ian said, his cheeks puffing as he pushed out a heavy exhale.
“I know you don’t. And I know I’m running a risk with Petrov, but I need to do this.” Nick hoped Ian understood. He had turned his back on his life, his career, and his plans. And while he appreciated Ian’s desire to protect him, he had to be the one to take back control of his life. “I have to be the one who stops this. And I really hope you understand that.”
Ian ducked his head, but Nick could see the frown marring his features and the tic at the side of his jaw muscles. “I get it. I don’t like it,” Ian said, peering up at him. “But I get it.” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “But I need you to understand that I’m not going anywhere. And if he even thinks—”
“I know.” Nick silenced any further protest with a kiss. “Please follow my lead in there.”
“Would be better if you let me in on your plan,” Ian grumbled and turned away to hide his displeasure.
Nick couldn’t help himself. He reached up and touched Ian’s jaw, pulling his attention. “I love you. And there’s nowhere else I’d rather be right now than with you in bed on a private island.”
Ian’s ice-blue eyes filled with desire, his chest rising and falling with each hard breath.
Nick brushed his thumb along Ian’s cheek. “You think on your feet. You improvise. In there, I want you to channel the side of Killian Marks everyone thinks they know. That guy they all fear.”
Ian winced as if Nick’s words had struck him. “I’m sorry.”
“Why?”
Ian ducked his head, an odd innocence making a rare appearance. “I was hoping you’d never see that side of me.”
Nick cupped his face, drawing back his attention. “What side would that be?” He pressed a tender kiss to Ian’s lips. “The side that will do anything to protect me?” He straightened, slowly raising an eyebrow. “The side that comes into a room like a Hollywood blockbuster action hero and wages war on anyone who dares hurt me?”
“You’re making fun of me.” Ian grimaced.
He stroked Ian’s cheek as he spoke. “I love you. You can be ruthless and feared by everyone else, but you will always be my home. My guardian angel. The one person who makes me feel safe.”
Ian ghosted his fingertips along the bruises on Nick’s face, trailing his fingers down to the bandage at the side of Nick’s neck. “What do you need me to do at this meeting?”
“Just stand there next to me.”
“Stand there?” Ian frowned. “Like arm candy?”
Nick patted Ian’s chest. “Trust me. Your presence will set the tone. Just be Killian Marks while I talk to Petrov. Follow my lead and you’ll know exactly when to jump in. If you know the details beforehand, you’ll have a plan and rehearse your reaction in order to maintain a level head. And Petrov will see right through that.”
Ian jerked back. “So you want me to lose control?”
“No.” Nick shook his head. “But when you have a plan, you have a certain…zen about you. Without a plan, your conviction shows. And that’s what I need. Because Petrov’s not used to someone confronting him or standing toe-to-toe with him.” He stilled at the sound of two quick knocks.
Ramon pushed through the door, not bothering to wait for a response before entering. “He’s here. I’ve had the kitchen cleared for the meeting. I’m not having that old bastard sit in my chair.” Just as quickly, the man left the room.
Nick had met Ian’s business associate earlier. Complex didn’t quite sum up the man’s personality. But one thing was undeniable—Ramon had an unusual loyalty toward Ian which extended to Nick by default. Ian swore it had to do with finally giving Ramon’s sister closure from her kidnapping, but Nick sensed that was the icing on the cake baked after two decades of respect and working together.
That, and Ramon not wanting the “old fart stinking up his town any longer.”
Nick swallowed the knot in his throat and fought the rising panic in his body. Ian’s strength would keep him level-headed.
He followed Ian out of the office and down the hallway leading to the large kitchen. He scanned every reflective inch of polished stainless steel, noting the absence of utensils. Either the restaurant wasn’t really a place where food was cooked or Ramon’s staff had taken every precaution to remove any object which could double as a weapon.
“It’ll be fine,” Ian said, briefly brushing the back of Nick’s hand. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
“To us,” Nick corrected.
The click of the door at the far corner drew Nick’s attention. The breath lodged in his throat when Petrov entered the kitchen, flanked by a large man at each side. Ian inched a tiny step closer to Nick, offering comfort that quickly eased the tension tightening his body.
Petrov looked older and had obviously gained a few pounds in the last two years, but neither lessened his commanding presence or the challenge in his eyes. He was a man of power, and it was obvious he understood the magnitude of his strength in the way he confidently strode forward. His shoulders were squared and his gaze was firm. A few feet separated them during the standoff, not a single word exchanged as they assessed each other.
But the surprise at seeing Nick standing before him was obvious.
Nick controlled the chill snaking up his body when Petrov’s cold stare penetrated his soul. His icy silver gaze doubled as a shard of steel piercing every protective shield Nick could construct to guard himself from the evil exuding from this monster. This man had changed the course of Nick’s life and had single-handedly destroyed the passion for his career in medicine by tainting it with panic, blackmail, and torture. Nick had been forced to run and hide like a sewer rat in order to survive.
And he was tired of it.
Petrov’s gaze slid to Ian who stood stoically at his side. The older man cocked his head, assessing Ian. He went to take a step closer to them and Ian leaned forward, the movement subtle but enough to halt Petrov’s forward progress.
“Right there is fine,” Ian said.
Petrov delivered a challenging stare, finally breaking eye contact when Ian didn’t flinch in response. He turned his head toward Nick. “Are you armed?”
“Yes.”
A muffled chuckle escaped the older man. “That was a question to test your intentions. You forget I know you, Nicholas. You are not armed. You were always too committed to your profession. You wouldn’t kill someone,” he said, his accent still as thick as it was years ago.
Nick remained poised, refusing to quiver at Petrov’s unspoken threat. “I’m armed with something far deadlier than a gun.”
Petrov slowly raised an eyebrow, letting his gaze slide to Ian before returning back to him. “What…or who would that be?”
“A promise.”
The men at Petrov’s side each muffled a chuckle and whispered something foreign. Nick couldn’t understand the words but Ian’s sharp inhale and stiffened posture implied he knew the language and had caught the exchanged whispers between the men.
“What is that American saying about stones and sticks?” Petrov nodded and pursed his lips as if the answer had finally struck him. “I believe it ends with ‘your promise cannot kill me.’” Petrov smiled, proud of his poor attempt at mangling a childhood rhyme to his twisted benefit.
“You’re right. I can’t,” Nick said, not bothering to argue about what part of what the man had said was correct. It didn’t matter, Petrov would believe he was always in the right. He looked to his side, his heart skipping a beat at the sight of Ian’s profile.
“But I can.”
Petrov’s gaze shifted toward Ian when he spoke, a barely negligible roll of his eyes discarding Nick as he focused on his new target. “And you are?”
“Killian Marks.”
If Nick hadn’t been carefully watching Petrov, he would have missed the flash of something new in his expression before it was wiped away. The men at Petrov’s side shifted their weight on their feet, whispering something else foreign between them.
Ian broke his stare with Petrov and pinned each man with a pointed stare before speaking. “Yes, that Killian Marks.” He returned his attention to Petrov, the older man’s jaw twitching with tension Nick suspected took effort to contain. “I come armed with a promise as well. But I can assure you, his will be far more acceptable to you than mine.”
“Is that so?” Petrov said, forcing the words through his clenched teeth.
Nick was tired of this bullshit—the running, the hiding, and the fear. He was walking out of here with Ian and a promise of his own. A future. There was no other solution he would accept. “I want your men to leave the room,” Nick said.
A burst of laughter erupted from Petrov and his men. Ian took a deep breath at his side, his restrained control in full force as he maintained his composure.
“Is there anything else you would like my men to do for you, Dr. Nicholas?” He half-turned toward his men, his hands open, palms up at his side as he spoke in a mocking tone. “Perhaps they can pour you a glass of wine as well?” They continued to laugh.
“Natasha,” Nick whispered. He stood still, waiting for the reaction that one name would elicit.
The smile on Petrov’s lips fell and his face paled. His men continued to laugh, unaware of the change in their boss’s demeanor.
Nick’s jaw tightened with tension. He stared into those dead eyes as a surge of confidence jolted through his body, spurring him on with his plan. “I suggest your men leave the room. Unless you want them to hear what I have to say.”
“Leave,” Petrov barked to his men, his voice booming in the confines of the kitchen. “Now!” The men scurried out the door at Petrov’s command. He looked to Ian, then to Nick and back to Ian. “He leaves as well.”
“No,” Nick said.
“I will not have this discussion with him in the room!” He took a step forward, adding menace to his tone.
Ian stepped in front of Nick, halting Petrov’s progress. “Don’t do that.”
Petrov took another step forward and Ian held up a stopping hand between them.
“I said… Don’t. Do. That.”
Petrov’s cheeks flushed with obvious rage. He arced his arm in a half circle and pushed away Ian’s hand while Ian simultaneously drew one of his holstered guns and aimed it squarely at Petrov’s forehead.
“Step. Back. And don’t make me repeat myself.”
Those normally dead eyes sparked to life with anger. His gaze bore into Ian, a threat assessment clearly playing in Petrov’s mind. He took one step back then another until he returned to his original place. Ian holstered his weapon and resumed his at-ease position at Nick’s side.
Petrov gave Nick an icy stare, disgust twisting his features. “What do you want?”
“I want us to walk away. Forget me, forget him—”
“He killed my men!” Petrov thundered, leaning forward, as if attempting to add more threat to his tone.
Ian leaned forward and gritted his teeth. “And I’ll do it again if you threaten to hurt him. Now… Step. The. Fuck. Back.” He spoke in a tone that was surprisingly steady but rich with rage and restraint, offering far more menace than Petrov’s yell.
Nick’s heart thundered in his chest. Ian’s ability to harness this much power and strength was arousing as hell. But that train of thought didn’t bode well at that moment, even if this was exactly the degree of passionate conviction he needed Ian to show when standing up to this man. He swallowed heavily before speaking again. “You allow us to walk away, Petrov. Unharmed and without future danger. You do that, and I promise no harm will come to Natasha at our hands.”
Petrov huffed a breath. “You cannot guarantee her safety.”
“You’re right again,” Nick said with a nod. “I can’t guarantee she will always be safe.”
Petrov remained quiet.
“But I said, ‘at our hands,’” Nick clarified. “You chose this life for yourself and that naturally affects your daughter’s well-being. That’s why you’ve done everything in your power to shield her. And we won’t interfere with that if you let us walk away tonight and forget us.”
Nick remained as poised as he could, ignoring the churn in his stomach at his empty threat. Maybe they weren’t as empty as he thought. Spending those few weeks with his twisted uncle might have beaten the goodness out of him after all. Or maybe it was being raised by a woman who loved him so much she protected him by training his body with defense skills and instilling the worries of the world in his mind to avoid him being plucked from this earth before his time. Or maybe it was his growing desperation at the unfairness in his life, of the happiness he had sacrificed which he now refused to release from his grasp. He finally had a chance at a future with the man he loved. A future he wanted more than his next breath, and he would fight tooth and nail for a chance at that dream.
Even if that meant becoming something he wasn’t.
Petrov’s eyes scanned his face, like a tentacle digging and probing into his soul, assessing the merits of his words. “And what would you do?”
“He wouldn’t do anything to hurt your daughter,” Ian said. “You know he’s a good man.”
The tension coiling in Nick’s stomach eased and tightened at the same time.
“But I’m not.” Ian kept his stare fixed on his target as he nonchalantly shrugged. “I’m morally compromised.”
Petrov scoffed. “You are not as compromised as you think you are.”
Ian remained silent, waiting for Petrov to continue.
“I’m aware of your reputation. You do not accept contracts involving women or children. So I know you would not hurt my daughter.”
Without hesitation, Ian took a single step forward. “You hurt him, and a rain of fury will fall on you and everyone in your family.” Ian spoke in a low, even tone. His hands fisted at his side, and his entire body swelled with each controlled intake of breath. “You said you knew my reputation, which means, you know I have a legacy and have amassed an eclectic network of contacts over time…some of whom will show no mercy regardless of their targets. I will reach out to every single one of them and offer every last penny of my fortune until your entire family, each of your employees, your business associates, and everyone they know…are all dead. Either by my own hand or that of someone I hire.” Ian straightened, silencing for a moment as if to punctuate his words. “You saw what I did last night. Imagine the damage I can do with an army at my disposal.” He took one step closer to Petrov. “That’s my promise.”
“You are one man. You cannot expect—”
“I’m sure every single one of your men in that hangar last night thought the exact same thing before they died.”
Petrov visibly swallowed, but his gaze remained fierce as he inched forward, challenging Ian. “I could kill you right now. And you wouldn’t have a chance to reach out to a single contact.”
“You’d have to try and succeed. Then you’d have to get past the full weight of Ramon Gutierrez and his men standing outside the door behind me.” Ian waited as Petrov eased back in his stance. “If you manage to get through all that, you still have one more hurdle to overcome. I’m sure you’ve heard of a dead man’s switch,” Ian offered.
Nick was thankful Ian was a master of improvisation. Because he definitely hadn’t had a quick comeback to Petrov’s challenge.
Ian’s stare was just as fierce and focused as Petrov’s as he continued. “If my contact does not receive a phone call from us within the hour, he will immediately distribute all the information we have on your daughter through various channels.”
Nick was captivated. Thumbing through a dictionary for the definition of “winging it” would showcase a photograph of Ian in all his glory. Ian hadn’t known about Natasha, so he certainly couldn’t have established a plan to disseminate information he obviously hadn’t known.
Petrov shifted his stare to Nick, something different making an appearance in his normally vacant eyes. “How do I know you can be trusted?”
There, in that moment, something settled inside Nick. His breath came easier with each passing second. Ian’s protectiveness had shown enough to prove to the man before him that Ian would move a mountain if needed to complete a mission. That passion Ian kept private proved to be a far more powerful weapon than the guns and knives he secured against his body.
“For more than two years since we last spoke, I’ve never revealed anything about your associates or any of the men you brought to me for care. You weren’t even aware I knew of your daughter until now.” Nick willed his nerves to calm before he continued. “You know I’m a man of peace. And that’s all I want. You have my word.”
“And mine,” Ian added.
Nick glanced over to him, not sure if Ian’s word was a promise for peace or the start of a war.
Petrov finally eased his posture. He took a deep breath and remained silent, adding to the tangible tension in the air. “How…” He trailed off, tilting his head upward. “How did you find out about her?” He glanced back to Nick, his tone holding a hint of concern.
Fear. That was the flash that flickered in and out of Petrov’s expression. And Nick sensed it had nothing to do with anything Ian would do to him, rather, the worry of any harm coming to a daughter he had obviously tried to protect.
“When you were shot in the restaurant. Apparently she keeps tabs on you and your businesses.”
Petrov nodded. “We have our way of staying in touch. She knows what I do. She knows the business. And she understands how much her safety means to me.”
“She mentioned an online alert popped up with the name of your restaurant and a small story about a shooting. She was worried you were hurt and knew better than to call. She knew that if you had been injured, you would have refused the hospital. And she obviously knew where you had a medical area set up for those types of situations, because she arrived that night, while I was prepping you for surgery. Let’s just say, her presence commanded the room.”
“As I said, she knows my business.” Petrov switched his weight from one foot to the other. It was the first time Nick recalled any sign of fidgeting from the man. “Were there any of my men with you when she was there?”
“Yes, but she never revealed her true identity to them.” Nick understood the reasons behind Petrov’s question. And it was the same reason he had asked Petrov’s henchmen to leave the room. “She’s unmistakably your daughter.” He quieted for a moment to soften the meaning of his words. “She came through the door and pushed past your men until she locked eyes with me.”
He remembered that moment, the way she had stared at him in those few seconds as if assessing him—his skills as a surgeon who dared work on her father, his level of integrity, or his trustworthiness. Nick still wasn’t sure. But almost as quickly, something had settled in her features as if she had accepted him. “She said I had called her in for an emergency procedure. She told them she was my surgical assistant and ordered the men to immediately leave the room because they compromised the sterility of the procedure. When we were finally alone, she told me who she was.”
“And you went along with her ruse, even though she was a stranger to you?” he asked with a raised eyebrow, as if affronted. “Regardless of my safety?”
“She has your eyes and your determination. The moment she walked into that room, I knew she wasn’t a stranger to you.”
Petrov smiled, almost as if imagining the scene, the pride swelling his chest. “She is quite amazing. Isn’t she?”
“She surprised your men that day. I think they assumed she would submit to them when they tried to argue with her.”
“She submits to no one,” Petrov said, jutting his chin. This monster, however, obviously submitted to the power of a father’s love for his little girl. He quieted for a few moments before speaking again. His tone distant, as if a million thoughts raced through his mind in that very moment. “I never told her I was shot. I didn’t want her to worry.” He quieted again, glancing back at Nick. “She never mentioned being there…seeing me, or meeting you.”
“She said you would worry about her safety if you knew she was there. It was obvious how much she loved you and just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“You should have told me she was there,” Petrov insisted, staring at him.
Nick straightened, refusing to weaken under Petrov’s gaze. “You wanted to keep each other safe. And I respected that wish by never revealing who she was or that she was there that night.”
Silence filled the room as he waited for the other man to speak.
“Natasha has always been a good judge of character.” Petrov pursed his lips and sighed.
“You lead a dangerous life. And that is your choice. But that was not the life I chose. And that was the reason I walked away.”
Petrov stared at him, something shifting in his expression. “I was…surprised I did not have police at my doorstep when you left.”
“I wouldn’t have done that.” Doing so would have ensured the wrath of Petrov be fully unleashed upon him. But Nick wouldn’t mind if the man believed his silence had been a sign of respect on his part.
“You could have spoken to me about it.”
“With all due respect, stubbornness is part of the Petrov bloodline. I doubt you would have listened.”
Nick swore a hint of a smile passed over Petrov’s expression before he steeled his features. “And yet, you chose to speak to me today.”
“Because I have your undivided attention now.” He glanced over to Ian then back to Petrov. “I saved your life that day in the restaurant and of many of your men for several months after. I’m asking you to spare ours in return and let us be.”
A few moments of silence passed between them. The silver of Petrov’s hair bounced with his subtle nod. “I will cancel the contract.”
“And I’ll refund the deposit payment,” Ian added.
“That’s not necessary.” Petrov waved his hand in the air and shook his head. “Consider it a parting gift for Nicholas’s services years ago.” He looked at Nick, an understanding exchanging between them. “And your continued silence.”
Nick’s heart jackhammered in his chest. Is this really going to end?
Petrov looked to Ian. “Your reputation precedes you.”
Did Petrov expect an answer to that comment? Nick’s heart beat so hard it was going to burst from his chest. He couldn’t handle this tension, this much looming threat of violence between two forces equal in strength and determination.
Petrov straightened to his full height, still shy by about two inches to Ian’s stature. “I’ve also heard you’re a man who always fulfills his agreements.”
“I am.”
“You are a man of your word. Yes?” Petrov asked, but it almost sounded as if it were an accusation.
“Yes.”
“I’ll expect you to honor Nicholas’s wishes that no harm come to my daughter at your hand…or by your request to an associate.” He added the latter with a raised finger. “I’ll take you at your word.”
“As long as you honor his request in return.”
Petrov stood for a moment, silent as if pondering a thought. He looked to Nick. His expression softer, nothing like the hard man Nick had grown to know during those difficult months, but more like the grateful man whose life he had saved that evening in the restaurant.
Nick remained still, ensuring his wall was securely in place to shield any possible emotion as he returned the stare. Whatever had crossed Petrov’s mind during those few seconds, he chose to keep to himself.
The man subtly bowed his head and turned, exiting out of the kitchen through the same door by which he had entered.
Nick’s lips parted on a breath. His life lessons growing up and the time with Petrov had taught him a critical lesson on vulnerability. Never turn your back on an enemy or someone you do not trust. Turning away from them to walk out that door conveyed far more of Petrov’s agreement to let them be than any words he could have spoken.
The fight and tension evaporated from Nick’s body in a single second. He exhaled a shaky breath as Ian quickly wrapped a strong arm around his waist and held him steady, tucking him into his side.
Ian pressed a kiss to his head. “You never cease to amaze me.”
He turned toward Ian and wrapped his arms around his waist, sighing with the comfort his presence always offered. “I hadn’t even thought about it until you told me last night about Ramon and how desperate he had been after they had taken his sister.” Nick rested his cheek on Ian’s shoulder and closed his eyes, feeling a lightness he hadn’t felt in years.
Ian pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Loyalty and family. It’s a universal language.”
Nick was thankful for the strong hold around his waist, grounding him to the here and now. “Did this really just happen?”
“It did. Men like him, they don’t turn their backs on people they don’t trust.” Ian tightened his arms around Nick, pulling him into the heat of his embrace. “You’re a powerful, impressive man.”
“Says the master of improvisation and intimidation.” Nick bit his lip, hiding the smile and holding back the blooming hope rising in his chest.
Ian pulled back and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. “You got to Petrov by using your head rather than a bullet. That takes far more skill.”
All that mattered was that it had happened and their hope for a future was a blazing bright light shining on them in that moment.
“How about we get the hell out of here?” Ian asked.
“Yes.”
“Have I ever told you? That’s my favorite fucking word.” Ian clasped their hands together and walked toward the door, guiding him out of that hell and toward a new path filled with promises.