The front door hadn’t even shut behind them before Glazov’s booming voice broke the silence.

“Roksana! My study, now!”

“Fuck!” she mouthed, wincing as she looked at her husband.

“Do you want me to go with you?” Oleg asked quietly.

“Alone, Roksana!”

Oleg looked down at her solemnly and nodded. “Go see your father, devotchka.”

She took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and strode to her father’s study. This is not good, not good at all. Doesn’t Father ever sleep?

It was 2 a.m. and she had really hoped her father would be asleep by now. No such luck. It had been one hell of a night and she was exhausted, and she still needed to check on the dogs. Those Bratva gods that Father and Natasha are always talking about – where are they when I need them?  

She did her best to put on her game face, not that it would do any good; Alexander Glazov could read his children like an open book. She pushed the fear down, swallowing it like a bowling ball that would lay heavily lodged in her chest until she found out what her father wanted.

As she turned the corner and entered the private study that adjoined the master bedroom suite, she was greeted by the familiar sight of her father seated behind his desk. Considering the lateness of the hour, it was no surprise that he was in his robe. By his grim expression and lack of a greeting, she knew the discussion was going to be serious.

She walked over to her father and kissed his cheek, then sat in the chair across from his desk and hoped for the best.

Glazov considered his daughter solemnly but said nothing. He wasn’t in a hurry and would choose his words carefully, for maximum effect, as he always did. For a moment, she almost felt sorry for his enemies who had ever been unfortunate enough to suffer through one of his infamous interrogations. If he could make his beloved daughter nervous, it must be agonizing for an enemy to suffer his retribution. Right now, it was her ass on the line; she just didn’t know why.

After what seemed like forever he relaxed back into the chair and steepled his fingers beneath his chin. “I should be in bed with my wife,” he said slowly. “But instead, my wife is in our bed alone. I am here with you because I have a question.”

“Um, yes?”

“Roksana, tell me. Why are there dogs barking in my house?”

Her eyes widened. Shit. “Oh...”

“Yes, oh. Go on.”

“We rescued two of the pit bulls tonight.”

“There are dogs in my house.”

“Yes.”

His eyes narrowed. “I will tell you what I know, you will let me know if I’ve missed anything. Bloody, battered creatures have appeared out of nowhere. One of my most trusted, dependable bodyguards has relocated several vehicles from my garage to set up the equivalent of a doggy daycare spa.” He gave her no time to answer as he continued, “Your task tonight was simple: stake out the dogfighting operation and blow up the building along with Escondido’s key cartel opposition.” He slowly shook his head and exhaled impatiently. “Only you could take a simple job and make it so damn complicated. You must get that from your mother’s side of the family. Trouble follows the woman everywhere she goes.”

When she finally mustered the courage to answer, Roksana’s voice sounded weak in her own ears, like a child making amends after being reprimanded. “I made my case and the team agreed. I couldn’t get the dogs that had already left the premises, but the two remaining ones…I just couldn’t leave them. You know me, Father, you know how I am when it comes to animals.”

The dynamic would never change between Roksana and Glazov. Regardless of age she would always be her father’s little girl. But right now, it was her mother she wanted, the woman whose impeccable wisdom and understanding always put things into perspective. Roksana stole a glance at the door leading to the master bedroom, her heart frantically racing. When she turned back to her father, the tick in his jaw was a sure sign she’d fucked up majorly in his eyes.

“I love animals as much as you do, but Roksana…” He was leaning toward her, eyes blazing, and she half expected him to jump over the desk. Instead, Glazov closed his eyes briefly, breathing deeply before continuing, “You endangered five of our people – including yourself -- because of two dogs. Can you imagine what it would do to your mother and me if one of our children was killed, especially if it was over something like that? I do know you and your love of animals, Roksana, but you took this too far. When you’re a mother, maybe then you will understand.”

Shit, now he’s going for the guilt trip. I hate it when he does that.

“I’m sorry. I never want to add to your worries.” But she had to come clean, so she continued quickly before she changed her mind, “But I honestly don’t know how I could have done anything differently and been able to look at myself in the mirror.” There was no point in lying because he’d see right through it. And she would never, ever lie to her father.

“So, if you had to do it over again you’d do the same thing.” She gave an almost imperceptible nod in reply. “You say the team agreed, but you know they are more likely to because of who you are. Just like your mother, you can be quite persuasive – even, it seems, with ludicrous, impulsive ideas that put people’s lives in danger.

“The Sinaloans got what they deserved tonight. I have no regrets there. But I won’t have my employees and family members being put in harm’s way unnecessarily while you’re rescuing dogs.”

“Understood. But we didn’t have to go in to get them.”

“What do you mean? They were in the middle of a fight, correct?”

“Yes, they were. I used a dog whistle to break up the fight. Then they just…came to me.” Her words were greeted by silence.

“They came to you. Two oversized, enraged, brutalized animals just…came to you. Remarkable,” he said softly, a small smile touching his lips. “How did you manage to transport them?”

“When they came running out, I was waiting for them. I got down on their level and, I don’t know, just looked at them. And they let me touch them. They looked at me like I was the only thing in their whole world.”

Glazov thought about what she had described, and considered the promising implications of his daughter having the loyalty of two such brutal creatures. He was disappointed in her impulsive behavior, yes, but understood that her motivation to rescue the animals had come from the best of intentions. Despite his initial reservations, he was pleased with this new development. “Alright. Here’s what I’m going to do.”

Oh, shit. She slumped in the chair, shrinking away from the inevitable.

“Two things: First, you of all people know I believe women are fully capable of being on the front lines of our organization. Second, I’ve been tossing around an idea recently. You know that the Colombians started an exotic animal refuge so they could use spiders and snakes to kill their enemies. It’s a brilliant idea and has proven to be an effective resource for them. I have decided to start an animal refuge here.” At her delighted gasp, he raised a hand for silence. “That way, you can take in as many animals as you want and maybe it will sate your determination to always stick up for the underdog. It baffles me how you can be so cold blooded to people and yet so kind when it comes to the four-legged species, but that his neither here nor there. So, what will you do with the dogs?”

“I’m keeping one and Bazarnik is keeping the other.”

“So, he was in on it with you. Hmm, interesting.”

“I don’t want him to get in trouble for what I did.”

“Nobody’s in trouble. Nonetheless, you have disappointed me, Roksana. Your impulsive decision delayed the team’s departure. You’re lucky everyone got out of there safely, and without being noticed. You put five lives in danger tonight, including your own.”

Roksana’s eyes burned with unshed tears. The statement stung like a hard slap across the face.

“I’m so sorry, Papa.” Her use of the childhood endearment caused the chill in her father’s eyes to flicker for an instant before he cleared his throat and gestured toward the door.

“Go. I have nothing more to say.”

A single tear ran down her cheek as she left the room. Her father’s disappointment was a crushing blow. But he was right. She had indeed put five lives in danger. They were incredibly lucky they had all come home unscathed.

Her footsteps sped up as she got closer to the suite of rooms she shared with her husband. She needed him. She knew her husband would put things into perspective, the way he always did.