Chapter 2 Scoldings

Dragori

“Excuse me? Where were you? If you were watching, he wouldn’t have even gotten this close. I was having my lunch at the outside tables over there at the deli. I saw her because I heard her laugh, and it was beautiful. Then I saw him, and there was a parade of red flags waving all over the place with the way he was watching her. I kept thinking her parents would come and take care of it. When that didn’t happen, I thought I would come over, stand there, and maybe he would think I was her mother and get spooked. Then when I was over on the sidewalk, I noticed he threw down that magazine he was trying to hide behind so he didn’t look like the pervert he obviously was. There was a black van, one like you see on those crime shows; the side door opened, no one got out, he was watching it, and it was idling, just sitting there. So, I knew this was an emergency, so I sprinted over here and grabbed her to keep him from doing it and throwing her in that van. So, that is why I dared to put my hands on your daughter. Thank you very much.”

I could see the fire in her eyes as she berated me for not watching my daughter better, which she was very much correct about. What she didn’t know was that there were three guards who had been assigned to her protection while I conducted business. They were now soon-to-be three very dead men.

As the Pakhan of the Volkov Bratva, I would not tolerate mistakes such as these, especially where my daughter was concerned. I smiled at the idea of her scolding me as an errant schoolboy. Of course, she had no idea who I was, and I found I rather liked her honest reaction. As she expelled all of her obvious agitation, as well as some fear, in that long tirade, she hardly even took a breath.

“You are right; please forgive my rudeness. I was just reacting to the situation. Thank you for your brave actions in protecting my daughter.” She blushed beautifully; in fact, she was remarkably beautiful.

I had seen this woman running and grabbing my daughter, then it took a moment before I realized she was, in fact, protecting her from the man who had been attempting to grab her. She wrapped her own body around her with no hesitation. Then the man hit and kicked her, but she refused to let go of Nissa. I had seen Nissa cling to her and cry against her, and rather than be annoyed or push her away, she put her arms around her and soothed her as a mother would.

My guards had immediately removed the man in question, and he would be dealt with very soon. I would learn who would dare to try to snatch my daughter. We weren’t even supposed to be here at the park today; it had been a last-minute decision, which was almost a very terrible and tragic one. That could mean only one thing: I had a rat I would need to exterminate.

My daughter was still smiling up at this woman, looking at her as if she were an angel flown down from heaven to protect her. It made me truly realize how much she missed a mother’s care. Yes, she had a nanny, one who had been with her for more than two years. That wasn’t the same as having a mother.

She waved her hand. “Ah, no big deal. At least she’s okay; that’s what’s important, not all that other shit.” As she said the word, I saw her face go pale, and her mesmerizing silvery eyes go wide, and then she put her hand over her mouth.

I threw my head back and laughed like I had not done in many, many years, “Do not worry. Although I do try to watch my tongue when she is with me. I have spoken very harshly and with many colorful words in her presence on occasion.” She smiled at that, and I felt myself grow hard and eager as I saw it.

I heard my daughter whisper to me, “She is beautiful, Papa. Is she my own angel?” I saw the mesmerized look on my child’s face. She’d spoken in Russian, our native tongue, and it seemed this woman did not understand.

I saw her brow raise. “She said that you were beautiful and asked if you were her very own angel.” I watched the girl's face burst into flame. How intriguing.

“Ah, no, sweetie, I’m just some ordinary person who saw something happening and knew I needed to help. We can't let those bad men get a hold of little girls.” Nissa giggled.

It was then that I realized she was bleeding ever so slightly on the side of her forehead. I reached out and wiped the blood away. She had frozen when I moved, but did not pull away; then she saw the blood on my fingers. I issued a command to one of my men.

She seemed surprised and reached up to touch the spot, wincing a bit as she did. The guard returned with a cloth, and I held it to the spot. “It is not bad, but anything on the head bleeds. Do you feel bad? Do we need to contact someone for you, take you to the clinic?”

She shook her head. “Nah, it’s not bad, probably just nicked it when we fell.”

“Well, you said you were across the street having lunch; did you leave your car, Ms.?” I was hinting at her name, and she got the ah-ha moment.

“Ilaria, my name is Ilaria Kilnich, and no, I didn’t bring a car; I had actually taken the bus downtown today to talk to a few galleries. So, I’ll just catch the next one home.” As she said that, she stood up, and Nissa took hold of her hand, and she looked down at her and smiled.

I took note of her saying she was speaking to galleries, then, “No, I insist; at the very least, let us take you home so you are not subjected to the bus. It will be Nissa and me with you; my guards will take a separate vehicle.”

She bit her lip as she thought, and the way my body reacted to that simple gesture once again, as I had her smile, watching her interact with my daughter, and the way she had selflessly protected her, cemented my decision. She didn’t know it yet; she would find out, but Ilaria had just become mine.