Only Him

Chapter 42

Marlen chuckled. "I hear congratulations are in order," he said, "for a healthy baby boy."

"What's his name now?" Marlen continued, obviously enjoying his moment of surprise. "Oh yes, Aleksey. Such a strong, traditional name. His father must be proud."

My throat was inexplicably dry and I swallowed twice before I could make any sound. When I was capable of words once more, they were harsh.

"If you or your informant raise a finger towards my son I swear to God and whoever else may be listening that I will gut you and tie your entrails into pretty bows while you watch," I snarled into the phone, gripping it so tightly that the edges bit into my palm. The pain helped me focus.

Dimitri, pale with fury, had his phone out already calling Hans or whatever other reinforcements he thought necessary. Marlen chuckled. "Such hostility for a new mother. Tell me, Rose, do you kiss your son with such a mouth? Hold him with hands that promise so much violence?"

"A mother would do anything for her child," I assured him coldly. My jaw was starting to ache from the pressure I was putting on my teeth. I wanted to reach through my phone and throttle the man who had tortured me, threatened my sons' existence before he was even born and continued to do so now that he was new to the world. I had wasted many sleepless nights on this horrible excuse for a (somewhat) living being and I wasn't about to let him rob me of any more time with my son.

"Oh I believe that," he agreed. "I'm just not so sure you'll have the chance."

I glanced at Dimitri who was whispering furiously into his phone, eyes glued to my face. He motioned for me to keep Marlen talking. I swallowed hard and rose to the bait.

"And why not?" I demanded.

"Because I'm closer than you think," he said glibly. "I'm everywhere you look and nowhere you expect. Just remember that as you celebrate the happiest day of your life. And congratulations, he has his fathers eyes."

The line went dead.

*Dimitri*

Dimitri hadn't thought that anything could bring him down from the elation of being a new father. He was overwhelmingly happy about everything, from the multiple attributes that his son shared with him to his dream of Aleksey having his mother's hair. He couldn't get rid of the smile permanently etched into his face or the feeling of absolute and unfathomable love constricting his heart each time he saw Rose holding their son or the softening of her dynamic eyes. Those eyes had seen so much in her short life and he knew they could snap with intelligence, harden with hatred and fill with love when she looked at him but he'd never seen those beautiful eyes soften so completely as they did when she looked at Aleksey.

So he was immediately alerted to the turn of events when she picked up the phone and the soft look instantly crystalized into loathing, pure and uncontained.

"Marlen," she said and Dimitri was instantly on his feet.

In the space of a second he processed his options. He knew the call would be short and he should alert any number of people of what was happening: Hans, Janine, Lissa, Abe. He dialed none of those numbers.

"Hello?" Sydney answered on the second ring, alert and ready. Dimitri had already told Sydney and Adrian about Aleksey's birth and it was uncommon for them to speak more than once in as many days. "Is the baby alright?"

"Are you near a computer?" Dimitri demanded, ignoring the question. The baby in question was sleeping peacefully in his incubator, unaware of the threat whispering in his mothers ear.

"Yes I'm at work but—" Dimitri cut her off.

"I need you to tap into Rose's phone records and trace the number calling her. Now."