Something heavy hit the floor. Heavy boots slammed against the wooden planks. Someone was kicking, I realized. There was so much grunting and gasping—and then it became eerily quiet.
I held my breath and waited. Footsteps sent me rushing back from the door. I hugged the back wall of the closet and prayed it wasn't one of the monsters who had broken into the house. The furniture shoved in front of the door made an awful scratching sound as it slid across the floor. A moment later the door opened and I squeaked in fear.
But it was Ivan's hulking form that stood silhouetted in the doorway. I let loose an anguished, relieved cry as he knelt down in front of me. My phone hit the floor and I flung myself into his waiting arms. The slick sweat from his skin made him hard to grasp but I held on tight.
Our lips met in a seeking kiss. The metallic tinge of blood didn't bother me. I hated that he'd been hurt defending me but he was alive in my arms. That was all that mattered to me right now.
"Sh," he cooed and squeezed me tighter. "I've got you, Erin."
And I hoped he never let go.
CHAPTER SIX
Ivan hated police stations. They set his teeth on edge and brought back memories he'd just as soon forget. Of course, he hadn't ever been on this side of the equation. The experience of being taken in to give a report and interview was much different than being hauled out of bed and cuffed for committing some crime.
They kept the interview rooms unnecessarily cold. He noticed the way Erin shivered next to him. She wore jeans and a t-shirt with his jacket draped around her shoulders. He deduced it wasn't the chill that left her hands trembling but the post-adrenaline shakes from surviving such a brazen attack on their lives.
Wanting to reassure her, Ivan reached for her hand beneath the table and dragged it onto his leg. He glanced at her and winked. She smiled, just for him, and let some of the fear ease from her pretty face.
His face, on the other hand, didn't look so good. Taking down two armed men in the dark wasn’t as easy as the movie stars made it look. He'd escaped the ordeal with only a black eye, busted mouth and gashes on his shoulders and arms. The two gunshots he'd narrowly missed had been pure luck.
It had been a long time since he'd felt real fear. The idea that those thugs had come into his home to hurt Erin had enraged him. Feeling bullets snap by his ear and slam into the wall behind him had turned that rage into fear. Not for himself but for Erin. He'd never forgive himself if anything had happened to her. The need to protect and defend her had spurred him onward, right into the face of danger.
"Well, Mr. Markovic, since you managed to de-escalate the situation without killing the two intruders, you saved yourself a hell of a lot of hassle." The detective from the gang unit finished scribbling his signature across the statements he and Erin had given. "Unfortunately, this won't be the last you see of me. You'll both likely be called to testify if this goes to jury trial."
Ivan inwardly grimaced. The last thing he wanted was to be called to testify. He hoped those two idiots he'd put in headlocks and choked into submission would be smart enough to take a plea deal and spare everyone the headache.
There was a knock on the door to the interview room. A second later, a patrol officer poked his head into the room. "Sorry to interrupt but you're needed out here, Detective Santos."
"Sure." The detective smiled at them. "I'll be right back."
Ivan nodded and watched the man disappear. His inner alarm clanged. Was this some kind of game? It wasn't the first time two police officers had tried to pull this kind of ruse on him. He eyed Erin carefully and hoped she'd get the message he was trying to send. If those two men were listening in from the connected observation room, he didn't want Erin to accidentally say anything that might cause them more problems.
"Ivan?"
"Yes?" He reached out and touched her cheek.
"I'm sorry about all of this."
He shook his head. "Don't be. It's not your fault."
"Isn't it?"
"No, angel moy. It's—"
The door opened and the detective returned. He didn't come all the way into the room. Instead he said, "Miss Hanson, is your sister's name Ruby?"
Ivan's gut clenched. He silently prayed this detective wasn't about to tell them Ruby was dead.
Erin went rigid. "Yes."
"So I suppose I don't have to ask why those two Hermanos cockroaches were trying to kill the two of you," the detective said with a frown. He sighed and waved his hand. "You two should come with me. Your sister was picked up an hour ago. She's been in a cell downstairs but they brought her up here for questioning."
Ivan gripped Erin's hand as they left the interview room and trailed the detective to another room. They were led into a smaller, dimly lit space with a two-way mirror. Ivan let go of Erin's hand so she could make her way to the glass. She put her hand on it and stared at her sister.