“I’ll bury you with the rats that birthed you, sookin syn!”
Ivan’s arms move like a flash of lightning, bringing the baseball bat over his head and crashing down in half an instant, caving Konrad’s hideous face in with a sickening crunch. I turn away, covering my mouth after catching a glimpse, and a moment later I hear a second crack, and I glance back to see that Ivan has broken the bat delivering a second blow to the side of the bloody stub that used to be Konrad’s head.
There’s a moment of silence, Ivan staring at Konrad’s body, me staring up at Ivan, both of us breathing heavily and petrified.
Then the splintered bat falls from Ivan’s grip with a clatter, and he turns to scoop me up into his arms, embracing me tight as I descend into sobs.
“Shhh,” he whispers into my ear, his whole body warm and comforting as I break down in them, hands shaking and tears pouring from my face. “It’s over, Katy, it’s all over. Are you okay? Did he harm you?”
“Ivan,” I choke out, “Oh my God Ivan, I thought you were...I thought he was going to—”
“He isn’t going to do anything anymore,” that thick, commanding voice states, and he holds me tighter in his arms.
“I had no idea Nic would be here,” I manage, and he starts stroking my hair.
“I thought Konrad might have a friend to tip him off,” he replies, “but I was surprised he would take such a risk. He must have been truly desperate. Nic is unconscious and restrained.”
My eyes flutter open and look up at him in shock. “What?”
Ivan looks down at me steadily, his eyes utterly at peace with his actions as always.
“One life was sanctioned to be taken this morning. Nic aided a traitor, but he was not my target tonight, so I had to restrain myself.” He turns his eyes back towards the lounge doors. “But truthfully, it would be a mercy to slay him now. The mafia’s punishment for this action will be unthinkable.” His eyes look back to me, brow furrowed in concern. “But not so unthinkable as what Konrad almost did to you.”
I nod silently as tears roll down my cheeks. I feel a strong finger wipe them away as gently as though he were stroking my hair. “Thank you, Ivan,” is all I can whisper out, exhausted and shaken beyond belief as I hang limply in his arms.
His lips press into my forehead. “I would go to the ends of the earth for you, solnishka. Come, let’s leave this place. The cleaners will be here soon.”
Without another word, my hitman protector carries me out of my club, leaving behind all the baggage of my past and into what my muddled, tired mind thinks just could be a better future at last.
21
Katy
My heart is pounding so hard I’m afraid it might actually jump out of my chest. I can hear my own blood rushing in my ears and I am gripping the sides of the leather passenger seat so hard my knuckles are bony-white. Ivan is driving my car away from the scene of the crime because I am obviously in no place to get behind a steering wheel. It’s around noon and we are headed into the city, retreating to Ivan’s place. I feel like every nerve in my body is electrified; I am hyper-aware of every tree and car we pass. I’m staring out the window, deep inside my own mind, trying to remember to breathe like a normal person.
“Relax your jaw,” Ivan says, and his voice makes me jump a little. He glances over and gives me a sympathetic look. “You’re grinding your teeth. Going to give yourself a nasty headache doing that.”
“S-sorry,” I stammer, massaging my jaw self-consciously. I hadn’t even noticed.
Ivan reaches across the console and places a warm, comforting hand on my thigh, giving it a squeeze. “Don’t apologize. You’re okay. Everything is fine.”
“W-what’s going to happen now?” I ask, turning to him and searching his face for answers. I stare at his rugged profile, that gently hooked nose and sensuous lips. A smile twitches at his mouth.
“Nothing you have to worry about.”
“Are they — is the mafia going to take care of the, um, the…”
“The body?”
“Yeah,” I choke out. Ivan pats my leg and takes both my hands in his.
“Yes, mishka. They will take care of everything. The worst is behind us. The Bratva are very efficient at what they do. I swear to you, the place will be even cleaner than it was yesterday by the time they’re done with it.”
“And Natalie?”
“She will never have any idea that anything happened there at all. I strongly advise you not to tell anyone about what you saw today,” he adds. “It is safer that way.”