Behind Viktor stood one of the rival guards who held onto a knife. I would've screamed, but I was too weak to shout or tell him to watch out. Then the container echoed loudly with the strong blast from a shotgun.
The guard fell face-first to the floor. It was Dimitri who shot him, and I was definite that we were winning the war.
“Never again, Emilia. Never again will I let anyone touch you.”
I smiled at him because that was the only thing I could do at the moment. I believed him. I trusted him even more than I trusted myself. I knew I could live up to his words and count for his safety, wherever, whenever.
He carried me in his arms and walked out of the container. At first glance, the entire floor was filled with deadpeople. Mostly from the rival mercenaries. Just a handful of Viktor's guards were hurt, and even fewer were dead.
We made our way through the dead bodies, and Viktor encountered a file on the floor. He picked it up and gave it a quick glance.
“Is everything alright, Boss?”
“I don't know. Check this out.” He handed it over to Dimitri, and he opened it with extreme caution, flipping through every page.
“Hmm.” He said. “This doesn't look good.”
“I had a feeling it wouldn't. What does it say?”
“A lot, actually. They had already made plans to blackmail the foreign backers. The worst part is, Emilia would've been used for collateral.”
“It's a good thing I came on time, isn't it?”
**********
I didn't know when we arrived home. I woke up hours later. My eyes were still tired from all the stress. My body was weak, and my legs felt numb. I looked at Viktor, and his lips curled halfway up in a slight grin.
“How did I do?” He asked.
“You were amazing, and terrifying,” I said, and watched him smile at me. I believe I flattered him. But his forehead creased, and I wondered what passed through his mind.
“I know I could have done better. But I also know that it’s my terror that binds you to me.”
My forehead pressed into his, and I couldn't believe that he felt he didn't do a good job rescuing me in the manner he did. What on earth was he planning to do? Call the whole SWAT team to barge in and annihilate all of the rivals? It made me smile. I found it sweet and thoughtful.
The sound of the sirens sang across the road. Viktor winked at me, and I knew why he did it. It was only a matter oftime before the headlines would cry out about the demise of yet another gang leader in New York.
“Viktor,” his eyes pierced into mine when I called him. “Promise me that all this will end well? I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want to put myself in a situation I can't handle.”
“I understand.” He said, and his response left me unsatisfied.
“I'm not asking you to understand. I'm asking you to promise me that all this ends now.”
“I will end it. Danger follows me wherever I go. And unless you're in my good books, duty demands of me that I do what I must to protect the union and to protect you. But don't fret. I'll make sure everything ends well, and you don't have to fear getting taken by rivals anymore.”
I didn't get the satisfaction I sought, but I smiled. His index finger traced the lines of my lips, and I placed my left hand between his. I wanted to tell him that I loved him. Instead, I cupped his face in my hands and kissed him with a raw fervor that I feared led to something more intense.
Chapter Twenty
Viktor’s POV.
I was glad that the chaos was over. No more would I have to live in fear of my dear Emilia being taken away from me. I'd recovered her, and I couldn't afford to lose her again. Not now, not ever.
Emilia's eyes were closed while I drew patterns on her hand. Her breath scattered across my face, and I loved to know that she was safe again. I kissed her lips, but she didn't return it. I didn't care, though. All that mattered to me was her safety, and I vowed to go to any length to ensure that my precious wife was safe.
The morning was young, and the chirp of birds soothed my ears. Emilia lay in her undies, and her exposed curves made me kiss her from her hips to her forehead. She sighed, still fast asleep. Her beauty was as radiant as the sun, which scattered its orange rays to all the corners of my room.
I walked towards the balcony, and the fresh air caressed me. The fresh air that I'd longed to inhale. My guards patrolled the area, the road was empty for almost a minute, before a black car drove towards the gate. It stopped, and I wondered who it was because I wasn't expecting any visitors. Then another black car drove by, which followed another. I stopped counting at five cars before I realized that this was trouble. I ran back inside and picked up my gun.
