When I finally drive back, the city is quieter than usual while most are still at work, and it doesn’t help the exhaustion pulling on my limbs. Rolling up to the house and parking in the garage does soothe the need to be back, at least.
Moving through the house, I find Kat curled up on the couch in the living room, asleep with a blanket tangled around her legs like she didn’t mean to doze. She hugs one of the throw pillows tightly.
My chest aches just looking at her, and I waste no time kneeling beside the couch to gently brush her hair away from her face.
After a moment, her eyes slowly open, and she speaks with a touch of grogginess to her words. "Sergey? What time is it?"
“Almost four,” I murmur. “I just got back.”
She sits up slowly and rubs at her eyes. “Did something happen?”
I nod. “One of our shipments was hit at the docks. I spent the day overseeing the cleanup.”
She doesn’t say anything at first, just stares. I can see the tangled mess of shock, worry, and potentially something else flickering behind her eyes. “Who did it?”
"Yuri,” I admit, hoping not to get into too much detail. But I sigh and barely brush my thumb over her cheek. “He called me after the fact.”
That gets her attention, and she visibly stiffens. “He did?”
I try to soothe her with my touch, and I nod again. “He knows we’re married and he’s pissed.”
Her mouth tightens. "Of course he is.”
"He says he’s coming for you,” I add, fighting back the rage in me all over again at the thought.
She lets go of a bitter laugh. “I’m not surprised. He’s always been willing to do anything to get what he wants.”
I cup her face fully then, searching her expression. "I won’t let anything happen to you. I swear."
"I can protect myself, too, Sergey."
"I know, but that’s not the point."
Pulling up from my spot on the floor, I sit beside her while the need to act races through me, but I try to temper it. An almost defeated breath escapes me, even if I’m far from wanting to surrender in any capacity.
"I thought marrying you would tie things together, but I only managed to stir up more shit."
Kat looks me in the eyes before she reaches for my hand and holds it in her lap. “It’s not all on you."
"Maybe not," I admit. "But I can’t keep making mistakes like I did that night. Ignoring that guy at the casino…we could’ve died."
Kat’s eyes soften, and she lightly runs her fingers over my palm. “Fortunately, we didn’t, as close as it was.”
Contemplating her words, I know she means well, but I can’t let myself off the hook for what happened.
While sitting there, I feel as if the weight of it all has grown even heavier, and I can’t begin to hide it.
Noticing, Kat gently guides me to lie down with my head on her lap, taking on a caring expression. “You look exhausted…just relax for a while.”
“I want nothing more,” I say with an exhale as I get comfortable, closing my eyes briefly while I face her. I hum the moment her fingers reach my hair, and she lightly combs through it. “But you’re definitely coddling me right now.”
A quietly amused huff escapes her. “We can let it slide for now. You look like you need it.”
She isn’t wrong.
After a moment of quiet between us, I crack an eye open to peer up at her. “You know, I’m starting to think you might like me or something.”
That makes a grin break out across her lips, and Kat leans in until her nose brushes against mine lightly. “And if I do?”
