“You came back,” she whispers.
“I told you I would,” I tell her.
And then I’m crossing to her and desperately pulling her into my arms, ignoring the throbbing of my shoulder. She drops the gun and clutches at me, her hands fisting in my ruined jacket.
“You’re okay,” I breathe into her hair. “You’re alive.”
“So are you.” Her voice breaks. “I thought… when Alexei said you were dead, I thought?—”
“I know. I know.” I pull back just enough to look at her and check for injuries, my thumbs wiping away the blood and dirt on her face. “Did they hurt you? Are you?—”
“I’m fine,” she insists, her hands coming up to cover mine. “The baby’s fine. We’re both fine.”
Relief hits so hard, my knees almost buckle.
And then I'm kissing her. Hard and desperate and probably too rough, but I can’t help it. I need to taste her. I need to confirm that she’s really here, really alive.
She kisses me back with the same frantic intensity, her hands sliding into my hair, and pulling me closer despite the blood clinging to us both.
When we finally break apart, we’re both breathing hard from the desperation of our kiss and lingering adrenaline.
“I couldn’t let them take me,” she tells me, her eyes searching mine. “I couldn’t leave you, so I…” She laughs, that hysterical relief of surviving something impossible. “So I learned to shoot.” She gestures to her fallen weapon. “Very badly.”
“You were incredible,” I tell her as I cup her face with my good hand. “Maybe it wasn’t perfect, but you did a damn good job.”
“I almost shot you,” she says sheepishly.
“Yeah, but you didn’t.” I press a kiss to her nose, enjoying how her breathing hitches. “Once I take care of my uncle and brother, your weapons training begins. I can’t have you brandishing a weapon like that. What would others say?”
She laughs again but then sees the blood. Her eyes go wide and she gasps.
“Holy shit—you’rehurt. Dimitri, you’re bleeding.”
I wave it off. “I’m fine.”
But the world tilts slightly. The adrenaline is wearing off, and blood loss catching up with me. I sway and suddenly she’s supporting me, her arm around my waist.
“Like hell, you’re fine,” she says sternly. “Come on. We need to get you to your office.”
We make it there somehow—her practically holding me up, me trying not to black out. The estate around us is still in chaos but at least the gunfire has ended.
Sergei appears at my elbow. “Boss, Dr. Petrov is on his way. And—” His expression darkens. “We found Mikhail.”
My stomach drops and I make Vera pause. “Where?” I ask hoarsely.
Sergei looks pained. “Upper hallway. It looks like he held them off as long as he could. He took at least four of them with him before…” He trails off.
Before they killed him.
Brave and loyal Mikhail. He’d been with me for eight years and I trusted him to protect Vera. He did exactly that, and fought until his last breath to keep them away from her.
“Make sure his family is taken care of,” I say, feeling a well of emotion rise in me. “His mother and sister in St. Petersburg. Whatever they need. And arrange the funeral. Full honors.”
Sergei dips his head respectfully. “Yes, sir.”
He leaves and I sink into my office chair, suddenly exhausted beyond measure.
Vera hovers nearby, eyes fixed on my bleeding shoulder but I can see tears trailing down her cheeks, clearly mourning Mikhail.
