“Doesn’t get to touch you,” she interrupted.
He struggled to hide his grin as Keisha grabbed the first aid kit.She washed her hands before pulling on a pair of gloves.Her fingers trembled as she threaded the needle.
“Have you done this before?”he asked.
She shook her head.“No, but I hear it’s like sewing clothes, which I’m really good at.”
He chuckled.“Not quite the same, but close enough.”
“This’ll hurt,” she warned.
“Good.”He deserved it.
Her eyes flicked up, seeing too much.He looked away.The needle stung, but Sergei clenched his hands into fists to hold steady.Pain was clean, unlike the weight of her safety, what his past could cost.
“Why’d you stay behind?”she asked, soft, stitching.“You could have come with us.”
“You know why.”His life was her now, undoing his sins.
Her fingers paused.“Tell me.”
He met her gaze.“I couldn’t let them win.Not again.”
Not all of it, but enough.She tied the last stitch before moving away to wash her hands.
Want and guilt tangled.“We should sleep,” he said, standing, needing distance.“You take the bed.I’ll take the chair.”
“Sergei, you’re hurt,” she protested.
“I’m good,” he said, lighter than he felt.
Rain drummed, filling silence.In this cramped space, her eyes stripped him bare.“I’ll check the perimeter,” he said, escaping.“Get comfortable.”
Her hand caught his wrist, warm.“Thanks.For everything.”
He nodded, throat tight, her trust heavy.She settled on the bed, springs creaking, looking small, brave.Sergei exhaled, vowing to keep her and Tiana safe, no matter the cost.
* * *
Keisha sat on the bed.She pushed a strand of her hair back, fingers trembling from having stitched Sergei’s skin back together.It wasn’t like sewing clothes at all.
“Is Tiana safe?”she asked, voice soft, slipping out.
Sergei turned from the window.“Mateo is with her.He will guard her with his life.I promise.”
Keisha nodded, exhaustion crashing.Seventy-two hours blurred.The warehouse, enforcers, Sergei’s hands on her in alleys.Her walls, built years ago, crumbled with him.
“They targeted me to get her,” she said, tremor spiking, hand tucked under her thigh.“If they’d grabbed me—”
“They didn’t.”Sergei knelt before her.“They won’t.The FBI and CIA will hold their attention for some time to come.We’ll still have to be careful, but it’s the first step of many.”
The mattress dipped as he placed his hands near her legs, the heat from them seeping through her jeans.
“You don’t know that,” she said, throat dry.“They’ve got hooks in the system.If not me, they’ll find another way to Tiana.”
“We’ll stop ‘em,” he said, voice low.
“How?”Her voice sharpened.“I’m a social worker.You’re a—” She stopped.
