The shooters are good, but they are not better than me. Not this time.
I burst through the park gates and keep running for another block before I allow myself to slow. No one is following on foot.
I flag down a passing cab, slide into the back seat, and give the driver an address two blocks from my apartment. Better to be cautious. The last thing I want is for a street spy to make me and then blow what little cover I have right now.
By the time I reach my building, my pulse has steadied, but the rage is building. They dared to shoot at me in broad daylight. And worse, they put Teddy in the crossfire.
I am almost at my door when a black SUV pulls up beside the curb.
The back door opens.
Viktor and Ivan are inside.
“Quick,” Viktor says, a look of urgency on his face. “We’re up against it.”
I don’t hesitate. I climb in. The door shuts and the vehicle moves immediately.
Viktor’s face is grim. “We got your message. What happened?”
“Cartel hit team,” I say, voice flat. “At least three shooters. They opened fire while I was with Teddy in the park. He made it out clean. I drew them away.”
Ivan’s jaw tightens. “They’re getting bold. Almost cocky. This wasn’t a warning. This was a legit assassination attempt. They screwed up, but we can’t leave anything to chance now. It’s already gone too far.”
I agree. If it was in any doubt before, then it’s more than clear now.
Viktor nods. “We hit them fast. No more waiting. We take the main stash, the secondary site, and as many senior men as we can reach. We end this before they regroup.”
I lean back against the seat, adrenaline still coursing through me. “Agreed. But first… I need to see my boy. I need to know he is safe.”
Both men exchange a glance but say nothing.
They understand.
In our world, the boys we claim become both our greatest strength and our greatest vulnerability. And rather than fight against it, the best option is to satiate the need to protect our boys and then go from there
The SUV changes direction, heading toward the safe house where Bobby took Teddy and Skeet. The ride is tense and silent. My mind keeps replaying the moment the first shot rang out… the way Teddy screamed, the way he trusted me enough to run when I told him to.
The SUV pulls up outside the discreet safe house on the edge of the city. Bobby chose well—a quiet, unassuming building with excellent sightlines and multiple exit routes. I step out first, followed by Viktor and Ivan. The three of us move with purpose, the weight of the coming strike pressing on us like a physical force.
Bobby meets us at the door, his expression alert but relieved. He nods once, confirming everything is secure.
“He’s inside,” Bobby says quietly. “Shaken, but safe.”
I don’t wait. I push past him and step into the warmly lit room.
Teddy is on his feet the moment he sees me. He crosses the space in a rush and throws himself into my arms. I catch him easily, wrapping his lean body against my chest. He clings to me, face buried in my shirt, shoulders trembling with leftover fear and relief.
“Kirill…” His voice cracks. “You’re okay. You’re really okay.”
“I am,” I murmur against his hair, one hand stroking down his back in slow, soothing strokes. “I’m here. You’re safe. That is all that matters right now.”
He pulls back just enough to look up at me, eyes still wet but shining with something deeper than fear. The words tumble out of him in a breathless rush.
“I want to be a part of your life,” he says, voice trembling but determined. “No matter what the danger is. When I was running and I thought you might die in that park to protect me… it made me realize you’re the Daddy for me. I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to walk away.”
The confession hits me hard. For a moment, the ruthless pakhan inside me falters. This bright, soft, brave boy is offering himself to my dangerous world—willingly, openly. It stirs the possessive hunger I have tried to keep leashed.
But now is not the time.
