I glanced up at the others who were surrounding us.
Every face paled. Heads shook as if to say, “not it.”
“What?” I snapped. “You guys can shoot a guy in the head, but when it comes to stabbing them with a needle, you pass out?”
Junior shuddered. “I hate needles.”
“I can’t even give blood,” Ash reminded me.
I rolled my eyes. “Good thing you have an almost doctor on your hands then.” I reached for the adrenaline and told my hands to stop shaking; I didn’t like Nikolai saying it “should” work. I clenched my teeth. It had to work because shooting someone with adrenaline wasn’t exactly safe.
Especially if they were healthy.
He could easily have a heart attack and die.
“Damn it, you better come back to me, Valerian Petrov. I love you.” I added a quick prayer under my breath, pulled the cap off the needle, then jabbed it directly into Valerian’s chest. And pushed down the plunger.
He immediately sucked in a breath and started coughing. “The fuck is that?” He rasped. He squinted like he was having trouble focusing. “Is that a needle?” Then he sagged, his head lolling to the side.
“I think he passed out,” King said from his quiet spot in the corner. He’d helped everyone as much as possible and was actually the one who was starting the process of cleaning out Valerian’s office like he couldn’t stand to watch his brother lying there lifeless. “He also hates needles. I think it’s a family trait.”
Seconds later, Valerian woke up, after I’d removed the needle and the trauma that went along with it.
“Is this real?” His voice was hoarse, and he still spoke a bit slowly.
“It’s real.” My eyes filled with tears as I pulled him into my arms; I couldn’t stop shaking as I held him tight. “I’m sorry we were late.”
Everyone burst out laughing just as Nikolai made his way into the house with about a dozen associates.
I was too focused on Valerian to even care how pissed everyone looked as they searched the house and moved toward the office.
Servants and staff, some of whom I recognized, appeared as if out of thin air. Where had they been when Valerian was attacked?
“Clean up,” Nikolai barked. “And once the boss is up and walking, we find any more traitors and shoot them on sight, no excuses. And spread the word to his ‘staff.’ He will spill as much blood as he needs to, don’t make me torture it out of any of you.”
A chill swept over the room as Valerian slowly moved out of my arms and to his feet. I wanted to pull him back down then slap him for thinking he could just get up and walk after nearly dying.
“Valer—”
Ash nudged me. “He’s the boss. He needs to show strength, let him go.”
I wanted to cover him with my freaking body like a shield.
Instead, with shaking hands, I helped Valerian stand, he took two steps toward Nikolai. Two other men I didn’t recognize joined them.
And then I watched my husband take a gun from Nikolai, walk with authority toward three men who were hovering by the door, and shoot each of them in the head, no questions asked.
“Shit.” Ash hissed next to me.
Even Junior looked stunned.
Because this wasn’t Breaker anymore, was it? This was the new Petrov boss. This was Valerian.
And Valerian Petrov shot first and asked questions later.
I never thought I would be the type of person who was proud of someone for killing. I was training to be a doctor, my job was to save lives, not take them, but I had a certain respect for Valerian then, for the way he had nearly died then took care of business.
Protecting his Family.
Protecting me.
Whatever the cost.
He leaned a hand against the wall for support. I was certain he was still dizzy from the drugs, but he stayed upright as he handed the gun back to Nikolai and turned to the remaining men in the room.
“Cross me, and I kill you. Threaten my Family, and I’ll turn you over to The Doctor.” He nodded toward Nikolai. “Only so I can bring you close to death, revive you, and do it over again, and when you’re close to your last breath, I’ll bring in your family and shoot them while you watch, while I release you and let you live a life without everything you love, while you beg for death. That’s your future if you don’t follow me.”
One by one, the men approached him, each of them reaching for his left shoulder, they braced arms, and it continued until every man in that hallway pledged their allegiance.
To the untrained eye, Valerian might appear fine, but I could tell his actions were taking a toll on him. He needed to lie down and not worry about getting stabbed.
“Go.” Serena shared a look with me. “We’ll help clean up and let the dads know what went down, which probably means we’ll have at least one of them on a plane headed in this direction.” She drew in a long breath. “Most likely, Tex.”