NINE
Luka
The Next Day…
Nikita pokes his head into my office. "You've got a visitor," he says.
"I do?"
Hannah isn't supposed to come by until tomorrow. I step out from behind my desk and head into the hallway.
What is she doing here?
Hannah and Bay stand at the entryway by the front door, suitcase in hand. Hannah's shaking, and Bay is latched onto her mother's leg. I've never seen the little girl look quite so frightened. Yesterday, she was bubbly and expressive, wanting to explore every inch of the compound.
"Come on in," I say, kneeling as I help Bay out of her coat.
Hannah stands there, frozen.
Numb.
I'll kill whoever did this to her.
Hannah hasn't said a single word. Her bottom lip trembles, and I glance over my shoulder at Nikita. "Go find Madisyn."
His brow knits, but he follows my order, hurrying up the stairwell.
I remove Bay's hat and gloves along with her boots by the time Madisyn clomps down the stairs. "Oh my gosh!" Madisyn's voice carries through the hallway, and she rushes to the front door. "You weren't at work today."
"He wouldn't let me leave," Hannah whispers. Her voice cracks, and she's trying to keep herself together. I'd guess for Bay's sake.
"What?" Did I hear her correctly?
My blood boils, and I drop Bay's jacket on the floor in a daze. I bend down, picking the purple coat up off the floor.
The damn wedding had better be off.
There's no way in hell that I'm letting her leave and go back to him. Certainly not with my child. However, she's brought a suitcase. Maybe she intends to stay here. Hannah has barely said two words. Her bottom lip trembles, and the girl looks like she's in shock.
Mikhail won't be pleased if she intends to stay at the compound. I should talk to him before Madisyn does, explain the situation.
What the hell is the situation?
Hannah has barely said anything since she stepped foot inside. I glance past her out the window. There's no sign of her car.
How did she get here?
"Here," Madisyn says and takes Bay's coat from my hands. She brings the items to the hall closet, hangs her jacket up, and shoves the gloves into the pockets.
"Let me take your coat. You can stay for as long as you need." I'm not sure why I'm making such a generous offer without consulting Mikhail, but the words are out before I can recant them.
She's in trouble and needs my help.
Her lips part, but the words don't follow. She mouths a simple thank you.
She unbuttons her coat, and I guide her jacket off, noticing a discoloration around her neck. "Is that a bruise?"
Did the bastard lay a finger on her? My breathing grows louder and thicker as anger mounts to the surface.
Hannah lifts the collar of her shirt, but it does little to hide the mark left behind. Only a coward uses violence to intimate and threaten a woman.
"I'll kill him." It's not an empty threat. I'll bury the asshole alive. Anyone who fucks with Hannah will have to get through me.
I whip my car keys from my pants pocket. There's no way in hell I'm going to sit around when he hurt Hannah.
He must pay for what he's done.
Hannah's pale blue eyes widen, and her breathing hitches.
Madisyn clears her throat and glares at me. "Don't even think about it."
What the hell did I do?
"Keep an eye on Bay, and I'll take Hannah upstairs and get her situated." Madisyn doesn't wait for me to answer. She gestures for Nikita to grab her friend's suitcase.
Nikita wordlessly retrieves her single piece of luggage and carries it upstairs.
Since when is Madisyn in charge?
"You want me to stay here and let the bastard who hit your friend get away with it?" That's not how I operate. He deserves to pay for his sins and I'm just the man to teach him a lesson.
"Please, no." Tears trickle down Hannah's cheek and the waterworks with Bay follow.
Hannah glances up at me, her bottom lip trembles, and tears well in her eyes. "Keep an eye on Bay."
How can I say no to her?
I bend down to Bay's level. "Hi," I say, offering an awkward smile. It's not like I haven't been around kids. Mikhail's sister had raised her twins the first few years in the compound until she was reunited with the father.
Bay wipes the tears from her face with the back of her hand. "I remember you," she says.
I would hope so, I'd just had dinner with the kid and with Hannah, yesterday.
The little girl continues to stare at me with wide eyes and sniffles.
"Good," I say and exhale a sigh. "How about we find you a tissue?"
Bay nods vigorously, and that's good enough for me. At least the kid isn't fighting me, begging to be at her mother's side.
Madisyn takes Hannah's hand and guides her up the stairwell as I lead Bay into the study while she's momentarily distracted.
The box of toys is situated against the wall, and Bay runs toward them, pulling out the plastic vehicles and plopping herself down on the ground.
I grab the box of tissues from the nearby table and bring one to Bay, handing it to her.
She lifts her head at me and waits. Hannah must dote on the kid.