“What? That’s terrible!” Her hands and legs instinctively tighten around me, and I can see the shine in her eyes and know she’s close to crying, and I’m so touched that I can’t speak for a second. No one has ever cared about me like this, not to the point where they would actually shed tears over the thought of me being hurt as a child. Women like me for what I can give them or because they want an intimidating guy on their arm, but Moira actually loves me for me and cares about me so much that she feels pain I felt more than thirty years ago just because it happened to me.
“You’re so sweet,” I tell her.
“How could anyone not want you?” She cups my face and presses her lips to mine. “It’s their loss, Kolya. They missed out on having an amazing son, and you may take a while to let people in, but when you do, you give all of yourself, and it’s worth the wait.”
“I don’t deserve you.”
“You deserve so much more.”
I shake my head at the absurdity of her words and kiss her again. “There’s nothing better than you, Moira, not in my eyes.”
She smiles, and I quickly kiss her dimple before sliding out of her and setting her down. When she has to put her jeans back on without panties, I laugh and remind her that I told her to take them off.
“It was worth it,” she says with a grin.
“Yes, it was,” I agree, watching her dress, amazed that she just keeps getting more and more beautiful. Maybe one day her beauty and my love for her won’t feel like I’ve just been knocked on my ass, but today is definitely not that day.
The next week has us scrambling to get everything perfect and ready for the big opening. I’m so proud of all that she’s accomplished, and I have no doubt that her club is going to be a massive success. After supper, I pull her down onto the couch and sit her in front of me so I can rub her shoulders.
“Stop worrying,” I tell her, feeling how tense her muscles are. “It’s going to do great.”
“What if it flops?” She tries to look over her shoulder at me, but I gently turn her back around so I can keep rubbing her neck. “I mean, the Russian club is so good, and most of the Irish guys are already going there, so why on earth would they come back?”
“I’m sure some won’t, but that doesn’t mean others won’t come and join, and I’m guessing you’re going to draw in a lot of female boxers which is something all these clubs are missing. It’s going to do great.”
I kiss her temple and knead the muscles in her shoulders and upper back until I feel her finally start to relax beneath my fingers. When I’ve worked every kink out of her, I carry her to bed and hold her. I stay awake until I hear her breathing even out, and I know she’s in a deep sleep. Only then do I let my eyes close and my own body relax into the peaceful sleep that I’ve had ever since she came into my life.
When I wake up, my arm instinctively reaches out for her, but there’s nothing except cold, empty mattress and tangled up blankets. I open my eyes and look around, expecting her to pop her head out of the bathroom to tell me good morning, but the house is completely silent. Looking closer, I find a note half-hidden under her pillow.
Kolya, I didn’t want to wake you because you look so damn adorable sleeping. I know you said you didn’t want me to come alone, but I forgot that I still need to print out some flyers and coupons for today. I won’t be long at all. Text when you get up. I love you!
I frown and grab my phone.
Just saw your note. You should’ve woken me up. I don’t want you there alone yet. I love you too, by the way.
I get up and brush my teeth while I wait for her reply. When it doesn’t come, I text her again and throw on a pair of jeans and the black Henley shirt she likes so much. Still not seeing a response, I call her and pull my boots on. I know she’s probably just busy, that there’s most likely a very reasonable explanation, but that doesn’t stop a sense of dread from threatening to close in on me.
I’m on my way. Call me as soon as you get this.
Running to my car, I call Dima as I race over to the club.
“It’s probably nothing,” I say in fast Russian when he answers, “but Moira isn’t answering her phone. She was gone when I woke up this morning. She went to the damn club by herself.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” he says, “but I’m on my way. No way is Sean that fucking stupid.”
“You and I both know that’s not true,” I say before hanging up.
I see the smoke before I even turn onto the side road that Moira’s club is on. Large, black plumes rush up into the sky, and the sight of it has my heart thudding painfully in my chest. Somehow I immediately know that it’s her club that’s on fire. When I pull into the lot and see the dark smoke billowing from the busted-out front windows, I let out a pained groan and jump out of my car, running to the door before I can even think to call the fire department.
“Moira!” I scream, stepping through the broken glass and rushing inside. Smoke engulfs me, making me cough as I try to wave it away, but it’s useless. There’s just too damn much of it, so I pull my shirt over my nose and mouth and try to make my way to the office. That’s where she’d be if she was making copies, so that’s where I put all my focus. I keep screaming her name and coughing and fumbling around through the dense wall of smoke. The heat feels like it’s closing in on me, and I try not to think too hard about how much longer this building has before it just collapses in.
Flames eat at the entire back wall, and I see the boxing ring catch fire right as I feel the door to the office. “Moira!” I yell again, stumbling inside and trying my damnedest to see through the smoke. I catch a glimpse of her red sneakers, and let out a croak of a yell as I rush towards her. Grabbing onto her, I turn her over and frantically run my eyes over her body, looking for any signs that my worst nightmare hasn’t come to life right in front of my fucking eyes.
“Moira, look at me, baby.” I brush the hair off her face and run my hands along her neck, digging my index finger in to feel for a pulse. As soon as I feel the faint beat of her heart, I let out the breath I’d been holding and quickly take my shirt off. Picking her up, I cradle her in my arms and wrap my shirt over her face to try and protect her from the smoke. “It’s okay, baby. I’m going to get you out of here.”
I hold her tighter and take a deep breath before rushing back out into the main room. I hear a loud crack and then the deafening sound of the ceiling starting to cave in. I push aside the fear I feel when I think about how badly I need to get Moira out to fresh air and keep walking, heading in what I sure as fuck hope is the right direction. The fire is closing in quickly, and the heat and smoke puts any images I ever had of an actual, honest-to-God hell to shame. I’m stumbling past the now blazing boxing ring when I hear someone yell my name.
I turn my head and see Sean lying on the ground, trapped beneath a large chunk of the ceiling. “Help!” he yells at me.