“Thanks, Jack,” I tell him before Mikhail carries me out. We pass a few injured men on their way down to get checked out, and when they see us, they nod their heads and say something in Russian.
“My men are in awe of you, sweetheart,” he says after they’ve passed. Leaning down, he kisses my forehead. “And so am I.”
In the bathroom, he keeps me on his lap while he fills the tub and adds in the bubbles he knows I like, only letting me go long enough to strip his own clothes off. He steps into the tub and then helps me in. We sink under the hot water while I straddle him, resting my head on his shoulder so we’re chest to chest.
“I love your giant tub,” I murmur against his neck. “It’s my favorite thing about your enormous house.”
He lightly dances his fingers over my back, being careful to avoid the worst of the bruising.
“I’ve never been so scared in my life,zaichik,” he finally says, and the crack in his voice has me lifting my head so I can see him. My big, strong fiancé’s dark eyes are glassy and threatening to spill over, and when I cup his face, he looks at my swollen eye and split lip and the tears finally fall.
“Hearing that bastard beat you,” he tightens his jaw and gives a soft shake of his head, not even bothering to wipe away the tears. “I’ve never experienced that kind of hell before, Charlie. It almost broke me, baby, and you were so fucking strong. I kept begging you to tell him about the Bratva, but you wouldn’t. You’re so fucking stubborn,” he says with a small laugh.
“I knew there was no way in hell that Yuri was squealing in the next room, and I just couldn’t bring myself to say anything. I knew I couldn’t marry you and face your men, the ones who put their lives on the line for us, if I was so easy to break. I wanted you to be proud of me, Misha, and I wanted your men to accept me.”
“I am so proud of you, baby, and my men all just fell a little in love with you. Loyalty is held above everything in a Bratva, and you just proved yours tonight,zaichik. No one will ever forget it.” He carefully brushes a strand of hair behind my ear. “But just so you know, there is no way in hell I’m ever letting you get involved with anything ever again.”
“I’m perfectly okay with that,” I say, making him smile. I may be stubborn, but I’m not stupid. I proved myself tonight. I have no desire to do it again. “I did get a good punch in. I’m glad I at least broke his nose.”
“You did so good, sweetheart.”
Leaning closer, he very gently kisses my top lip because my bottom is way too painful to touch, but just that brief contact settles me in a way that nothing else can. My shoulders relax and my heart starts to slow down for the first time since Antonio knelt down and found me under the desk. I let out a relieved breath and press my forehead to his, enjoying this moment and the feel of his body beneath me.
After a few minutes, he pulls back and gives me a wink. He gently turns me around and grabs the handheld nozzle before wetting my hair. You’d never know it to look at him, but Mikhail can be as gentle as a lamb when he wants to be. He lathers and washes my hair, knowing I need to feel clean and that I want to wash Antonio completely from my skin. I close my eyes and tilt my head back, giving myself over to him. When my hair is washed and rinsed, he cleans my body and then wraps me in a soft towel before carrying me to bed. He returns with a glass of water and one of the pain pills Jack gave him. I take it without a second thought. I’m more than ready for some dark oblivion for a few hours.
We both get under the covers naked, and when he spoons me from behind, I let out a relieved breath. I need the feel of his strong body, the reminder that he’s here and I’m safe.
“Thank you for killing him, Misha, and for coming to get me.”
“Nothing can keep me from you, little thief, and killing that bastard was my pleasure. My only regret is that I didn’t make it hurt worse.”
“It looked pretty painful to me,” I say, already yawning and feeling my eyes grow heavy.
“It was. Gut wounds always are.”
“I’m glad it’s over.”
“Me too, baby.” He kisses my temple and holds me as tightly as he dares. “Get some sleep, sweetheart.”
“You won’t leave?”
“I’m not going anywhere, baby. I promise.”
The last of my strength finally leaves me, and I give in to the darkness that’s been trying to push its way through for the last several minutes.
Chapter18
Mikhail
Istay up all night watching Charlie sleep. She’s been putting on a brave face, but the truth of it comes out during the night when she wakes up screaming. After the third time, I pull her into my lap as carefully as I can, stroking her back in soft circles as she cries herself back to sleep.
I will never forgive myself for what she’s had to go through. Every time I close my eyes, I see the way she’d looked lying on that dirty, cement floor, her dress soaked with her own urine, and blood streaming down her beautiful face. The sounds of her screams as that bastard punched and kicked her will haunt me till the day I die. If it wasn’t for her injuries, I’d be squeezing the hell out of her right now, reminding myself that she’s alive and safe, pressing her tightly against me, her heart a constant, steady reminder that she’s okay.
When she lets out another whimper, I kiss her temple and whisper, “It’s okay, baby. You’re safe now. No one will ever hurt you again.”
She relaxes at the sound of my voice, so I switch to Russian because it requires less brain power, and I’m fucking exhausted. I tell her how much I love her, how I fell in love with her the second I saw her, and then I talk about our future, about the kids I want to have with her and how I can’t wait to see her body swollen with our baby. I cup the back of her head, running my hands through her silky hair, smiling at the thought of her pregnant and naked. When my body starts to respond, I force myself to think about something else because I know that’s not what she needs right now. I’ve almost managed to get myself back under control when I hear her soft voice.
“It’s really not fair to tease me right now, Misha.”