I walk toward the door, not looking back. “And someone clean up this mess. It smells like shit in here.”
I get home at three in the morning to a quiet house. Guards are at their posts, and everything looks normal. I stop at the downstairs bathroom first to strip off the tactical gear and the clothes flecked with blood spatter, stuffing them all into a bag for burning. I shower, scrubbing my hands until they’re raw and washing my hair twice to rid myself of any trace of the warehouse.
Once I’m clean, I pull on soft pants and a fresh shirt before heading upstairs.
Zoya is in bed but not asleep, sitting up with a textbook open on her lap and a highlighter in hand. She looks up and smiles when I walk in. “Hey. You’re back.”
Just like that, the switch flips.
“Hey,Vedma,” I say, closing the door quietly as I walk over to the bed. “What are you still doing up? It’s three in the morning.”
“I couldn’t sleep,” she says, looking up from her book. “I figured I’d just get ahead on some reading for class.”
I sit on the edge of the mattress and gently press her textbook closed. “You need to sleep, Zoya. You have to be in class in a few hours.”
She gives me a tired smile. “So do you. Don’t you have meetings?”
“Meetings can wait, but your education can’t.” I start gathering her papers and stacking them neatly on the nightstand. “Come on, put this away.”
“Alexei…”
“Vedma. Sleep,” I insist, pulling the highlighter out of her hand and capping it. “You’ve been at this for hours. Your brain needs to rest.”
She lets out a long yawn. “Maybe you’re right.”
“I’m always right,” I say, pulling back the covers for her. “Now, lie down.” She settles in, and I tuck the blanket around her. “Are you thirsty? Do you want some water?”
“I’m okay,” she murmurs.
“I’m getting you some anyway.” I go to the bathroom and fill a glass, bringing it back to her nightstand. “Just in case you wake up thirsty later.”
She watches me, her eyes tracking my movements. “You’re being really sweet right now.”
“I’m always sweet to you.”
“Yeah, but extra sweet,” she says softly. “Are you okay?”
“I’m perfect. I just want to take care of you.” I climb into bed and pull her against my chest. “Go to sleep now.”
“You first.”
“I’ll sleep when you do.”
I wrap my arms around her and hold her tight, feeling the way her breathing gradually slows until her entire body finally relaxes into mine. She’s so warm and soft against me, smelling of lavender and home - the complete opposite of the world I just left behind.
“Love you,” I whisper, the words disappearing into her hair.
“Love you too,” she mumbles, her voice thick and already half-lost to sleep.
Dato has someone powerful backing him, someone with the kind of money and connections he respects enough to take orders from. I’ll find out who they are eventually, and when I do, they’ll pay just like he did. But right now, none of that matters as much as the woman sleeping in my arms.
She shifts slightly, her hand curling into the fabric of my shirt as she settles deeper against me. I press a kiss to the top of her head and close my eyes, letting the quiet of the room take over.
This time, sleep comes easily.
Chapter 32
Zoya