“Look, we just want the port corridor,” Dato says, his voice tight. “Just one week. That’s all I’m asking.”
“No, you get five days,” Alexei replies. “Supervised access. My men monitor everything that moves in and out. And you pay for any product that gets delayed because of your presence.”
“That’s barely enough time to revive our organization.”
“That’s my offer. Take it or fucking leave it.” Alexei walks back to his side of the table. “Either way, I’m walking away with her. And then we’ll see how long your operation survives without the mercy I’m showing you right now. I’m being generous.”
Silence stretches between them.
“Five days,” Dato says finally. “Supervised.”
“Good.” Alexei doesn’t smile. “Viktor, get the car.” He doesn’t offer his hand to shake to seal the deal with Dato. He simply turns to me. “Zoya. We’re leaving.”
I push myself up, my knees shaking so hard I’m afraid I’ll collapse right in front of them. Dato stays pinned to his seat, making no move to stop me. Every step toward the door feels like a mile. Alexei follows a few paces behind, giving me space but never letting me out of his sight. Even without him touching me, I sense him there—and that somehow comforts me. We step outside into the cold night air. I make it five steps before my legs give out. Alexei catches me before I hit the ground. His armswrap around me. He pulls off his coat and drapes it around my shoulders, the fabric still warm from his body.
“I’ve got you,” he says quietly. “I’ve got you,Vedma.”
He guides me away from the warehouse, out of sight of everyone inside. That’s when I fall apart. I start crying. “Why didn’t you come sooner?” The words tear out of me between gasps. “Why did you let me stay there with that man for so long?” My hands slam into his chest over and over. He takes each blow, letting me vent.
“I’m sorry.” His voice cracks. “Please forgive me. Hit me more if you need to. Scream at me. Put a bullet in me. I deserve it. I should’ve found you faster. This is on me.”
“Yes!” I hit him again. “It’s all your fault!” Snot runs from my nose down my face along with the tears, impossible to control. Five days of fear and isolation and doubt about rescue, about being worth saving, all erupting in this graceless, brutal release.
Alexei pulls a handkerchief from his pocket. “Blow,” he says gently.
I blow my nose into the fabric, the sound embarrassingly loud.
He wipes my nose clean, then carefully wipes the tears from my cheeks. His touch is so gentle that it makes me cry harder. He kisses my nose. Then my closed eyes, one after the other. “I’m sorry,” he whispers again. “I’m so sorry,Vedma. I should have known sooner. I should have been watching closer. This will never happen again. I swear to you, this will never happen again.”
My breathing gradually evens out. The sobs quieten to hiccups. I sag against him, completely drained.
“Let’s go to my place,” he says softly. “From now on, you’re going to stay there. We’ll get this all sorted out.”
I can’t answer him. My eyes close as exhaustion takes over. He lifts me into his arms like I weigh nothing and carries me to the waiting car.
The last thing I remember is the sound of his heartbeat against my ear as the city lights blur past the window.
Chapter 11
Zoya
My eyes open slowly, everything blurry and unfocused for a moment before the world comes back into view. The steady purr of the car’s engine registers first, then the heat of the leather seats, and finally Alexei’s presence beside me as he sits quietly in the shadows, his gaze never leaving mine.
I catch glimpses of movement through the dark glass, armed men keeping watch around the car, and the partition blocks any view of the driver in the front compartment.
“Where are we?” My voice comes out rough from sleep.
“Still in the car.” He says quietly. “I didn’t want to wake you. You seemed exhausted, and I thought you needed the rest.”
His arm is still wrapped around my shoulders where it had been when I fell asleep, his hand moving slowly up and down my arm in a soothing rhythm that makes my eyes want to close again.
He kisses my forehead with such gentleness that it catches me off guard. “I’m fine,” I say quickly. Another kiss presses to my forehead, followed by one at my temple, his mouth gentle while his hand keeps moving in those soothing circles on my arm.
“You’re really okay?” He keeps his tone soft, his mouth close to my hair. “Did that piece of shit do something to you? Tell me the truth. Whatever happened, I want to know.”
“He didn’t.” My throat feels tight. “He kept his distance. But god, Alexei, he was insane.”
His arm tightens around me, pulling me closer against his chest. His mouth presses to my forehead, then moves to my hair, where it remains.