“I will. After you promise you won’t leave me.”
“I’m not leaving you! I’m standing right here. We’ll be in the same car going to get you medical treatment. Ugh, please. Somebody just take him. He won’t do anything to you.”
Paul looks uncertain. “Ma’am, are you sure?”
She pinches the bridge of her nose, annoyed. “Okay. Alexei, can you hear me?”
“Yes baby.”
“Can you really hear me? Because I feel like you only hear butterflies and rainbows when I talk.”
I don’t respond.
“Wait. Can you understand me? My words are not slurred, right?”
“Yes wifey.”
“Alright. For the love of God, allow your men to help you. If you do that, I promise to stay with you throughout everything.”
A smile ghosts my lips. “Are you sure? You’re not lying to get away from me?”
“Yes,” she says, annoyed. “Now, somebody please take this man away. He’s lost so much blood, even I am getting drowsy on his behalf.”
“Yes, ma’am,” my men respond.
Immediately, one of my men comes to me, supporting me. But why is she walking far away from me? “I thought you said you were going to stay close?”
She responds, “Yes, I was. But you need to be with the medical team right now.”
I shrug off the two people holding me, limping to where she is so she can support me walking. Immediately, I feel at ease. My men support me from the back, and we head to the car. When we get inside, Paul starts calling people, staring at me at intervals.
“Sir,” he begins, ending the last call. “The doctor is going to be at your villa. They are already waiting with all the supplies.”
I hum, pressing my face into her neck, taking in her scent. God, she smells so good. She smells like my ruin. That sounds so poetic in my head, but she just smells really good. Oh my God! Is she chloroform?
Because I’m about to pass out.
Chapter 27
Zoya
The following morning, everything is a routine. Stretching myself before I get out of bed, I pad down towards the bathroom and take off my night robe. I turn on the water, letting out a soft sigh as it washes away the stress of yesterday and fills me with ease. My mind drifts towards Alexei in the other room. Fortunately, he allowed me to be separated from him last night due to his injuries. That stubborn man. I shake my head and then turn off the water, stepping out of the bathroom to put on my clothes. I throw on a light gray polo shirt and jean shorts, putting my hair up in a bun, and letting small strands fall on my face.
Giving myself a glance in the mirror, I move to where Alexei is being kept.
When I step into the room, I find that he is just waking up. His eyes are still heavy with sleep, his hair messy from tossing and turning. And then I look at the bandages wrapped around his shoulder. I feel hurt physically knowing he had to take on five men. But then again, I still feel terrified. He is only one man. How much of a beast do you have to be to fight off five armed men and still come out on top? It’s so frightening to know that I’m married to him.
He wakes up then, looking around before his eyes spot me, turning soft. It melts my heart – how vulnerable he looks and not the monster I saw last night. His eyes roam my face, and a smile blooms on his face immediately.
“Coming to see your husband on a sick bed?” he says, his voice a little rough. “Don’t worry, baby. I’m not going to die anytime soon.”
I walk to the side of the bed and look down at the bandages on his shoulder. Then I press hard on it.
“Ouch.” He groans. But the cocky smile doesn’t leave his lips. “If I didn’t know any better, I would think you were trying to kill me,” he says with a moan falling from his lips.
I remove my hands gently. “How do you feel?”
He lets out a sigh. “I feel just fine,Vedma. Don’t worry. In my line of work, I get hurt all the time. You should know, your father also operates in this world.”