Chapter 38
Cassandra
My arm fucking burns.
Gone is the gentle, confused throb from earlier. In its place is an angry, stabbing pain that does nothing to calm my manic breaths.
“Get the fuck out, bitch!” New voices yell from the other side of the door.
Meanwhile, said “bitch” has done nothing but cry on the floor and threaten to destroy my livelihood if I call the police.
However, it’s hard to express anger at someone when they don’t even seem to be in their right mind.
I’m not quite sure what substance Veronica’s on right now, but if her crazed gaze and inability to stay still are any indication, I’d give it a full week for her body to work it all out of her system.
Without the deep distraction of Mikhail’s voice in my ear, my growing anxiety ebbs and flows, preparing for the next hit of danger.
He’s been silent for almost a minute now. All I can hope for is that he is somewhere close by.
Suddenly, the weight of a body smacks into the door, rattling the entire structure on its damn hinges. Veronica screams from the bathtub as I curl my limbs further behind the spine of the sink.
Breathe, Cassandra. He’ll come for us.
I wrap my arms in a tight, comforting hug around my body, clutching the loose fabric of my shirt on both sides as the rattling continues. Each strike vibrates my brain against my skull.
Then the banging just stops.
And when the yelling begins once more, this time in a completely different pitch, a sick, cruel smile spreads across my mouth.
I can’t exactly explain how I know my man is on the other side of the door.
Maybe it’s the way the yelled insults flicker into screams of terror.
Maybe it’s how fast those screams cut off in the air, or perhaps the comforting sound of bodies hitting the floor, one after the other.
But I don’t even need to hear his voice before I come crawling out from my hiding spot, dragging myself to the lock on the door. Ignoring the worried shriek of my roommate, I twist my arm up and pull the knob.
The door barely cracks open before I’m engulfed in warm spice and heat.
“Menace,” Mikhail hisses before collapsing onto the floor and dragging me into his lap. I bury my face into the firm comfort of his chest, breathing in the familiar scent. His arms wrap around my body like a layer of armor, causing my anxiety to drip off like a sheen of sweat.
Lifting my chin to search for that deep, blue gaze, I climb up his torso with my good arm and curve it around his neck.
“Thank you,” I breathe into his ear. “For coming for me.”
His hand wraps my chin in a gentle trap.
“I’ll always come for you.”
The words play out like a solemn promise, trickling between the ribs in my chest. I swallow the sentiment gratefully, holding the meaning close to my heart.
After a few moments hiding in Mikhail’s huge embrace, I finally peek my head out, assessing the state of the living room. Four bodies lie across the floor, blood seeping from fresh wounds. I quickly look away. Mikhail can have his foul way with all those fuckers for all I care.
The couch has been flipped over, and the wrecked pieces of wood that once formed our door lie scattered across the floor. Standing above all the gore, I see a familiar face—Ivan’s expression stoic as ever.
I meet his green eyes and give the tall, blonde man a small nod of thanks. He returns the gesture immediately.
“I don’t know who you people are, but stay the fuck away from me!
” Veronica screams, edging herself out of the bathroom with her back pressed flat against the wall.
Mikhail’s eyebrows quirk up before he turns his questioning gaze over to me.
What do you want to do with her? His expression seems to say.
“Do you need a ride to the hospital?” I ask my roommate with a sigh, the action causing the metallic scent of blood to seep into my nostrils.
“Leave me alone!” She shouts, running into her room. We all stay still, listening to her rummage wildly through her belongings. When she finally re-emerges, carrying a small bag clutched to her body, it suddenly clicks together in my head.
“Did you seriously steal drugs from those guys?” I accuse, squinting my eyes in shock.
But I don’t receive a response before she sprints past the large bodies decorating our disastrous living space and out the gaping hole where our door once stood. Huh. Guess she wasn’t too attached to the boyfriend, after all.
“Uh, boss… should I be retrieving her or something?” Ivan asks awkwardly, his eyes trailing the barefoot girl as she runs down the street.
Mikhail looks down at me, this time with an inquisitive gaze. His touch gently probes my hurt arm, and I tense against him to hide my wince.
“No, leave her be. I’m going to get Cass home to see Doc. You stay and handle the clean-up crew.”
Suddenly, I’m carefully lifted into the air, Mikhail’s arms securing me tightly against him. The comedown from all the adrenaline mixed with the calming presence of his body against my cheek lulls me into a sleepy state, and I can feel the soft sway of each step as he walks toward the door.
Looking behind me, I feel a crashing wave of sadness at seeing all of my belongings destroyed in the mess left behind.
The dishes I carefully thrifted one by one lay in shattered pieces across the floor.
The couch Sofia had passed down to me a year before lay torn and flipped.
The sight tires me further, exhausting my soul in heavy anguish.