Chapter 14
The next day
I don’t know why I didn’t expect to wake up alone.
For whatever reason, I got used to Nikolai’s large frame sleeping half under me far too easily. It was like he was just supposed to be there in my bed. Waking up to a cold spot makes me feel… bereft. Grumpy about it, if I’m perfectly honest. I know it makes sense. I just wanted to maybe have a conversation before he left? There was a lot that we didn’t get to cover before the night was over. We didn’t make any promises and I have no reason to think that it wasn’t just another form of him saying goodbye to me -- and yet.
Maybe he left to handle the body on the lawn.
Billy’s body on the lawn!
I sit bolt upright as adrenaline lances through my chest. Billy. My god, how could I have forgotten?! How can something like that slip my mind!? I rush out of bed, grabbing the first clothes that I can find and forcing myself to ignore the muscle soreness that lingers in just about every part of my body. I’m sore in places that I didn’t think could be sore. Then again, during the second and third rounds last night Nikolai had put me in positions that I didn’t even know my petite frame could bend into.
It feels almost like a dream.
I pull on a satin tank top and shorts, then pull on my robe before leaving my bedroom door - only to stop short. There’s a note in what must be Nikolai’s handwriting.
“See you tonight. Promise.”
Just like that - the tension melts out of my shoulders. If Billy had been out there when he left, Nikolai would have handled it. That, or Horus would be knocking like crazy right now. I don’t know what I was thinking. I hold the paper in my hand for a long moment before placing it in my top dresser drawer. Is it foolish to keep it? Maybe. I don’t care if it is. It’s the only proof that I have that he promised to come back. If a conversation needs to be had between the pair of us - then we can have it.
Disappointed he left, but hopeful for tonight.
I’ll take it.
I slip my feet into large fluffy socks and head into the hallway. It’s early enough that Liz is still asleep. That will give me time to get a cup of tea or two to myself before spending the day with her. I’ve taken a handful of days off following the biggest case of the year for me - I deserve to have some one-on-one girl time with my daughter. Whatever she wants to do, I’m determined to do.
I put the kettle on to boil and start to pile my hair up on my head when there’s a knock at the door.
It doesn’t matter that it’s a polite, kind knock - it still spikes my anxiety after last night.
I pull my robe tightly around myself for some semblance of security as I head for the front door. This time I grab my pepper spray from the table where I keep my keys and answer the door full of caution.
Horus.
Where the hell was he last night?!
My mood instantly darkens. My brow furrows in anger as I purse my lips. Whatever Horus had been about to say dies on his lips as he reads my expression. Clearly I’m not in the mood for whatever nonsense he was about to spew. He glances down at the pepper spray in my hand with a curious glance.
“Good morning, Ms. Kate…” Horus starts, his voice trailing off as he gestures to the pepper spray. “Is that for me?”
I don’t even bother answering him. I know that if I speak right now, whatever is about to come out of my mouth won’t be kind. Then Horus notices the bruises on my neck from Billy last night and concern instantly replaces his curiosity.
Something about his tone irks me in all the wrong ways. If he only he had been doing his job… The first day after Nikolai’s trial and Alek’s promise of safety and security is already broken!
I slap him.
It happens before I even fully grasp what I’ve done. I didn’t mean to hit him so hard but I can tell from the burning of the skin on my hand that I hit him far harder than I had a right to. Horus takes it like a champ. He doesn’t even look offended.
Even still, it does nothing to quell my temper.
“You did a shit job!”
“Ms. Kate…”
“Don’t you Ms. Kate me! If you had been here, then none of this would have happened! This is what I was promised that you would save me from! If it weren’t for the man that you call a monster saving me from an actual monster, I wouldn’t be standing here today! I would be dead! Dead, Horus! That fucking animal would have taken my god damned daughter!” It’s all that I can do to keep from screaming at him.
“Nikolai was here?” Horus asks.
“That’s your fucking take away?!!? Everything that I said, and that’s what you have to say to me?!” I hiss through my teeth. I don’t want Liz waking up to me screaming at a man in my damned doorway. That’s the last thing that she needs today. It will start her whole day wrong.
Horus takes a deep breath, his expression turning serious. ”Ms. Kate, I owe you an explanation. Last night, I was ambushed by unknown assailants. They came out of nowhere, and before I knew it, I was incapacitated. I tried to fight back, but it all happened so fast. I only just regained consciousness, and rushed to your door. I failed you, and for that, I”m deeply sorry.”
I stare at him, my anger slowly mingling with confusion and worry. ”Ambushed? By who?”
Horus shakes his head. ”I don”t know who they were. They were masked and skilled, clearly professionals. It wasn”t just a random attack. Someone knew where I”d be and when I”d be vulnerable. This wasn”t a coincidence.”
The realization sinks in, and I feel a chill run down my spine. ”Do you think Billy had something to do with it? He said Camorra contacted him and told him where I was. ”
”It”s possible,” Horus replies, his eyes dark with determination. ”But I need to investigate further. I promise you, Ms. Kate, I”ll find out who did this and make sure it never happens again. You have my word.”
I want to believe him, but the fear and anger still linger. ”You better, Horus. Because if something like this happens again, I don”t know what I”ll do. My daughter... she means everything to me.”
He nods solemnly. ”I understand, and I won”t let you down again. I”ll double our efforts and ensure your safety. We”ll get to the bottom of this, I swear.”
His face is all business as he pulls out his phone from his pocket and calls Alek. They speak for a moment and then Horus places the call on speaker so that I can hear it as well. It’s not what I want. I don’t want to hear from Alek. I want a fucking explanation as to why Horus wasn’t there to save me in my hour of need. As far as I’m concerned, this negates our whole deal!
I cross my arms over my torso and shift my weight onto one foot. I wish Nikolai was here now to tell them just what he walked in on. I don’t want to have to replay it because then I’m going to be reliving it.
Holy hell.
I didn’t have a nightmare last night.
The realization comes upon me so suddenly that I don’t even register Alek speaking to me on the other end of the phone. He has to say my name at least three times before I even truly realize that he’s addressing me.
Having Nikolai in my bed kept the nightmares away.
Huh. How interesting.
“Kate?” Alek’s voice finally registers. “What happened last night?”
“That fucking bastard found me is what happened! Just like I told you that he would! He found me! And he was just as pissed off as you would expect somebody to be who views myself and my daughter as personal property that had been missing. He was only too happy to make up some lost time kicking my ass!” I hiss bitterly.
Alek is quiet for a long moment.
So much so that I almost want to reach through the phone and strangle him to show him exactly what happened. Kick him in frustration a fair few times too. Just for good measure. Make sure that he really understands what Billy’s like.
“And Nikolai was there?” Alek asks.
“Are you kidding me?” I say incredulously.
Horus answers for me. “Yes, sir. According to Ms. Kate, he was the one to fend off the attack.”
I might as well be speaking to a fucking wall.
“Is there any sign of him there now?”
Horus glances into my house. I feel the urge to bodily block him from looking much closer. Suddenly I don’t feel as ok with him poking around in my personal space.
“No sir, I see nothing apparent.” Horus reports.
“I’ll be there soon. Kate, don’t leave the house until further notice.” Alek says.
Who the hell does he think that he is to command me?! I’m not getting any answers here! Why the hell are they more concerned about Nikolai being here than my damned ex-husband attacking me?!
“Momma?” Liz’s small voice comes from the hallway. I spin to see her rubbing at her eyes, her blonde hair wild around her face as she tries to shake the last vestiges of sleep from her body. I shoot Horus a withering stare in warning of any more shenanigans and head over to take Liz’s hand. She’s always the cuddliest in the morning. I scoop her small frame up and let her rest her head on my shoulder for as long as she will allow it. Usually only a few seconds before her tummy starts grumbling and I have to start on breakfast.
“I shall take my leave, Ms. Kate.” Horus says from the door. He sounds like he feels guilty. Good. He should. I don’t even acknowledge him - but Liz does. She perks her head up quickly and pushes away from me so that I have no choice but to let her go.
“You’re leaving Mr. Horus?! Don’t go! We are gunna have pancakes! Do you like pancakes?” Liz says sweetly.
Nobody can say no to her. Normally it’s something that works in our favor, but I don’t want to see Horus any longer right now. But it seems that I don’t have a choice. Horus looks to me for guidance before answering. I grit my teeth and wave to the table before turning to the stove and starting to gather my ingredients.
Horus clears his throat audibly and politely closes the door behind himself before slipping out of his shoes. Something he always does when he comes inside.
Liz settles into her seat at the table and starts asking Horus every question under the sun while I cook. It will only be a few hours before Alek gets here. It’s certainly not how I wanted to spend my day today -- but I guess I don’t have a choice. I might not feel totally assured of Alek’s protection now but I need it.
At least until I know if Billy is truly gone or not.
Alek arrives just as promised with men. Four men to be assigned to the house, myself and Liz. To accompany Horus with us anywhere that we choose to go. Two more men down the block and another driving patrol around my subdivision. He has one of his men tap into the security feeds around my house and while it’s all well and super helpful…how the hell is Nikolai supposed to get here tonight now?
When all is said and done, Alek is standing in my entryway while Liz watches one of her favorite cartoons. Thankfully, she hasn’t seemed to catch on to how strange all of this truly is. At least not yet.
“It would be best for you to stay here until I say otherwise.” Alek says, his hands tucked deep into his pockets. He keeps looking out of the large front windows of my home like he’s looking for something. I haven’t plucked up the courage to ask him what he’s looking for yet.
“I can’t do that.” I answer.
He snaps his focus back to me. A flicker of something like irritation on his face for only half a moment. “What do you mean? For this to work, Kate, you must-”
“What I must do is my job. I have one of those, you know? A legal way to make money. I know that is foreign to you.” I might be going a little too far, but he hurt me. He put me in danger. No, he put my daughter in danger. “I have to go to work. This house cannot become my prison. Alek, I won’t live like that.”
Alek’s jaw flexes. “I understand your frustration, but-”
“But nothing! I upheld my end of our deal and I expect you to uphold yours!” I say firmly. I won’t budge. Not on this. I don’t care how big of a badass mob boss he is. Right now, to me, he’s just yet another man letting me down. Failing me.
“Until we located your ex-husband, Kate, this is the best course of action. It is the best way to keep you safe. It’s not forever. It’s just for now. Haven’t you taken some time off as it is? Order food in, make blanket forts -- but stay here. Horus will get you anything that you need.”
My tongue runs over my teeth in irritation. He’s probably right. Doesn’t mean that I like it, and I don’t.
“Listen, I know how hard this is. I know how scary it all can be. I promise that I do.” Alek says, but his words do absolutely nothing to help calm me down. Nothing at all. When I don’t reply, he continues. “My wedding is in a week. I would be honored if you and Liz would attend. It will be perfectly safe, give you something to look forward to and it will get you out of the house for a bit.”
It’s nothing more than placations -- but I’ll take what I can get. “Fine.”
“Just a week, Kate. Everything will be over by then. I promise.” Alek says on his way out of the house.
He’s made me a promise before. I just hope he can keep this one.