Chapter 5
5
S ofia frowned as she walked back into the kitchen.
Where was Miller?
She’d said she was going to take out the garbage and then head home... but she was taking a while.
As Sofia headed to the door that led to the alleyway, some instinct had her grabbing the baseball bat she had sitting there.
She kept it there just in case. It wasn’t like she expected trouble. She doubted anyone wanted to incur Sacha’s wrath by attacking anyone here on his territory.
But then again, there were some really dumb idiots out there. So she gripped the bat and stepped outside into the alley.
Right into a horror scene.
Miller was lying on the ground and there was a man on top of her... attacking her.
Sofia’s breath came in sharp, panic-filled pants as she stepped forward.
She had to help Miller.
“Let go of me, asshole.” Miller pushed at the man on top of her.
Sofia didn’t have time to work out who was attacking the other woman. Without any more hesitation, she raised the bat. Letting out a scream, she smashed it against his head with a crack.
A sob escaped her as he slumped down.
Oh, God.
Oh, God.
Had she killed him? He was unconscious, right? Was he breathing?
Oh, God.
Oh, God.
“Get off! Get him off!” Miller cried.
Sofia stood there, dazed. What?
Sofia knew she should do something. That she should help Miller. But she couldn’t seem to move; she was frozen.
The other woman managed to roll him off her and then sat up. Sofia stared down at the man.
Dima.
It was Dima. Her kitchen hand. One of Oleg’s hires. Well, Boris, her manager, had hired him, but Boris didn’t do anything without Oleg’s permission.
This isn’t helping, Sofia! Move! Get help! Do something!
But she couldn’t. All she could do was stand there and stare at Dima’s lifeless body. There was enough light back here for her to see the red patch on the side of his head. He was bleeding.
“Sofia?” Miller asked quietly.
A wave of dizziness washed through her. She was going to collapse.
No, no, no.
She couldn’t collapse here on the ground. Much less, beside Dima.
Why was the world moving from side to side? It didn’t make any sense. Her gaze fixated on Dima again.
He was so still.
“Do you think I killed him?” she asked.
Miller let out a cry of pain that made Sofia jump. It cut through some of her dazed panic.
“We need help,” Miller told her. “Get Colm.”
Colm? Yes, she wanted Colm.
“Sofia! Get Colm. We need Colm.”
Yes, she needed Colm. He would know what to do. He would keep her safe.
Turning away, she stumbled back into the kitchen. She was vaguely aware that there was no one else in there.
Good. That was good.
She didn’t know why it was good, just that it was.
Where was Colm? How would she find him?
Why couldn’t she think properly?
Just as panic threatened to overwhelm her again, the kitchen door swung open and the man she’d been hoping to find strode into the kitchen.
He froze for a moment as his gaze ran over her. What did he see? Did he notice the way she was shaking? That she could barely breathe?
“What the fuck happened? Sofia? What is going on? Are you hurt? And where the fuck is Miller?”
His accent was so thick now that it took a moment for her brain to register what he was saying.
Oh.
Yes.
Miller!
“Come! Come!” She reached for his hand, then saw that she was still holding the bat. She dropped it with a cry and grabbed his hand, dragging him outside to where Miller still lay on the ground.
“Fuck! What the fuck happened?”
“I hit him. Is he dead? I think he’s dead. He was attacking her. Am I going to get in trouble for hurting him?”
Why did she sound so strange? So detached? In fact, it felt like she was removed from this whole scene. As though she was staring down at it from afar, cataloging it.
Colm turned from where he’d kneeled next to Miller. “You are not in trouble. You saved Miller. Why would you be in trouble?”
“He’s a friend of Oleg’s. He works here. I should be punished for killing him.”
Colm stood and grasped her shoulders. “Sofia, I know you’re in shock. But I need you to help me. Can you do that?
“I can help you.” She pushed her shoulders back. Colm had never asked for her help before.
And why would he? She was basically useless.
Unless it came to hitting fucking rapists over the head and smashing their skulls in... then she had skills.
“I’m going to be sick,” she muttered.
“No, you’re not. You’re going to contact Aleksandr and let him know what happened while I get Miller inside. I need someone we can trust to help guard the body. Do you know anyone?”
“Arseni will be close by. I’ll call him. He’ll help. I can do that. I can call him and Sacha.”
Colm placed the palm of his hand against her cheek. Lord, he was so hot.
Or was she just that cold?
“I know this is hard, baby. You’re in shock. I wish I could take care of you right now, but Miller is hurt and lying next to a dead body. Can you help me take care of her?”
“Uh-huh. I can help. I can do that.”
And she would.
She’d do anything for Colm.