Chapter 52
Chapter Fifty-Two
IVAN
I feel an unusual sense of lightness as I drive back home. Lara's courage with my father impresses and touches me—she went beyond anything I could have expected, risking her pride, maybe even her safety, to help me. There’s an urgency in my chest, a desperate need to get back to her, hold her and thank her properly for what she did. I can’t remember the last time I felt this… grateful, or this all-encompassing love for another human being.
She’s changed everything.
The thought of seeing her lovely face brings a rare smile to my own, one that lingers even as I reach the front door. I step inside, expecting to hear her soft footsteps or maybe find her waiting for me in the living room. Instead, the house is unsettlingly quiet.
“Lara?” I call out, my voice echoing through the empty rooms.
I head to the living room, glancing around. Everything looks normal, but there’s a gnawing feeling in my gut. That’s when I see the note on the coffee table with my name written hastily across the front. I snatch it up, and as my eyes skim over the words, my chest tightens:
I’m leaving. I can’t do this anymore. It’s over. Lara.
Instantly, I know this is not her. My grip on the paper tightens. My Lara would never leave like this. This is the work of a coward or someone being held against her will. Panic flares as I scan the room again, desperately searching for something—anything—that could explain what’s going on.
That’s when I see it. The salt spilt on the dining table. I run to it. A message is scrawled in the salt on the dining table. It’s Niko. The air leaves my lungs in a rush. What the hell has he done?
My hands are trembling as I pull up the tracker app, my heart pounding erratically as the signal blinks—she’s moving north. My father owns a derelict warehouse in that area. He was hoping to get planning permission to develop it but it was turned down by the city officials, so he decided to keep it empty until there was a change of administration. I feel sure that is where he is heading. There’s no time to think. No time to lose. I sprint toward the door, dialing my head of security on the way.
"Get every available man to my location," I bark into the phone, already running toward the car. "We’re tracking Lara’s signal. Go now. I think she’s being taken to the old cotton mill warehouse. Be careful. He might be armed."
He doesn’t ask questions. He simply responds, "On it."
I jump into the driver’s seat, slamming the door shut. Engine roaring and tires screeching, I tear out of the garage. Adrenaline courses through me, propelling me forward. I weave through traffic recklessly, swerving between cars, my knuckles white on the steering wheel. I press the gas harder, pushing past the speed limit, past the point of reason. I have to get to her. I have to save her.
My breaths come in sharp bursts, each one shallow and ragged. My chest tightens with every second that passes, and the thought of what Nikolai could be doing to Lara makes my blood run cold.
I hit the car’s Bluetooth. "I want visuals. Keep her tracker active," I order, hearing the click of radios on the other end as my security team coordinates.
"ETA in three minutes," one of them confirms, the calm professionalism comforting me, but three minutes feels like an eternity.
The signal from Lara’s tracker finally stops moving, settling on a location. As I guessed, at my father’s abandoned warehouse. I slam my foot on the brake as I reach the address, skidding to a stop just outside the looming structure. I can hear the hum of other engines pulling up behind me—my guards arriving, the sound of doors slamming shut as they jump out.
"Cover all exits," I shout, leaping out of my car. "But leave Nikolai to me."
My heart is hammering as I charge toward the entrance, fury searing through my veins. I don’t wait for backup, don’t hesitate—I kick open the door and storm inside. The cold air hits me like a slap, but I barely feel it.
"Lara!" I shout, my voice reverberating through the hollow building. There’s no response. My steps echo against the concrete floors, the dark, empty space amplifying the urgency in my chest.
Suddenly, I hear a muffled cry, faint but distinct. Lara. I sprint toward the sound, every fiber of me focused on finding her. I crash through a rusted metal door, and that’s when I see them.
Nikolai has her pinned against a wall, his hands rough and ugly, and Lara’s face is contorted with terror. The sight sends a surge of rage through me, a blinding, murderous rage.
"Get the fuck off her!" I roar, charging toward him like a man possessed.
Nikolai spins around, his face contorting with surprise.
I don’t give him a second to recover. I slam into him, ripping him away from Lara with virulent vindictiveness. He stumbles back, and I seize the opening, landing a vicious punch straight to his face. His head snaps to the side, and I watch his blood spray from his nose and satisfaction courses through me.
“Ivan!” Lara’s voice is hoarse and desperate, but I can’t tear my eyes away from Nikolai.
“You fucking piece of shit,” I snarl, shoving him against the wall. I grab him by the throat, squeezing hard. “You dare touch her?” My words are barely coherent, each syllable seething with rage.
He wheezes, trying to claw at my hand, but I tighten my grip, feeling his skin slick with sweat. He throws a wild punch, but it’s weak, a pathetic attempt to defend himself. I slam him against the wall again, the impact shaking the metal wall.
“You fucking coward,” I hiss, my face inches from his. “You think you can just take what you want?” I ram my knee into his stomach, feeling the air rush out of him.
Nikolai crumples to the ground, gasping for breath, but I’m not finished. I kick him in the ribs, hard, relishing the way he groans in pain. “This is just the beginning,” I promise, my voice low and menacing. “You’re going to pay for every lie, every betrayal.”
“Fuck you,” he spits, blood dripping from his mouth. He tries to stand, but I punch him again, harder, feeling the satisfying crack of bone beneath my knuckles.
“Ivan, stop!” Lara cries, her voice desperate, but I barely hear her. All I can see is Nikolai’s face, twisted with fear and defiance. I grab him by the collar, pulling him close.
“You’re going to confess,” I growl, my voice shaking with fury. I want to finish him off right here, but that would be stupid. I have too much to love. “To everything. Or I swear I’ll make your death slow and agonizing.”
His eyes flicker with fear for the first time, and I know he believes me. He knows I’m capable of every promise I make.
“Get him out of here,” I order, shoving him toward my security detail. “And don’t let him out of your sight.”
They grab him and restrain him quickly, and I turn back to Lara. She’s collapsed on the floor, her body shaking with sobs. My heart wrenches at the sight of her in a heap. I kneel beside her, my voice breaking.
“It’s okay,” I whisper, pulling her into my arms. “It’s over. You’re safe now.”
She clings to me, her fingers digging into my skin as if afraid I’ll disappear. I hold her tighter, pressing my lips to her forehead, desperate to reassure her.
“I’m sorry,” I say, my voice raw and filled with regret. “I’m so fucking sorry.”
We don’t waste any more time. I carry her out of the warehouse, cradling her against my chest, and load her into my car. I drive with one hand, the other gripping hers tightly, feeling her trembling lessen as we speed away.
When we reach home, I don’t say a word as I lead her inside. Her body is covered in dirt and the remnants of Nikolai’s violation, and I can see the disgust in her eyes. I take her to the bathroom and turn on the shower, the sound of the water somehow comforting.
“Come here,” I say softly, helping her step inside.
The warm spray cascades over us, steam filling the small space. Lara’s body is tense at first, but I wrap my arms around her, holding her close. I can feel her start to relax, the water washing away the grime, the fear.
“Ivan,” she whispers, her voice barely audible. Her eyes are wide, haunted.
“I love you,” I say, the words coming out rough and desperate. “I fucking love you, Lara. When I thought I lost you. When I thought?—”
Her lips cut me off, crashing against mine with a frantic need. I respond instantly, the kiss deepening, becoming something raw and fierce. We shed the soaked clothes between kisses, our hands frantic, searching. Her skin is warm under my touch, slick with water, and I feel an overwhelming desire to reclaim every part of her that Nikolai tried to take.
Our kisses grow slower, more tender, as the urgency fades into something deeper. I trace my hands along her body, exploring every curve, every tiny little scar. She shudders under my touch, and I feel her press closer, her need mirroring mine.
We sink down under the spray, the warm water cocooning us as we move together, our bodies finding a rhythm that is slow, intense, and filled with a desperate kind of love. I kiss every inch of her skin, each touch a silent promise.
Lara’s eyes meet mine. “Did you always have contracts for all the other women you wanted to… sleep with?”
I frown. “Never. You are the first. Why do you ask?”
She shakes her head. “Nothing. Just something Nikolai said.”
My jaw tightens. “If he knew about our contract then he must have got the information from Greta.”
“She hates me.”
“Then she has no place in my organization.”
For the first time, I see the fear in her eyes completely fade. There’s trust there too, a fragile but undeniable connection that’s survived the chaos.
“I won’t let anyone hurt you again,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion. “Not ever. I love you, Lara Fitzpatrick. With all my heart.”
She nods, her fingers threading through my hair, pulling me closer. “And I love you, Ivan Ivanovich.”
And everything is perfect in my world.