Chapter 67
Chapter Sixty-Seven
Audrey
Loud beeping and bright lights cut through the darkness I’d been fighting. I blinked against it all and groaned as pain rocketed through my body. The last thing I remembered was being kicked across Ace’s hallway.
Where was I? Was I being held hostage somewhere? I took a deep breath. Everything smelled sterile.
“Honey?” My gaze snapped to the corner of the room and everything came into focus. Mom was in a recliner with an open book on her chest. My love for reading came from her. She’d read everything under the sun to us as children. The back of cereal boxes, magazines, billboards— it didn’t matter.
“Mom?” My voice came out a rough croak. “What happened?”
“Do you not remember? You have a pretty bad concussion. I wouldn’t be surprised if you don’t remember anything for a bit.”
“How did you get here? What day is it?” My throat was scratchy and the IV in my arm ached.
She laughed and ran her hand down the back of her head. She was wearing pjs and slippers. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days though. Where was Dad? “You will not believe it but Alexei took us on a ride in a helicopter.”
“Alexei?” It was like getting stabbed in the chest to be able to say his name out loud.
“ Malaya?”
The pain was back but worse. Everything hurt with the sound of his voice and the pet name on his lips. I didn’t know what it meant but every time he said it before it was like a symphony to my lady bits. I closed my eyes as they welled up with tears. He shouldn’t have been there.
“I’ll leave you two alone for a minute and go find your dad.”
I opened my eyes to Alexei falling to his knees beside the bed. He was still still in his tux and there was a little bit of stubble on his jaw. He looked much worse than my mom did.
“What are you doing here?”
He pressed his forehead to my hand above the blankets. “I thought he would leave you alone. He told me he would have you killed if I stepped out of line. I should have known better. I should have known that he would do anything to steal my joy even if I was doing everything he wanted. He knew I still loved you. He must have seen it in my eyes as we walked down that long aisle. I don’t know, I don’t care. All that matters is that you’re alive.”
I leaned my head back on the bed and processed what he was saying but couldn’t think of a reply. It was all too much and my body was starting to hurt. My head still felt fuzzy. I blinked a few times.
“I don’t know how you’re still alive but I will spend every waking moment for the rest of my life thanking God that you’re still here.”
His hair was silky and smooth against my fingers as I touched his head. “You could also thank your grandmother.”
He frowned as he lifted his head. “What do you mean?”
“She gave me her cane. Told me she didn’t like me being alone in the big city without some way to protect myself.”
“She knew he was going to do something.”
I shrugged against the bed and it caused pain to shoot through my body. “What do my parents know?”
“It was a break-in gone wrong. That everyone knew Ace and Carina would be out of town for the wedding.”
“And Vina?”
“Fuck her. Fuck that stupid engagement. I don’t even care how she gets home.”
I laughed and something pulled tight over my skin on my chest. I winced. “You just left her?”
He nodded. “I don’t care either. I haven’t thought of her once since my mom got the call. I forgot she existed.”
All conversation stopped as my dad appeared in the doorway. He flew across the space separating us and took up the room on the other side of the bed. He grabbed my hand and pressed it to his lips. “My baby girl.” A tear slid down his cheek and a painful smile broke across my face. “How are you feeling?”
“Itchy.” I pulled at the side of my gown where something was pulling against my skin. “Also hurting but it’s manageable.”
“You were stabbed a few times, and shot, I’m not surprised you’re hurting. You’re lucky to be alive.”
“Way to ease her into it, Gerald.” My mom rolled her eyes as she took up the recliner again. Leave it to Dad to rip off the bandage. “We are going to get a nurse and let them know you’re awake now, honey.” My mom grabbed my dad’s hand and hauled him out of the room.
“We match now.” It was supposed to be a joke but sounded too serious in this sterile room.
“I guess we do.” He sat on the corner of the bed and watched me. “I’m aware that you could never feel safe again.” He raked his fingers through his hair and looked around the room. “I realized throughout all of this that we are probably never going to be safe again. That anyone could be employed by my father.” I had no idea where he was going with this. “I have hired security downstairs through Axel and when I’m not here, he will be.”
“Axel?” I frowned. What was happening?
“I realized I’m laying all this on extremely thick but I do not care. Your safety is my highest priority. Honestly, I don’t really have to leave but just in case I need to.”
“What’s going on, Alexei?”
He got back down on his knees and nuzzled the side of his face into my hand. “I’m selling my penthouse. I already bought us a house in the Upper Eastside and get this,” He paused for dramatic effect. “It has a garage.” I laughed.
“Why on earth would you buy us a house?” My head was spinning now. I thought my dad was bad about ripping the metaphorical bandage off.
“Because I can’t trust the doormen at any penthouse on this planet or their security. It was all wiped. Mother tried to get the tapes for the police report that is also being hush-hush. There is security in the building but all of asudden everything is wiped. I would personally see to the doorman if I thought he was responsible, but I don’t know.”
“Has anyone spoken to Ace or Carina?”
He clenched his jaw. “No.”
“Ah, so they remain left in the dark.”
“My mom doesn’t want to ruin their honeymoon. The moment they find out, Carina will force them to turn around. We will tell them when they’ve had enough time to enjoy themselves.”
“That’s fine. I just don’t understand the part where I’m going to own a house in New York City with you,” I cleared my throat. “With a garage .”
“ Malaya, I’ve loved you since the first moment you turned your nose up at me and the sex wet spot on my slacks.”
I pointed right at his nose. “I knew it!” He wrapped his hand around my finger. “Don’t forget the stripper glitter!”
“I’ve wanted nothing more than to tell you how much I loved you since Brian walked, with pee pants, out of your life.” His eyes were shiny with unshed tears and I didn’t know what to do with all of this information. “I could have lost you. I don’t want to live another day wondering if it’ll be your last. I want every day that I can possibly get. I want us to fill a new bookshelf behind our bed in our house with all of your favorite novels. I want to dance wild with you in clubs or on exotic beaches. I want you to tell me all about the masterpiece novels you work on during the day. I want every second of every minute of your time if you will give it to me.”
“Thats a lot of time, Alexei.”
“I want it all. I want all of you.”
“That was an intense proposal, aren’t you still engaged, Alexei?” Nana said from the doorway and the laugh that escaped me hurt entirely too much but I couldn’t hold it back even if I tried.
Alexei scowled at his Nana but still got off of his knees to kiss the side of her cheek. Grandmother was the next to enter the room. She smiled down at me. “You don’t look too good, my girl, but it’s better than seeing you in a casket.”
“Thank you for your cane.” I’d never felt so grateful to see someone so frightening.
Alexei went to her and wrapped his arms around her next. She patted his back like she couldn’t stand a hug but I saw the amusement on her face all the same. “My son is a lot of things but lately he’s been a little predictable. I know him better than anyone else. I hate to say it. I saw him staring at you most of the wedding and the reception. I knew that I couldn’t intervene because I never knew when it would happen so I knew I could at least give you the opportunity to protect yourself if it did ever happen. Unfortunately, it happened a lot faster than I predicted. We are happy you are alive and that’s all that matters.”
Nana sat down in the recliner and smiled with all of her teeth. “He will not bother you again, my dear.”
Alexei shook his head. “How could you possibly know?”
Grandmother picked at something on her sweater. “Because I pull the strings on many of his operations. Though we aren’t very close, he can’t even trust Ace for many things. He has always been a suspicious fellow. I took over most of his accounts when you were all babies. He really had no one then. I knew the time would come when I would have to show my hand. I will put your father’s accounts to zero in no time if he crosses me.”
“If there’s one thing my father loves, it’s his money.”
Nana and Grandmother nodded together. “Worry not, my loves. You will both be safe.”