Chapter 29 - Sergey
The wake of the fight hits me harder than I expect.
My body aches, my knuckles are bruised, and blood stains my shirt and skin, but none of it matters at this point. Not when Kat is in front of me, her breath shallow while she tends to me in the bedroom. In our house, safe and sound.
Despite my occasional wince while she cleans my cuts, I can hardly look away from her. Seeing her here, knowing that Yuri can’t take her away from me, is everything I needed. Finally, it’s over.
At least, I hope it is.
“I can’t believe you did that,” Kat murmurs while she tosses another dirty alcohol wipe aside, her voice strained but soft. “You’re reckless…and insane.”
I smirk faintly, but my face still hurts from the blows Yuri landed earlier. “Insane, but still breathing.”
Kat pulls back just enough to look at me. Immediately, there’s a tangle of relief, worry, anger, and something softer in her eyes.
She doesn’t slap me like I half expect her to, thankfully. Instead, she cups the side of my face gently, careful of the bruising. Her fingers tremble slightly, and I lean into her touch.
"You shouldn’t have done that," she says softly, not fully committing to anger. "You didn’t have to fight him."
"I did,” I say simply, leaving no room for doubt.
“Sergey—"
"He took you, Kat. Yuri wanted to hurt the one person I care about most, and he wanted to use you like a bargaining chip. That’s not something I can let slide, and I never will,” I insist, keeping my voice quiet despite how I mean it.
She watches me for a beat, lips slightly parted while she tries to stick to her guns. “They weren’t going to follow the rules Yuri laid out, Sergey…you could’ve died.”
“I know, but I’d do it a hundred times over if it meant keeping you safe," I say honestly, my voice turning more hoarse with fatigue. “Everything between us wasn’t supposed to happen this way, but now that we’re here, I’d do it again. Every time. Even if it means risking my life.”
Kat’s eyes glisten, and I see the conflict in her. The part of her that wants to hate me, to cling to her independence, and the part that’s slowly surrendering regardless.
Eventually, she sighs and drops it. Instead, she focuses on her work, trying to keep every touch light.
While the bedroom falls quiet again, the adrenaline wears off and pain takes its place, but I keep as many pained sounds in as I can manage.
I watch her disinfect the last of my cuts before bandaging the bigger ones. Her hands are gentle despite the tension still lingering between us. Even with everyone else in the past, there are still things left unspoken.
Eventually, I can’t help but fill the silence. “You don’t have to do this.”
But knowing her, Kat doesn’t take no for an answer. “Let me take care of you."
"I’m fine."
She gives me a look, one of those sharp, unimpressed ones, and she pauses only then. "You’re bleeding."
“It’s just a little blood and a few bruises. I’ve nearly bled out before…this is nothing.”
It’s a lame attempt at levity, but at least I tried.
Kat scoffs. “Yeah, and I wasn’t there to patch you up. But now I am. So shut up and deal with it.”
“I’m glad to know you haven’t softened up too much,” I say with a subtle grin.
She shakes her head, but I catch the subtle smile that pulls on her lips.
“I have to stay sharp around you,” she murmurs. When her fingers brush against the final bandage on my jaw, she lowers her gaze. “I’m still annoyed you put yourself in harm’s way, even if I understand I…I couldn’t stand the idea of you getting hurt.”
I lift a vaguely amused brow at her, watching as she moves to stand in front of me while I remain on the end of the bed. “So you need me, do you?”
“I didn’t want to need anyone before. Especially not someone like you."
Now that catches my attention.
"Someone like me?"
"Dangerous…complicated. Involved in everything I wanted to avoid. But..."
I lift my hands to settle them on her hips. "But?"
"You’re more than just those things. You’ve protected me like you said you would, you’ve listened…
you gave me the garage, Sergey. You brought a part of my life back that I thought I’d lost,” Kat says, allowing me to pull her a touch closer while she rests her hands lightly on my shoulders.
“I thought you were just an arrogant bastard before, but you’ve proved me wrong. ”
A flicker of humor moves through me at the latter, then my throat tightens, and I give her a gentle squeeze. "You deserve everything I can give you and more. But I’m still not letting you go, especially not now. But now, I don’t have to worry about you leaving.”
She smiles faintly, and something in my chest unclenches.
I feel that the tension between us shifts while we relax.
Her hands slide down my arms, gently running her palms along them while I keep her in place between my legs. Finally, I feel at ease again, able to touch her. To feel her body against mine.
"Do you think they’ll come after us again?" she asks quietly. “The rest of Yuri’s men, I mean.”
I shake my head. “No. Yuri will be dealt with and sent to lockup, and the rest of his men won’t act without him. They’ll likely fall apart without anyone to take his place.”
“And you think Roman will keep him contained?”
"I trust my brother," I say gently, lightly running my fingers along the small gap between her waistband and the hem of her shirt. "But more than that, I’m done being reckless. I made a mess of all of this when I was supposed to do something simple. I wanted to control it, and instead, I made it worse. I think Roman’s rage has been quelled now, but I’m sure I’ll be making up for it for quite some time. ”
She brushes my hair back gently while those eyes of hers take me in. “You might’ve made a mess of things, but I’m here with you. That has to count for something.”
“So you’re saying at least one good thing came out of this?”
Kat grins and nods, lightly running her thumb along my jaw while she leans in. Her words brush against my lips, making me shiver. “Yes.”
Our lips meet then. It’s slow and deliberate, and I take my time to feel the softness of her on me.
There’s no rush now. Just the warmth of her mouth against mine, and the soft sigh that leaves her lips as I deepen the kiss. It’s tender, careful, and seemingly different from all the times before.
Her hands are in my hair while mine slowly move along her hips and waist. I don’t press too hard. Instead, I let her move how she wants, trusting that she’ll stop me if she needs to.
But she doesn’t.
As hard as I try to keep the exchange light, Kat melds her lips with mine, seeking even more from me. It’s enough to send a spark of need through me, traveling down my spine and causing heat to pool in my gut.
She makes me feel hazy, but it’s too good. I don’t want it to end.
Feeling somewhat impatient, I pull her a bit closer, and she tenses slightly when the tent in my pants brushes against her thigh. It isn’t with disgust, but surprise.
Kat pauses and glances down at my lap, keeping her hands on me. “…already?”
As vague embarrassment cloaks me, I huff to myself and move my face closer to her neck while I brush kisses against her skin, burying myself in her hair. My fingers flex against her hips. “I can’t help it…”
When I gently nip at her pulse point, a soft breath escapes her, then she hums.
A bolt of disappointment runs through me when she pulls back, already missing her warmth, but I don’t say anything as she keeps her eyes on mine and drops her hands. Then, she slowly lowers herself to the floor.
My brows lift fractionally at the sight of Kat getting on her knees and settling between my thighs. I twitch in my boxers, and an even bigger thrill scurries up my spine.
Oh, fuck.