Chapter 16 | Katia
Katia
Marco held my chin in a death grip, his fingers on my cheeks forcing my mouth open.
He held his dick in the other hand, and from the eye that wasn’t swollen shut, I could see that he was hard.
Rumors had swirled for years about the ruthlessness of the narco-trafficker, and it was clear that he was aroused by the violence.
I struggled with all my might, but knew it was no use. I was bound, and he was intent on assaulting me. The best I could hope for was to somehow hurt or maim him with my teeth, although he would certainly make me pay for my retaliation.
He moved closer and the sudden sound of the door busting open rang in my ears. My head swiveled toward the door, and I let out a silent cry as Leo burst through, gun held high. Joaquin and Enzo rushed in behind him, and Marco released my chin.
Facing them, he slowly lifted his hands, his lips forming a slow, sinister smile. Oskar and Maxim reached for their guns, and Leo shouted, “I wouldn’t do that if you want to live.” They stood frozen as Marco stood tall with that malevolent grin plastered on his face.
“Hello, gentlemen,” Marco said, his tone taunting. “You’re just in time for me to teach your pretty friend a lesson.”
Leo fired a shot into the wall, barely missing Maxim’s head as he stood on the far side of the room. Maxim reached for his gun again and Leo fired another warning shot.
“Reach for it again, and I’ll blow your fucking head off!” Leo yelled.
“Not him or Dmitry,” I cried.
Leo’s eyes cemented to mine, and I saw the swirl of potent emotions: fear for my safety; anger at my captors; and somewhere, deep in the blue depths, I swore I saw how profoundly he cared for me.
.. Slow recognition spread across my entire body, and I promised myself I would explore it when I had the chance to process the intense emotion.
“Just get me out of here,” I pleaded. “No one needs to die.”
Leo’s gaze swerved to Marco; his gun aimed directly at his forehead.
“You are welcome to kill me, amigo,” Marco said. “Just know that I have men staked outside your father’s home right now. 47 Lovelace Lane. What a lovely address. If any harm comes to me, your father will take his last breath there shortly.”
Leo’s nostrils flared. “You touch him and I’ll destroy every person you love.”
An evil laugh left Marco’s lips. “That’s the difference between us, Leo Stabler. I don’t love anyone. You’ll do well to remember that.”
I saw the wheels in Leo’s head turning as he debated shooting Marco, wondering if he was bluffing.
“Please, Leo,” I whispered, wanting to escape the nightmare. “Just get me out of here. We can fight them another day.”
“Unbind her,” Leo called over his shoulder to Joaquin. He rushed toward me, setting me free and helping me to my feet. I limped toward the shattered door, my eyes lifting to Dmitry’s. I made sure they held a clear and solemn message. Thank you.
I knew he’d somehow sent the address to Michael or Alexis, and vowed to repay him once I was healed. If I was able to, I’d extract him from his terrible world and help him find a better life. That would be the best repayment of all.
“We’re not done with you, Katia,” Marco called, his tone ominous. “I can’t wait to see you again.”
Joaquin, Enzo, Leo and I exited the room. “Keep your guns aimed,” Leo said, rushing to my side and holstering his gun. We meandered to the front door and headed into the sunlight, Joaquin and Enzo backing away from the house with their guns held high.
“I’m parked just over here,” he said, crouching down and lifting me in his arms.
“I can walk,” I mumbled, wrapping my arms around his neck and burying my face against his warm skin.
“I’ve got you,” he said softly. “Just relax.”
We approached his car, and he opened the front door before gently setting me in the front seat. I pulled on the seat belt as he ran around the other side and slid behind the wheel. Revving the engine, he pulled onto the street and hightailed it out of the neighborhood.
He called Michael, whose deep voice vibrated over the speaker.
“Did you get her?”
“Yes,” Leo said. “She needs medical care.”
“No hospital,” I said, resting my head on the headrest. “Please, Leo.”
“Can Adrian meet us at your house?” Leo asked.
“Yes,” Michael said. “I’d already called him just in case, and he’s off today. He can be here in twenty minutes.”
“We’ll be there soon.”
Leo tapped the red button on the console before dialing another number.
“Hey, son.”
“Dad, there’s some shit going down at work, and some really bad guys have your home address. Are the fence alarms and cameras set? And are your doors locked?”
“Yes, but I’ll check the cameras again,” he said. “But you know I’ve got this place fortified like Fort Knox.”
“Thank God you do. Keep it that way, and stay alert. I’m sorry, but I have to go.”
“Does this have anything to do with your pretty lady accountant?”
I pursed my lips at the knowledge that Leo had told his dad about me.
“I’ll tell you everything soon. I’ve got to go. Love you, Dad.”
“Love you too, son.”
He tapped the console again and called another number.
“Sarah? It’s Leo. I’m not coming back to the office today. It’s a family emergency. Please let Daniel know.”
“Will do,” a female voice said. “Hope you’re okay.”
“I will be. Talk to you later.”
The line went silent and he reached over, taking my hand and threading our fingers. He squeezed, his grip hard, as if he wanted to affirm I was okay.
“He didn’t...assault me,” I said, my voice gravelly. “It was close, but you made it in time. I assume Dmitry gave you our location.”
Leo nodded.
“I knew he was a good kid,” I whispered, closing the eye that wasn’t already swollen shut. “I want to save him.”
“Let’s get you cleaned up first,” Leo said, anger in his tone. “Those bastards are pieces of shit for hurting a woman. I can’t wait to watch them both take their last breath.”
“Don’t stoop to their level.” I squeezed his hand with as much strength as I could muster. “You’re so good, Leo. I don’t want to be the reason you lose that.”
As I settled into the seat, my muscles slowly began to lose their rigidity, and I realized my adrenaline was fading fast.
“Don’t go to sleep, sweetheart,” Leo said. “You might have a concussion. I need you to stay awake until Adrian treats you.”
“How bad is my face?” I asked, tenderly touching my swollen cheek.
Leo grimaced but remained silent.
“That bad,” I muttered. “Yikes. I finally wore you down, and now I probably look like Quasimodo.”
“I know you’re joking, and that’s a good sign. But I can’t joke about almost losing you.”
My heart slammed at the tender, serious words.
Leo pulled up to Michael’s gate and rang the speaker box. The gate buzzed open and he drove into the driveway, parking in front of Michael’s large home.
He jogged around the car and lifted me from the passenger seat.
“I’m too tired to argue with you about walking,” I said, cuddling into him as I drew upon his strength.
“I want you to lean on me, baby,” he said softly as he approached Michael’s front door. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
Alexis opened the door, her gaze concerned as she ushered us inside. Leo strode toward the living room where Bianca was waiting.
“I’ve got a basin of water and a first-aid kit,” Bianca said. “It will have to do until Adrian gets here.”
Leo gently placed me on the couch. Looming over me, he smoothed the hair from my temple. “I’ll be right here.”
I nodded, overcome with emotion at his firm protection of me.
Bianca sat beside me on the couch, tenderly cleaning my face as I tried to stay awake. Michael entered, his face a mask of anger and frustration as he and Leo talked in hushed tones near the doorway.
Eventually, Adrian arrived and examined me and gave me a few stitches on the worst lacerations.
“I don’t think any facial bones are broken,” he said, his fingers gentle as he touched my face. “You’ll heal, but you’re going to have some serious black eyes. It will look really cool if you’re into that thing.”
“Bring it on,” I said, smiling through the pain.
“You’ll want to ice your eye for twenty minutes every two hours for three days,” Adrian continued. “After that, you can switch to a warm compress every few hours. That will increase circulation. And gentle facial massages will help too.”
“Got it.” I yawned as I settled into the comfortable couch. “Can I take a nap? I’m so tired.”
“Yes, but someone needs to observe you for the next few days, just in case. If you experience any slurring or severely blurry vision, contact me right away.”
“She can stay here—” Bianca said.
“She can stay with me,” Leo said, his arms crossed as he stood a few feet away. “I want her out of Brooklyn, and I can take care of her.”
“Your job, Leo,” I said, shaking my head on the pillow. “I don’t want to mess things up with your new boss.”
“I have a thousand sick days saved up at this point.” He smirked. “That’s what happens when you’re a workaholic who never takes a day off. Plus, Sonya is at my place. I didn’t want to leave her alone at your apartment.”
My eyes welled with tears. “You took in my cat who you’re extremely allergic to?”
He shrugged. “She needed to be taken care of until you returned.”
Bianca and Alexis both looked at each other, their expressions drowning in romantic sentiment. “Awwwww,” they said in unison.
“I think you’ll be a great caretaker, Leo,” Adrian said. “Please just text me if something changes so I can assess.”
“Can I go to your apartment and get you some clothes?” Bianca asked.
“Chris and I will go,” Michael said. “Tell us where to look and what to grab.”
“Excuse me, but I’m going with you,” Bianca said, raising a finger. “You two have no idea what a woman needs. Katia, just text me a list of things to pack and where they’re located, and I’ll take care of it.”
Chris shot Michael a look that said, Are you going to let her boss you around like that?
Michael’s expression was droll, as if he’d accepted his fate. “Fine. Bianca, Chris and I will go.”
“I need an hour to get things squared away at work and transfer some tasks to my fellow agents,” Leo said. “Is there a place I can make some calls?”
“You can use my office,” Alexis said, waving him toward the door. “Come on.”
“Katia, you should take a cat nap while they’re squaring things away,” Adrian said, rising. “Feel better, okay?”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Leo gave me my phone, and I texted Bianca a list of things to grab at my place.
Alexis promised to sit with me as I slept, and I took a moment to marvel at the network of people who surrounded me.
It was evident they cared for me, and I was overwhelmed with gratitude.
As a child of drug addicts and a sister who got ripped away too young, close family was something I’d rarely experienced.
“Thank you all for fussing over me,” I said, unable to control my yawn. “I’m really okay...”
Ten seconds later, I was dead to the world.