But I had my brothers here. Guards and Ivanov men. This time, I wasn’t alone in protecting Katerina. When they’d gotten to the code that alerted them of someone breaking in, the men in the building were there to take over. They were still there to handle removing the bodies of the Kozlov assassins Anton had sent to kill my wife and child.
“She didn’t miscarry,” Saul said, likely trying to be helpful rather than annoying. He’d always been the most uncomfortable with awkward silences.
I didn’t stop, pacing and fuming that she’d come close to danger again. I didn’t look at him, not wanting to address his platitude.
“Don’t,” Maxim warned him with a shake of his head from where he leaned against the wall outside Katerina’s room.
“I wasn’t sure if he heard the doctor when she said that and…” Saul said, then gave up and sighed.
“He heard,” Maxim said. “We all did.”
Hearing the doctor tell me that Katerina wasn’t miscarrying appeased me, but that tinge of anger and fear mixed and consumed me still.
Sloane walked out of the room and down toward us gathered in the hall. Maxim approached her immediately, not seeming to trust even this distance between them despite the two guards flanking her.
After someone dared to break in and try to hurt our women, we were all on edge and tense.
“She’ll be fine, Nik,” she told me.
Because the doctor had been so nervous with all of us here and she was the most timid around me as they checked over Katerina, Sloane had suggested that we wait out here.
Maybe it was a womanly thing, kicking out the men. But I loved Katerina too much to fight her on this. I didn’t want her out of my sight after being informed that she was bleeding. But with one calm look from her, I knew that she needed space. I could tell that she wasn’t shutting me out but just being considerate of the doctor and nurse in the room.
“She only asked you to step out because she thought you were hovering and freaking out the nurses and doctor.” Sloane raised her brows.
I gritted my teeth. “I’m aware.”
“But she’s fine,” she said again. “It was just a scare, albeit after a scary incident.” She gave Maxim and Damon a stern look. “It. Was. Just. A. Scare,” she repeated pointedly, matter-of-factly, and firmly with emphasis. From what my brothers told me about what happened while I was gone, it sounded like they’d overreacted when they thought Sloane was spotting.
“She didn’t miscarry. The scans are all normal,” she added. “The baby is healthy and not in distress.”
Fuck.I hated that we were even here at all. “I’mdistressed,” I admitted frankly.
“Don’t be,” Maxim said at the same time she did.
I scowled at them both.
“The men came within seconds of the break-in,” my brother said.
“It only took them two to kill our guards posted in that room,” I retorted.
“And Katerina had it under control until the cavalry came,” Sloane said. “She’s not new to this. She reacted a hell of a lot faster than I might have. And she knew what to do.” She looked at Maxim. “I envy that. As soon as this baby is out, I want to learn how to shoot. I can’t be relying on Katerina to be my bodyguard like this.”
“She should have her own bodyguard,” I growled.
No. I would be her guard.
But until we acted on the plan to take out the Kozlov family, I couldn’t be with her every second. Nor could I count on her to stay locked up forever, not even for medical appointments.
It won’t be long now.We had our plans in place. That was why we weren’t at the house. My brothers and I had been covering the final details for setting fire to a warehouse where the majority of the Kozlov heads would be tonight.
The door to Katerina’s room opened again and Joann stepped out. She nodded at me, grave but calm. “She said she doesn’t want you causing a scene out here and to come in.”
I didn’t wait, rushing in to take my wife’s hand and stand next to the bed. Being near her restored my soul. Seeing that she looked fine helped me calm down. Feeling her fingers wrapped around mine comforted me too.
She was alive. I hadn’t failed her. Anton hadn’t succeeded.
And he never would.
