“At least a dozen operatives, maybe more. Plus whatever criminal contacts Viktor cultivated during his unauthorized operations.”
“Where does that leave Katya?”
“Officially? She died in the gallery explosion. Unofficially? She’s a loose end that Viktor’s surviving network needs to eliminate.”
Orlov finishes with the sutures and starts bandaging Katya’s shoulder. “She’ll need rest and pain medication. No strenuous activity for at least two weeks.”
“Thank you, Doctor.”
After Orlov leaves, the three of us sit in silence while the weight of the situation settles over us. Katya’s curled up on the couch with her head resting against my thigh. Anya’s still watching the windows like she expects snipers to appear at any moment.
Katya adjusts her position against my leg and looks up at me. The vulnerability in her blue eyes makes my chest ache. Three hours ago, she was walking away from me in fury. Now, she’s injured and afraid and asking for help.
“Dmitri, I need to ask you something.”
“What?”
“Will you help me? Will you protect me from my own people?”
My throat constricts, and I swallow hard. She’s asking me to choose her over my safety, to risk everything I’ve built to keep her alive. After she called me a kidnapper and told me she hated what I’d done to her.
But the alternative is letting the people who tried to kill her finish the job.
“You’re asking me to go to war with rogue FSB operatives for you?”
“I’m asking you to help me survive long enough to figure out what comes next.”
“And what do I get in return?”
“What do you want?”
The honest answer is that I want her to choose me. Not because she has nowhere else to go, and not because I’m her only option for survival, but because she wants to build something real with me despite everything that’s happened.
But after what I put her through, I have no right to ask for that.
“I want to know that protecting you is worth the risk I’m taking. That you’re not going to disappear the moment you find a safer option.”
“I can’t promise that. I don’t know what I’m going to want once this is over.”
At least she’s being honest. After everything I’ve done, I can’t expect guarantees about her feelings or her future.
“Fair enough.” I stand and help her to her feet. “But I’m still going to keep you alive, regardless of what happens between us afterward.”
“Why?”
Because three hours ago, I was drowning in vodka, replaying every moment of our fight and wishing I could take back everything that brought us to this point.
Because seeing you bleeding in Anya’s arms nearly drove me to my knees.
Because losing you would be worse than losing everything else I’ve built.
“Because it’s the right thing to do. What I did to you was unforgivable, and this is my chance to make some small part of it right.”
Anya clears her throat. “This is touching, but people are still trying to kill us. Maybe we could focus on survival first and sort out the relationship dynamics later?”
“Right.” I turn back to Katya. “So, what’s it going to be? Do you trust me enough to let me protect you?”
“Yes.”
