47. CHAPTER 47

47

JULES

Kai has been asleep for a few hours now, but I can’t seem to shut my brain off to let myself rest. My body is automatically programmed to watch over him. Protect him. I thought he would back away from me when his mom found out about us, but he stood his ground. While Kai isn’t someone who will ever get on board with the physical side of our job, his confidence has grown since he left home. He doubts himself so much, but he doesn’t realize just how strong he is. He knows who he is and what he wants, and it’s beyond fucking sexy.

The door to Kai’s room opens, and I turn to see Lev walk in, but he remains close to the door, so I get up and move over to him.

“Hey,” I say.

“How’s he doing?”

“Good. Should be released in a week or two if all goes well. Where’s Ivan?”

“Back at the hotel. I forgot how much he loves to talk.”

That makes me chuckle. Lev’s idea of hell is having to be social.

“We’re gonna have to head back tomorrow, D needs us.”

“You know I’m not coming?”

“Do I look fucking dumb to you? Of course I know,” he says, rolling his eyes.

“My car’s at Jenny’s. Could you drop me over there in the morning so I can collect it?”

“Yeah. You gonna tell her about you and Kai?”

“She already knows. Walked in on us earlier, screamed at us and threatened us, then left.”

“Fuck her, then.”

“I don’t give a shit. As long as she and that nosy fucking Tim stay away, we’ll have no problems.”

“We can always dispose of him.”

“I’ll keep an eye on him for now. Have you heard anything about Carlos’s guys clearing up our mess?”

“Haven’t you heard? You should look at the local news. Apparently, a stolen car belonging to another local gang was found at the bottom of a ravine. Exploded into a fireball. Will take a while to identify who was in the car,” Lev says with a smirk.

“Carlos is full of surprises.”

“I’m definitely having a chat with him when I get back. He’s always been a mysterious fucker.”

“Wish I’d had longer with them,” I say as I look over at Kai.

“It’s never enough, especially when it’s personal. You did good though.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m out. I’ll drop by in the morning to take you over to your sister’s.”

‘She ain’t my sister.”

“Fair enough,” he says with a shrug, and leaves without another word.

I move back over to Kai and take my place in the most uncomfortable chair in the world and try to relax.

“Are you sure you want to go over to Mom’s tomorrow?” Kai mumbles with his eyes still closed.

“I thought you were asleep. Listening in on conversations again?”

“Yep. You weren’t exactly quiet.”

“Go back to sleep, Kai.”

“So you did kill them?” he whispers and looks up at me with those pretty innocent blue eyes.

“I did.”

“When I’m better, I want you to tell me everything. How you did it. What they said.”

“Kinky fucker.”

“No. Just in love. Do you love me, Jules?”

“I think the trail of bodies should answer that.”

“It does, but I need to hear it.”

I stand and hover over Kai, clutching his face in my hands and leaning down over his lips, never breaking eye contact.

“I love you. I will torture, kill, and destroy anyone in my way when it comes to you. Never forget it.”

“What have you done to me, Jules? That should not sound as romantic as it does.”

I laugh, because I knew this would happen. Something about the Kozlov family converts you to look at the world differently. Crazy being the new normal, and I wouldn’t change it.

“It’s not a bad thing. Embrace it, Kai. Because you’re going nowhere. Where do you belong?”

“With you?”

“Who owns you?”

“You.”

“That’s right. I refuse to live without you, Kai. And I’ll never let you live without me. It’s a done deal with us.”

“Jules stop, you’re getting me hard,” Kai groans and I silence him with a kiss. Sealing our souls together to never part.

It’s the following morning, and while Kai is having an examination by the doctors, Lev and Ivan have picked me up to take me to Jenny’s, to collect my car that Kai stole. There better not be a scratch on my baby.

“You heard anything from the police?” Lev asks.

“No. They turned up at the hospital when Kai was sedated, but said they’d be back. I guarantee Tim will be eager to try and involve us somehow.”

“Ohh let me hurt him, Lev. I can’t stand the fucker. I want to try new shit out on my tattoo gun,” Ivan says from the front seat.

“As much as I’d love to see that, you know we can’t do anything here. Not unless he came on our turf. Everyone will notice a cop missing in a town like this.”

“I’m hoping he won’t be a problem once we leave,” I say.

“All people are a problem,” Lev says as he pulls onto my sister’s street and parks outside her house. My car is in the driveway and doesn’t look like she’s come to any harm.

“You got the keys?” Lev asks as he turns off the engine.

“No. Kai said he left them in the hallway. Plus I need to get his clothes.”

“Get him some new shit. You know she won’t let you take any of his stuff, Jules. Just get your car and leave,” Lev says, and he’s right.

“Good idea. Oh shit, here we go,” I say as I see Jenny come outside with Tim following.

“Does he live here?” Ivan asks.

“I bet he wants to.”

Lev and Ivan go to get out of the car too, which I won’t argue with.

“What are you doing here? Wait…is Kai okay?” Jenny asks, her scowl changing to worry.

“He’s fine. Just here to collect my car, Kai said he left my keys on the hallway table.”

“Does that mean you’re leaving?” Jenny asks with a lilt of hope that I’m leaving Kai.

“If you mean am I leaving Kai, then no. Can you get me my keys? Please.”

“You know the police are going by the hospital this afternoon to question Kai? I think maybe you should leave your car here. Don’t want you running off anywhere,” Tim says.

“Why would Jules run off?” Jenny asks Tim.

“These guys that Kai has been working for are criminals, Jenny. I think they had something to do with it,” he says.

“What! Jules, is this true?”

“You know we had nothing to do with Kai’s stabbing, you fucking moron. Have you found who did it yet? Or are you still too busy trying to fuck Jenny? Gotta say, your police here suck.”

Lev and Ivan move in closer behind me and Jenny takes a step back, her eyes flicking back and forth between them. I really don’t understand where Tim’s misplaced arrogance comes from. Maybe everyone around here has kissed his ass for so long, he believes he has a power, and maybe he does. But not with us.

“I suggest one of you goes inside and gets Jules’s keys, otherwise I’ll get them myself, and you don’t want that,” Lev says. The edge his voice carries is something I’ve heard so many times before he lashes out. He’ll have no problem bundling them both up and driving them back to Grinston with him.

“Or what? You have no authority here. You’re just the regular scumbag crooks who think money can buy them anything. That won’t work around here,” Tim says to Lev. Everyone freezes to the spot in those few seconds that feel like hours. Tim even looks shocked at his own words. Too late for him to take them back now. As fast as a bolt of lightning, Lev has Tim pinned against the side of the house. Lev is significantly larger than Tim, who is unable to get himself out of Lev’s grip.

“You listen to me, you washed up piece of shit. I could have you in the back of my car and take you somewhere where nobody would hear your screams as I remove the skin off your bones. But I won’t. Yet. Your pathetic little threats are starting to annoy me, and nobody wants that. So either shut the fuck up, and move on with your life, or I will personally make sure it’s a life of hell.”

“Jules, tell him to let him go, please don’t hurt him,” Jenny cries, grabbing my arm.

“No, you should’ve thought about that before you decided to try to play like the big boys. Get me my fucking keys,” I say to her, pulling away from her touch. She runs off inside and I look back to Lev and Tim.

“You’re not above the law,” Tim says, his voice more unsure than he was a few minutes ago.

“I am. You can try to take us on, though. How’s your daughter getting on at college?” Lev asks, and I raise my eyebrows at his words. How did he know about that?

“What?”

“Your daughter, Callie. She’s a pretty little thing isn’t she? I bet she gets a lot of attention, especially when she runs around in those tight little shorts she wears,” Lev says, grinning at Tim’s reaction. I think Tim may have gone into shock.

“How do you know about my daughter? If you touch her….”

“You’ll what? More empty threats. You’ll do nothing because you’re gonna go on about your life. But just remember, we know everything about you. Including precious little Callie.”

Jenny comes back out as Lev moves away from Tim, who is seconds away from collapsing onto the ground. Jenny passes me my keys and I head over to my car. I’ve been away from Kai for too long.

“You’re all monsters,” Jenny says as she goes over to hold Tim, who has become mute.

“Yeah we are. Always keep one eye open, baby,” Ivan says as he winks at Jenny and jogs back over to the car. Lev follows and gives me a nod.

“Check in with me later about the cops,” Lev says.

“I will,” I say. I get into my car and pay no attention to Jenny and Tim as I drive away toward my future.

Arriving back at the hospital, I come to a halt when I approach Kai’s room and hear other voices. I walk in and notice two cops standing on either side of Kai’s bed, one with a notebook and the other guy, who I remember as baldy cop from when I collected Kai from the police station, standing over Kai’s bed with his arms crossed, asking questions. Tim said they were arriving this afternoon, sly fuckers.

“Can I help you?” the cop that isn’t baldy says. I’d say this guy is mid fifties. A full head of gray hair and stubble to match. A guy that looks like he can take care of himself.

“He’s fine, that’s Jules,” Kai says with a hint of pink to his cheeks. Is he unsure what to refer to me as? How fucking cute.

“I’m his boyfriend,” I say. I walk closer, not at all intimidated like they would hope I would be. I push in front of baldy and give Kai a kiss before moving to the chair and taking a seat.

“Anyway, Kai, do you have any idea who could’ve done this to you?”

Kai quickly glances at me, unsure of what to answer.

“No, like I said, their faces were covered. They just walked into the house, and when they saw me they stabbed me and ran out,” Kai says, and I want to smile. The lie falling so easily from that talented mouth.

“Unfortunately without any weapon or witnesses, it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack,” baldy says.

“What happens now?” I ask. Gray cop assesses me, no doubt making judgement off of my appearance.

“We can only keep following up any possible leads. None of the neighbors saw anything, and without a description of even a car? We just have to hope someone will come forward with information,” gray guy says.

“You have my card if you think of anything that might help catch these guys, Kai. Just look after yourself,” baldy says.

“I will. Thanks.”

Both cops leave without any further questions, and I smile as I grab Kai for a kiss.

“Well done, sweetheart,” I say as I kiss down his neck. He moans as I lap at his gorgeous soft skin, pushing his neck further into my mouth. I know what he wants. But he has to ask.

“Feeling needy?” I say.

“Yes. I miss the bruises, Jules. Please. I need your mark. I need to feel you on me all the time.”

I latch my lips onto his neck below his ear and suck as hard as I can.

“Ah fuck! Yes…more,” he moans long and low as I bite and suck all down the left side of his neck until I reach his collarbone. He tastes so fucking good. I muse over the idea of breaking the skin and lapping up his blood, how fucking sweet it would taste.

I pull back and run my finger down the path of hickeys I’ve just placed, and he groans again at the sensation. My little pain whore.

“Fucking beautiful. When we get home, I’m gonna decorate that hot little body of yours in my marks. You’ll never live another day without it.”

“I want nothing more.”