Chapter 16 - Yefim

Tia's words are still ringing in my thoughts three days later.

I'm really happy she felt safe enough to open up to me like that and tell me about her childhood. It helps me understand her so much deeper. And all I want is for us to grow closer, for her to trust me, so that means a lot.

She is such an incredibly strong and beautiful person.

I can't believe she's been taking care of herself ever since her mom died. She was still almost a child when she lost her mom, barely having turned sixteen. She managed to stay out of the way, get more than one job, and go unnoticed by the authorities, so she wasn't forced into a foster home. She's lucky, I guess, that they didn't make her go into foster care, because the stories I've heard about those places are enough to tear your heart out. I'm glad she didn't suffer through that kind of horror.

But it doesn't make her struggle any less worthy of note and praise.

She managed to keep herself fed, a roof over her head, warm clothes on her body. All by herself. As a child. She created this strength I see in her today, just by her will to survive.

She has been through a lot. She's lost a lot. Her mother wasn't even a proper mother, starting from since she was around nine years old. That's when she started escaping to the bottom of a bottle, forcing her child to take care of her . Tia spent her childhood taking lit cigarettes from her mother's hand when she passed out so she doesn't burn the house down. Begging for food from the neighbors so she doesn't starve. Lying to school when her mother can't fetch her.

A child deserves more than that. More than needing to constantly think of ways to hide her mother's addiction.

Tia has been taking care of herself for much longer than she understands. Even while her mother was around, that woman was not capable of looking after a child.

I pace up and down my office, running my hand over the shadow of stubble on my face.

Tia's story got to me. It got to me because I want to do everything and anything I can to take her pain away. To ease her stress. She is still paying off her mother's debts. They aren't even hers. So even in death her mother is dragging her down and making her have to fight to survive.

I want to help Tia in some way, I just don't know how to do it without making her feel like I'm trying to take away her independence. And now that I know how important it is to her to remain independent and capable of looking after herself, I think I understand why she won't quit the editing job. If she gives up her other job, then she feels like she is taking a massive risk, putting her trust in me. She is not used to being able to trust someone else to take care of her.

I am that person, though.

I am the person who will go to the ends of the earth for her. She doesn't know it yet, but she will soon. She will understand just how much she means to me.

I grab my car keys. I need to go and see her. She's at the other office this evening, handing in some of her editing work she's been doing at night. Maybe I can take a look around that office and see if there is anything I can contribute—any way I can make her life easier.

Getting into my car, I know I'm taking a risk—I might upset her by arriving at her other office and interfering. But I have to do whatever it takes to look after her.

She doesn't understand, but all I want is for her to be happy.

I park outside the building, staring up at it. It's massive. I have no idea what floor she works on, but I'm sure I can figure it out. I'll just go to reception and talk to the person at the desk. I know the name of the company.

Climbing out of the car, I start walking towards the entrance—two massive rotating doors—but as I come close, she walks out.

Followed by a man, gripping her arm tightly.

She looks scared, and I see her wince in pain as he drags her from the building, his fingers digging into her skin.

Instantly rage slams into me. Who the fuck is grabbing my wife like that? What the fuck do they think they are doing? I am blinded by anger—I don't stop to think or ask questions.

I storm right towards them.

Before they've even noticed me coming, I grab the man and slam my first into his face three times.

In fright, he releases Tia, but now she is screaming in horror.

Blood runs from his lip. He splutters in surprise and spits a pool of blood from his mouth. I step away from where he's fallen to the ground, staring down at him with hatred in my eyes.

The man stands up, then without a word he throws himself at me, knocking me off my feet.

We tussle, rolling on ground outside the entrance of the building, throwing punches, getting heated, swearing at each other. I want to kill him. I want to rip his fucking head off his shoulders and watch him bleed out while his body twitches as it desperately holds onto the last shreds of life.

I think I am close to killing him when I hear Tia screaming, forcing me to pause.

"Yefim, stop." She screams so loudly that I have no other choice but to turn and look at her. "Please, stop," she begs.

I release my grip on the man who was hurting her. He slumps forward, gasping for air, a wet sound in his throat and nose because there is so much blood pouring from his face.

I push myself to my feet, turning towards Tia. Her eyes bright with tears.

"Who is he?" I demand.

"A debt collector," she stammers, bewildered and tense.

"She fucking owes me money, and you're interfering," the man snarls from behind me as he pushes himself warily to his feet. He looks unstable. He's definitely hurting, and tomorrow will probably be worse for him. Good. Let that be a lesson to him never to touch my wife.

"Stay the fuck out of this, asshole," I snarl back at him.

"Yefim," Tia snaps angrily. "Leave it."

The man looks me up and down. "Yefim Dubrov. I know you. Mark my words, your days are numbered. Congratulations. You just signed your own death warrant."

"Fuck off," I snap, moving towards him again. He backs away quickly, then turns to run towards his own car. I'm not scared of anyone. My family bows to no one. Let him try and come after me. I will kill him next time.

Tia is furious when I turn towards her., holding my hand out to her. I thought she would be happy, but she's livid. I clench my jaw, trying to figure out how not to make this moment worse.

"Where did you park?" I ask.

"I caught a taxi," she huffs.

"Get in my car. Let's go home." I press the remote to unlock it from across the parking lot to show her were I parked it.

She marches ahead of me in a rage and pulls the passenger door open. Climbing inside, she slams the door so hard the car shakes. Shit. She really is furious. I touch my lip, bruised and stinging. A little blood stains my fingertips, but overall, that's just about the only thing that seems to be hurting—and then only place I seem to be bleeding. I definitely did a better job than the other guy.

I climb into the driver's seat.

She shoots me a glare that suggests she trying to burn holes into my body with her anger.

I shake my head and sigh as I start the engine.

"Tia, he had his hands on you. I get it that you owe the asshole money, but that does not give him the right to touch you."

"You don't get it, through— clearly , you have no fucking clue. Do you know who that man works for? He's dangerous. The family he is collecting for is powerful. He will kill you, or me . And now you've punched the living daylights out of him and probably left him with a broken nose. Do you think he's just going to ignore that, let it slide, walk away? He's going to come after you." She is fighting tears and genuine fear. I hate that he made her feel afraid. I hate that he still has the power to make her feel afraid.

My jaw clenches and unclenches in frustration. Can't she see I was only trying to help her?

"Yefim, why couldn't you just mind your own business for once, why did you have to interfere?" She folds her arms protectively across her chest and turns her face away from me. I see disappointment flash in her eyes just before she looks away, and that hits me harder than any of the punches that asshole threw at me.

My own anger and defensiveness gets the better of me, and I snap at her, "Because I want to protect you from everything . I will go crazy if you are ever in danger. I will do anything to keep you safe."

She blinks, then blinks again, her face turned back towards me. Tia is stunned into silence by my outburst. I shouldn't have shouted at her.

I take a heavy breath. "Tia, I just want you to be safe."

She reaches out and, to my surprise, she rests her hand on my leg.

I wrap my own hand over hers, looking down at her long, delicate fingers.

"Tia, please just let me pay them off. Let me get rid of the debt so that they are out of your life."

She smiles softly, a gentle warmth in her expression that sinks right into my core.

"I can handle this, Yefim. I have been handling it, and I need you to trust me enough to continue to handle it."

"But he was hurting you."

"Not really. He was just trying to scare me. I'm not scared, though. I'm paying them off. I'm so close to being done. Please trust me. If we start pushing them like this, though—then we will have something to worry about."

The jaw muscles tense as I try to pull myself together. I have to give her that freedom or I will lose her. If I don't let her look out for herself in the ways she wants to, she will walk away from me.

I shake my head. "Fine," I say with heavy reluctance. "But Tia, I am trusting you to also call me if it ever becomes too much to handle. I want to help. When you are ready, if you need it, all you have to do is talk to me, okay?"

"Okay," she nods, biting her lip.