10. Liam

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I sink onto the edge of my bed once I know Kate is in her room so she doesn’t see the turmoil in me. Why can’t I get this woman out of my system?

I lost control and fucked her. I told myself having her submit was punishment, but once she gave herself over, something inside me could only savor her lush body.

I’m not worthy of her.

I took her anyway.

It should have sated my desire. One taste and done. But no.

Instead of burning in hell when I die, I’m forced to live in hell now because one taste only fueled my aching need for more.

Once I left her room, I got in the shower, hoping to wash away my sin. Wash away Kate from my soul. I thought it might have worked until I found her in my room. Oh, sure, I acted like a dick, continued to treat her poorly, but inside… fuck.

I run my hands through my hair as the ache throbs. If I weren’t already sitting, it would bring me to my knees. I’m forced to rethink keeping her close. I have to acknowledge that I’m lying to myself when I say I need her here to protect her.

The truth is, I want her here because I can’t seem to free myself from the need for her. But it’s a distraction, one that neither of us can afford. Whatever the fuck is going on with me that can’t seem to live without her is going to get us both killed if I can’t overcome it.

The good news is that she hates me. She sees me as a murderous monster. It guts me even as I know it’s the right thing. I think she’ll comply with the rules now, but she won’t submit again. That will be my savior.

I pull my shit together and head down to my office, calling for Robbie to join me. I sit at my desk, considering asking Niko or Donovan to take Kate in.

Considering Niko’s wife is about to give birth, perhaps Donovan is a better choice. Plus, Lucy is no slouch when it comes to being fierce. Lucy is the one Kate had called, which suggests she’d be comfortable with the arrangement.

But I have to consider how it would look if I, the new leader of the Bratva, asked the Mafia for help. Sure, everyone knows I did work for Niko, but that was different. I wasn’t in the Bratva.

As a brand-new leader, it could look weak if I go to Niko beyond asking him to look out for Babichev. Then again, Babichev is on his heel and not stupid enough to fuck with Niko. Can I risk having the men who are still on the fence about my leadership decide to go with Babichev?

“What’s up, Boss?” Robbie enters my office. It’s late, and I imagine Cherry would rather he be in bed with her. Robbie would likely prefer that too, but we’re in a war and Robbie is a good soldier.

“I need to move Kate to another safehouse. Secluded. More secure.”

He nods. “I can make the arrangements. Do you have a specific location yet?”

I hesitate. I don’t worry about Robbie’s loyalty, but I’m not ready to pull the trigger and send Kate to Donovan. Still, I can move her closer. “New Jersey.”

“Got it. Anything else?”

“No. Go be with Cherry.”

He smiles like a man who is looking forward to fucking his woman. “Will do, Boss.”

Once he leaves the office, I open my laptop and see a message from my FBI contact.

Picked up Golav. Trying to throw under the bus, but know he’s Babichev’s. Making him sweat. Stephans wants to offer WitPro.

I like Golav, one of Babichev’s men, being off the street, but I’m not thrilled about his going into Witness Protection. His living free could be a liability for me and Kate.

Watch your back. Babichev is off radar.

I return a quick thank you. Then in a weak moment, I ask about the possibility of putting Kate back in Witness Protection. Elena won’t like it, which means Niko won’t like it, but Kate’s safety trumps all.

I hit the Send key and the lights go out. Immediately, I’m on alert. Gunfire rings out, and I’m out of my chair like a shot, gun in my hand, bolting upstairs to Kate’s room.

I burst in just as shots shatter her window. “Get on the floor!”

Ignoring my own safety, I rush to the bed, grab her, and tug her onto the floor, covering her body as glass rains over us.

“Liam!” Her fingers clutch at my chest, and while it’s the wrong place, wrong time, I’m ridiculously happy that she’s not pushing me away. That she understands I’m going to do whatever I can to save her, even if it’s sacrificing my own life. Right now, I need to get her out of here.

When the bullets pause, I move quickly, pulling her with me out into the hall and toward the stairs, shouting commands down to my men.

I press her body against the wall as I block her. “Are you hurt?”

She shakes her head, fear blazing in her eyes.

“I’m going to get you out of the house. We’re going to the woods.” I look down and note she’s in her pajamas and has no shoes on. I look her in the eyes. “Don’t move. Do you hear me? I’m going to get you a coat and shoes.”

She nods. I close my eyes as I draw in the strength to leave her for the few moments it will take. I’m not thinking when I lean in and kiss her. It’s fast but fierce, and then I’m running into her room, grabbing the first pair of sneakers and a coat from her closet.

I glance down the hall and see she’s exactly where I’ve left her. I decide on one more detour to my room, where I grab another gun that I holster while I hold one in my hand.

I return to Kate and help her into her coat and shoes. “Stay close. We’re going through the kitchen to the garage and out the back. Got it?”

She bites her lip, and it’s killing me that she’s once again having to endure the dark side of humanity.

“Let’s go.” I take her hand, and shielding her, I rush downstairs, through the kitchen and into the garage. I should drive us out of here, but based on the amount of gunfire, I’m not sure we’ll make it. So, I open the back door of the garage, waiting to hear gunfire.

When nothing comes our way, I put my hand on Kate’s shoulder and look her in the eyes. There’s so much I want to say, like how sorry I am. And how much I admire her strength. How I wish I could be a different sort of man. The man she wishes I was.

Instead, I say, “We’re going to run like hell to the trees. They’re not far. Okay?”

She nods, and once again, I take her hand. We’re ten feet outside the door when gunfire sounds, whizzing past us. I tug her along, dodging and weaving, firing back toward our assailants and praying like hell that we don’t get hit.

Once we hit the tree line, I drag her deeper into the woods and finally pull her behind a large tree. I hand her a gun.

“Stay hidden. If in doubt, shoot.” It’s possible she’ll shoot one of my men, so it’s pretty shitty of me to give her this direction, but everything I’m doing is for her. Only her.

“Liam… don’t leave?—”

“I have to go kill these motherfuckers.” I don’t wait for her to respond. I don’t have time. I rush back toward the house. It’s so fucking dark, but I take out two men when I reach the garage where I have more guns. I arm myself and then head back into the house and out the front door.

“Babichev, is that you, you motherfucking pussy?” I call out. I run off the porch, taking shelter in the dark and behind a tree, getting my bearings.

“To the right!” one my men yells out. My gun thrusts right, and I fire, dropping one of Babichev’s men.

When I was a kid, my dad once took me to California for a short vacation that I later learned was also some sort of Bratva meeting. During our stay, there was a large earthquake. It felt like hours that the ground shook, but apparently, it was only a few seconds. Gunfights are like earthquakes. They feel like they take forever, but by the time the shooting dies down, it’s only been a few minutes.

I remind myself of that as I move stealthily around my property, killing Babichev’s men, disappointed when I discover it’s not Babichev himself. Then again, he’s probably not here. He’s that sort of cowardly leader. In my mind, if you can’t fight with your men, you’re not suited to lead.

“The house,” someone yells. I don’t recognize the voice, which makes me think it’s one of our ambushers. I look toward my house, hoping my men and staff are out, when all of a sudden, it goes up in a fireball.

Fucking hell. For a moment, I watch until I realize debris is starting to rain down. I run deeper into the woods and consider that this isn’t going to end well. I need to get to Kate and move her to someplace safer.

I make my way toward her. I take out two more men when I hear engines rev and the sound of vehicles gunning it out of my drive.

“Those motherfuckers have some balls,” Artyom says as he steps up beside me and watches my home burn.

“Balls we just shot off,” Robbie says, joining us.

“Yes, but—Boss… your house.”

“We need to get to Kate. Keep quiet in case there are any men left behind.” We continue to the backwoods, and I pray that no one found her.

I finally reach the tree, and taking a deep breath, I round it. She walks into me, and I take her shoulders to steady her. A gunshot rings out, and pain pierces my gut. I drop to the ground.