34. Mel

Shoving clothes into the same duffle bag I fled New York with three years ago, I listen to the happy sounds of my daughter eating breakfast with Kieri. The woman's a saint, agreeing to watch Gabby without hesitation, not even a question of why I might need the extra help.

I would be nowhere without Kieri, and my heart twists to think about leaving her. But I have to. I can't stay. The alternative would just be too terrible.

Bile rises in my throat, and I swallow hard at the thought of marrying Vincent Kelly, of carrying his child someday. I would rather drop dead.

And leaving Gabby behind? Turning her over to the foster system?

Hell will sooner freeze over.

I could never go through with it.

I can't marry Vinny.

I know my reasons for agreeing to it in the first place were justified. I would have done just about anything to save Gleb's life. I lied. I broke my own heart and forced myself to watch him walk out of my life. Because that was all I could do to protect him.

But I won't give up my daughter. Not for anything. Not for anyone.

And as terrible as I feel for turning around and begging Gleb for help, I don't know what else I can do.

Gabby releases a bright giggle, making my lips turn up in a smile despite my distress. I can't wait to get her out of here. Now that I feel the walls closing in, I'm grateful to have an escape, someone I know will help me out of trouble despite everything I said.

I'm going to owe Gleb the biggest apology after all of this is said and done.

And hopefully, he'll forgive me.

But the pain I caused, the betrayal on his face that night, is not something I'm confident we can come back from.

Taking a deep breath, I force the thought from my mind. I need to focus on packing. It's nearly eight o'clock, and I don't know how soon Gleb might arrive. Zipping the overstuffed duffle bag closed, I look around the room. We're almost ready.

And punctual as always, Gleb must have just arrived because I hear a fist pounding firmly on the front door downstairs. Snatching a grocery bag, I open up the last few drawers and start to scoop the contents into it. Amazing how two people's entire lives can fit into a single suitcase, a duffle bag, and a few plastic bags.

Someone knocks lightly on the door, making my heart flutter.

"Come in!" I call, keeping my eyes on my task.

The door creaks open.

The silence makes me glance up.

And my heart stops.

"Vinny," I breathe, my eyes widening as he steps into the room. "How did you…? What brings you here so early?" And why did Kieri let you up?

Probably because I never warned her I'm running away. The page I left her on is that he's my fiancé. Of course, she wouldn't object if he said he came to see me.

But he appears to have no interest in small talk as his eyes take in my packed bags on the bed, the empty wardrobe, and open drawers. His expression darkens, his blue eyes glinting with cold fury. "What the fuck is this?" he snarls, stepping closer.

"I-I—" I have nothing. My mind is a complete blank as I realize just how bad this looks. I really have no way to talk myself out of this hole.

Dropping the bag I'm holding, I start to back up, bringing my hands before me in a pacifying gesture of surrender.

"What, did you think you could run from me? You decided my offer wasn't good enough?" he demands, closing the space between us.

"No, it's just… Please, I can explain," I insist, my eyes flitting toward the open door of my room. Can I make it? Not likely. The room's too small. He'd catch me for sure, and that would definitely make me look guilty.

"You lying, little cunt. You can explain? Well, go ahead then. Tell me why it looks like you're moving out in such a hurry." His fingers close around my neck as he shoves me back against the wall.

And that familiar sense of panic rises in my chest at the way he traps me there. Fingers scrabbling for my throat, I gasp. "I w-was p-packing to show you I'm ready. To come live with you. Now."

For a fleeting moment, his grip softens, like he might actually believe me. And I rake in a painful breath while I still can. Then his eyes glance down at the grocery bag of toddler's clothing that burst across the floor when I dropped it.

A snarl twists his cold face, ruining what could so easily pass for handsome. "I made it perfectly clear last night that the brat's not coming. So why the fuck are her clothes being packed?" he demands. And as he cusses, he tightens his grip to slam me back against the wall for emphasis.

The air rushes from me, and my ears ring as the blood pounds against his fingertips, trying to get to my head.

"Answer me, you lying little slut!" he bellows, spit spraying across my face.

But his grip is too tight for me to even breathe, let alone speak. And for a second, I think he must realize that as he releases me. Then his hand comes flying out of nowhere, backhanding me so forcefully that it brings me to the floor.

I crumple, my knees screaming and my hands catching me just in time as the world around me does a sickening twirl. Then his fingers are curling in my hair, wrenching my head back to make me look at him.

"You—"

Before Vinny can finish his sentence, an arm snakes around his neck, cutting off his voice and air supply all at once.

"Let her go," Gleb commands, his dark, menacing voice sending a shiver down my spine.

Vinny's eyes widen, and he hesitates for the breadth of a second. Then Gleb's grip shifts, silently warning him that he could snap Vinny's neck without even trying. He releases me, leaving my scalp tingling and my cheek on fire as I sit in a heap on the floor.

What happens next takes place so quickly, I almost can't keep up. Just like he did that night at the club, Gleb lifts Vinny off the ground. And he slams him down with such force that the floor shakes beneath me.

A startled scream downstairs tells me that the peaceful breakfast has been interrupted. I pray that Kieri has the sense to keep Gabby away from the violence that's taking place right now.

Because Gleb is on top of Vinny in a flash, pinning his arms down so the Irishman can't even protect himself as Gleb goes to town.

Knuckles bare, Gleb punches Vinny with such force that his head snaps sideways, blood spraying across the carpet. Gurgling howls burst from my attacker as he flails helplessly beneath my savior. And as his face turns into a bloody pulp, I'm struck with the realization that Gleb's not going to stop until he's dead.

Scrambling to my feet, I close the distance between us as I scream Gleb's name. Throwing my arms around his back and chest, I try fruitlessly to pull him off Vinny.

"Stop, please stop!" I beg. "Gleb, you can't kill him. Please!"

That seems to get through to him, and though I can tell he doesn't want to, Gleb pauses his assault, his arms falling heavily at his sides as he breathes heavily. "He deserves to die for laying a hand on you," he growls, the predatory sound raising goosebumps along my neck and arms.

"Killing Keoghan's cousin would only bring the Irish mob down on your head," I reason. "Please, Gleb. It's not worth it." And though he's not fighting me anymore, I continue to pull back on him, guiding him off Vinny's limp body.

Please, tell me he's not dead already,I plead to whatever god will listen.

As the fight drains out of Gleb, his weight shifts toward me, and we slump onto the floor in a panting tangle of limbs. Only then can I see the faint rise and fall of the Irishman's chest. I can hear the rattle of his breath rushing between his broken lips and past his bloody nose.

Clinging to Gleb, I tremble as the adrenaline pounds through my veins. And for a moment, I rest my forehead against his shoulder, soaking up the comfort of his unyielding presence.

His hand finds my wrist, massaging it gently to tell me silently that he's under control. I don't need to keep restraining him. As warmth floods my body, I look up to find his knuckles cracked and bloody from the relentless pounding they delivered. Releasing a shuddering breath, I let him go, and he turns on the floor and faces me.

"Are you hurt?" he rasps, his violent hand cradling my jaw with such tenderness it brings tears to my eyes. His seafoam green gaze studies my throbbing cheek, the fire there igniting with fresh fury. Then his eyes trail down to my brutalized throat. "Chertovo zhivotnoye," he hisses, and though I don't know what it means, I can gather by his expression that it's not nice.

"I'm fine," I promise. "I'll be fine. But we really should go before he wakes up."

Gleb snorts. "He won't be waking up anytime soon. Your lady downstairs can call him an ambulance as soon as we leave."

I nod. "Still, we should go. I don't want Gabby to see…" My eyes flick toward Vinny's brutalized face.

Thankfully, Kieri hasn't let her come up to investigate, but the longer we wait, the more likely she'll be to see the grizzly sight. Gleb nods, his hand falling from my chin. And with the graceful poise of a cat, he rises to his feet, pulling me with him.

"Do you have much more to pack?" he asks, scanning the empty room.

I shake my head and stoop to collect the fallen clothes, shoving them into the trash bag once again. I carry it to the nightstand and scoop the remaining items from the tiny surface, unwilling to take the time to set them in carefully. I've never wanted to leave so desperately in my life.

"I'm all set," I say, and when I turn, Gleb already has the duffle bag slung over his shoulder, the oversized suitcase gripped in his free hand. Shoulders slumping, I fight the tears that sting the backs of my eyes. "Gleb… thank you," I murmur. "I know you didn't have to come get us, and I just?—"

"It's fine, Mel," he says, his voice gruff, his face a mask of serenity. And for once, I can't read the deep emotion in his eyes. Hurt? Anger? Concern? Disappointment? Love? I can't tell, and I'm too scared to ask.

We make our way downstairs without another word, and as soon as we reach the landing, I find Kieri with Gabby in her arms, a look of deep concern on her face. Relief washes over her features as soon as she sees me. Then tears shine in her eyes as she takes in the bags and suitcase.

"You're leaving?" she murmurs.

I nod. "I'm sorry. But I have to go. You were right. About Vinny." My chest tightens as I think about all the good counsel Kieri has given me over the past few years. She's something like the mother I lost at such a young age.

And when she nods her understanding, it makes my heart break.

"I'll miss you girls," she murmurs, giving Gabby a tight squeeze, then does the same to me before handing over my daughter.

"We'll miss you too," I breathe.

"Call me when you're safe?"

I nod, hoisting Gabby onto my hip and collecting the trash bags once more. "Love you, kūpuna."

"I love you too." Kieri opens the front door, and as I step out into the bright sunshine, I spot the black Escalade I recognize as belonging to Pyotr Veles. He planned ahead and left his signature sportbike behind to come get me.

My eyes shoot toward Gleb, but his attention is on Kieri.

"Thank you for looking out for her," he murmurs, his voice so low I almost can't make out the words. And before Kieri can respond, he tips his head toward the stairs, indicating the unconscious man still lying on my bedroom floor. "I'd call an ambulance for him. Sooner rather than later. They should make it here before he wakes up."

Eyes widening in shock and fear, Kieri nods. She casts me one last nervous glance, and I smile at her reassuringly. Yes, Gleb is violent, terrifying, and deadly. But I know without a shadow of a doubt that he would never lay a hand on me.

As he focuses on putting our luggage into the trunk of the SUV, I open the back door. I bite my lips together to stop a sob from escaping when my eyes land on the object strapped in the middle.

He even brought a car seat.