Chapter 65

Kimberly

J ackson’s been gone too long. He’s not answering his phone and I’m feeling sick to my stomach. What if Sharkozi came home to find his dead wife with the culprits still there? He’d have murdered them for it for sure. I know Jackson and his men can handle themselves, but Bratva Pakhans are ruthless killers, I don’t know who would win in a fight between them. If Jackson’s outnumbered, it doesn’t matter how skilled he is.

It’s late, Gran and David are both sleeping. David’s buoyancy from Yaroslav’s call has worn off and he seemed deflated again. I made sure he took all of his medicine, and he didn’t fight me when I suggested he get some rest. I’m too anxious to sleep. I can’t, not until I know Jackson is okay. If he dies because of me, I’ll never forgive myself.

The television is on, some late-night reruns of an old sitcom, but I’m not paying attention. I’ve been checking the news reports, feeling as though my heart is in my throat each time I change the channel, but there have been no reports of any shootings or murders near Sharkozi’s place. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not. Sharkozi no doubt is good at covering these kinds of things up. Will Jackson just become one of the thousands of people who go missing without a trace each year in the US? A statistic.

I’ve bitten my nails down to the quick. I know Gran will scold me for it in the morning. The thought makes me smile. At least I have her back with me safe and sound. I just hope that I didn’t sacrifice Jackson to make that happen. He’s a good man.

My mind wanders to Yaroslav, not for the first time tonight, as I again contemplate calling him back from David’s phone. But both David and Jackson vehemently forbade it stating that if the call was a trap, a way to try to find us, then calling him back could lead them right to our door. I pray that he is okay, that he truly has escaped. Because if Jackson doesn’t come back tonight, then how on earth can I rescue Yaroslav alone?

A knock at the door pulls me from my spiraling thoughts. Immediately I’m on high alert. The only people who know about this place are Jackson and a couple of his men, the rest of us are in here. Have we been found? Jackson wouldn’t knock as he has a key.

Hesitantly, I walk toward the door. The latch is secure and the door is steel so no one can gain entry, At least I hope. Taking a deep breath I look at the security camera.

“Yaroslav!” I cry when I see him standing there alone. I rush to unlock the door.

“Hey my little koketka , miss me?” he says with a lopsided grin, his face is painted with bruises and cuts but he’s still my Yaroslav.

I run into his arms, squeezing him tightly. He winces slightly, I go to pull away, worried I’m hurting him, but he holds me close and then showers me with kisses that I eagerly return.

Eventually, he pulls away, “We should go inside,” he says.

I giggle, realizing we’ve been making out on the doorstep like lovesick teenagers coming home from a date and not wanting their parents to see.

“Of course, come in. How… how are you here?” I ask, not quite believing that he’s actually here.

He sits me down on the couch and tells me everything. The torture, the rescue mission, Artem getting shot, and the events of tonight. I realize that finally, it’s over. Innokentiy, Bogdan, Amelia, and Vova are gone. I feel as though a weight has been lifted. But I can’t fully relax. I know there’s something he’s not yet told me.

“Where’s Jackson?” I ask.

“He was shot,” he says, before quickly adding, “But he’s okay. He was conscious and talking when I left him, it’s how I found you. He’s in surgery now but I’ve been told that the doctor said he’ll be fine,” he assures me.

“Oh my god, it’s my fault! Where is he? We have to go see him now,” I reply, jumping up.

Yaroslav grabs my hand and gently guides me back down. “We’ll go in the morning. He’ll be fine. If we go to the hospital now, it will only mean we’re waiting around for hours before we can see him. He’s not far away, his man took him to Atlanta City Hospital and told them it was a mugging. He’s a civilian so no one will question it.”

I nod, feeling a bit better. I look at him closely examining his injuries, touching his face gently to not hurt him. I know the scars I can’t see will be the ones that take the longest to heal.

“I thought I’d lost you…” I say softly.

He looks at me with love in his eyes. “I will always do whatever it takes to come back to you, you and our child,” he says, placing his hand upon my belly and gently kissing me and my stomach.

“What happens now? Was Innokentiy right? Will the Petrovs come after you?” I ask nervously.

He shakes his head. “I don’t think so, not once I show them what’s on the flash drive I gave you, it has evidence of Innokentiy’s betrayal of his marriage and collusion with Sharkozi. I assume you still have it?” he says, sounding a little concerned.

I’m tempted to tease him and tell him I lost it, but I don’t, this is not a joking matter. “Yep, it’s right here,” I say, getting up and retrieving it from its hiding spot to give to him. “Jackson cracked it, we saw everything that was on there. We planned to use it to try to get the Petrovs’ help in killing Innokentiy and freeing you.”

“I knew you would,” he says confidently. “And you’re still wearing the locket,” he points out.

“I haven’t taken it off.”

“Good,” he says with a smile. “There’s something very precious in there, something I’ll need to take from it, but for now, I think it’s safer with you.”

“I’ll protect it with my life,” I promise.

“Nothing is worth that. You’re the most valuable thing in this world to me. I’d lose everything I have for you. I love you so much, Kimberly.”

“I love you too,” I reply, meaning it with every fiber of my being.

He pulls me close and kisses me deeply. Being with him again feels like coming home. This man is my world. With our enemies gone, for the first time, I can see a future together. One without all this danger and death. Where we can raise our child together. My body fits against his perfectly as he lays me down on the sofa, his body close to mine. I long for him. To be with him again.

But I pause, breaking away from our kiss, “Shouldn’t we wake David? He’ll want to see you,” I whisper.

He shakes his head, “Soon,” he replies before kissing me again.

Return his kisses and allow myself to melt under his touch. All of my worries seem to fade away and at that moment, the only person that matters is right next to me.

We make gentle, tender love and he kisses me tenderly all over my body, marveling at it as though I’m an exquisite painting. He admires my new curves, the gentle slope of my stomach where the result of our love grows inside me. He moves slowly inside me, filling me, completing me. We grind together as one, our bodies and souls combining as we bring each other to the edge. We both reach our climax together, a sweet deep orgasm that ripples through my body. It’s nothing like our previous sex that’s fiery, passionate, and explosive, but it’s still incredible. I feel as though I’ve transcended.

For a long time, we lie entwined on the couch, just enjoying being together. As the gray haze of dawn appears we finally decide to get up. We should sleep, but we can’t leave Yaroslav’s reunion with David any longer, and I want to go to see Jackson as soon as possible to make sure he’s okay.

We shower together, gently washing each other and in the light of day I can see the extent of Yaroslav’s injuries. It makes me realize all over again how close I came to losing him. After toweling off I retrieve some clothes of Jackson’s for him to borrow and I leave him to speak to his brother alone. They need it.

Besides, I have to wake my grandmother and get her ready. We’re going to drop her back at the care home she was staying in before all of this happened on our way to the hospital. She was happy there. At some point, I’ll stop in to see our old neighbor, Abigail. She must be worried sick about us both. It also occurs to me that we need to find out what happened to Noah after he signed Gran out of the care home. But my brother’s whereabouts is a worry for another day. Right now I’m too happy, Yaroslav is back and everyone I love is safe.

***

When we reach the hospital, we’re escorted to Jackson’s room and find him sitting up in bed eating pudding with his left hand and watching television. His chest is bandaged tightly but otherwise, he seems to be unharmed.

“Jackson, you’re okay!” I cry out running into the room to hug him.

He pats me lightly on the back. “Of course I am. Luckily, if they were trying to kill me then the idiot’s aim was off since they hit me in the right side of my chest. Doc says I have a collapsed lung, but it shouldn’t take more than a few weeks to heal. Plus, they have chocolate pudding and cable TV,” he says with a smile.

I’m amazed by how upbeat he’s being and relieved that he’ll make a full recovery.

“Thank you, Jackson. For everything. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you,” I say, tears prickling at the corner of my eyes as I squeeze his hand gratefully.

“There’s no need to thank me, we’re family, we look out for each other. But, if you insist, can you promise me one thing?” he asks.

“Of course,” I reply eagerly.

“Let me be a part of my niece or nephew’s life,” he says with a soft smile, nodding at my stomach.

“You’d better! They’re going to be so lucky to have two incredible uncles!” I reply with a grin of my own.

We stay with Jackson chatting about everything, the past and the future, until a nurse finally kicks us out. We promise that we’ll visit regularly as we bid him farewell.

“Where do we go now?” I ask.

“Wherever you want,” Yaroslav says, taking my hand. “We can go to my place near here or any of my other houses. I can even buy a new place, one for us to raise our family.”

A warm glow fills me at the thought. “Let’s go to the house nearby for now. Everything else can wait,” I reply before adding, “What will you do with the house in Orlando?”

He shrugs, “It will need some repair work after Innokentiy’s coup, that’s for sure.”

“Yes, I suppose it will need that to sell. I doubt you’ll want to keep it after everything,” I say.

“Actually, I would like to keep it. As long as you don’t mind,” he adds. “It was the home Marta wanted me to have. I have more fond feelings about the house than negative ones.”

“I’m glad,” I reply, “It will be lovely to have a beach house for vacations.”

The two of us happily chat about the future the whole way to the house and continue to make plans over dinner together. I can’t wait for us to start our lives together. To build a home and a family, wherever we wish.