Page 65 of Goodnight, Sinners

Branislav was moved onto a gurney and wheeled to his surgery ahead of his doctors and bodyguards. Several nurses and an anesthesiologist began preparing the patient while Elisa and Shaun scrubbed their hands and arms.

“Can you be objective with this man?” Elisa asked.

“Of course,” Shaun replied quickly. “Aside from my professional background speaking for me, I am completely objective. I don’t know this man, hadn’t met him before today and don’t particularly care about him one way or the other, except as a human being.”

“But he must have some business with your fiancé,” Elisa persisted. “You won’t hold this against him?”

Shaun smiled grimly. Of course she would. If holding the man’s life over his head stopped him from harassing Jozef, then she would do it.

She stopped scrubbing and stared at her reflection in the glass separating the scrub area from the surgery. She was proposing harm. Not physically, because she would never actually harm the man, but she would withhold the surgery if he persisted in going after Jozef. The thought should have sickened her, but it didn’t. It gave her a strange sense of power over the situation.

She was in her element. In surgery, she was in charge. She was powerful and he was at her mercy.

She was changing. Just as Jozef was changing, becoming more thoughtful because of her, she was becoming more ruthless. Her life had been put in danger several times over the past year and a half. She was done being the victim. It was time to take charge of her life again and she would start by ensuring the safety of herself and her family.

The two women finished scrubbing and put on their gowns, masks and gloves. Upon entering the room, Shaun took her seat on the stool next to the patient. While Elisa redirected the placement of the implements, Shaun leaned over to speak to her patient.

His dark brown eyes met hers and she read understanding in them.

He knew she was about to throw down an ultimatum.

“If this surgery is a success, then you will owe me, and I promise, I will collect.” Her voice was low so only the Prime Minister could hear.

He stared at her, his dark eyes assessing. “You have my word. Just cut this thing out of me and give me a few more years with my grandchildren.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Havel grunted and stumbled back as he absorbed Jozef’s blow.

Jozef was beating the shit out of him, while he’d only landed a couple of blows. It went this way every time they sparred. Havel was heavy with muscle, while Jozef was light on his feet and wiry. Muscles roped the younger man’s arms as he danced before landing each blow.

Havel was next only to Jozef. No one else could beat him, which was his only consolation after a good ass-whooping courtesy of his best friend and boss. Jozef didn’t pull his punches but attacked full force and danced away before Havel could land a single blow.

Havel was still catching his breath when he saw Jozef come at him out of the corner of his eye. He held up his boxing glove and shouted, “Mercy.”

Though the sound was muffled through his mouth guard, Jozef heard him and stopped his advance.

Havel dropped to his knees, spat out his mouth guard and sucked precious air into his lungs. Each breath sent a blast of nausea rushing through him, but eventually his stomach settled.

“Stay the fuck away from my stomach.” Havel glared at Jozef, who’d dropped onto his ass and was leaning back against one of the posts, resting his arms across his upraised knees. Fucker was barely winded while Havel was dry heaving and trying to keep his breakfast down while shards of pain ripped through him.

Jozef stripped the tape from his gloves and pulled them off, dropping them to the mat and flexing his fingers.

Once he was able to catch his breath, Havel mimicked Jozef’s pose, sitting on his ass and leaning against the post behind him.

You’re getting old,Jozef signed.Used to be you were the one handing me my ass on a platter.

Havel snorted. “Yeah, it was stupid of me to teach you everything I know.”

They stared at each other. Though they were joking around, the atmosphere was heavy. Havel had taught Jozef everything he’d known, taking the boy under his wing when Havel joined the Koba organization. Now Jozef used those skills to rule his new kingdom with an iron fist.

That wasn’t what their current boxing session was about, though. Jozef liked to box when he couldn’t keep his mind on his work, and today he was useless for anything except fighting.

“Your lady doctor will be fine. She’s surrounded by guards and she’s spending most of her day in the most protected wing of the hospital.” Havel repeated the same words he’d said to Jozef forty minutes earlier and about two hours before that when she left for the hospital. “Nothing can happen to her.”

Nothing was supposed to happen to her when she went Christmas shopping, but my aunt somehow slashed her up and started a war. She should have been safe under this roof one year ago, but she was poisoned.Jozef’s frustration showed in the jerky movements of his hands as he signed.How can I keep her safe when she’s not with me? Yet, I know I can’t keep her with me at all times.

Havel nodded his sympathy.

---