Page 25 of Bossed Around By the Bratva

“Yes…, what…, what do you want?”

She was breathing in and out fast and hard. For a brief moment, I felt suspended in fear. Everything I had planned to say, to preach to her, flew out the window.

“What’s wrong? What happened? Where are you? Are you okay?” I asked hurriedly.

My mind was flooded with all kinds of questions and images after all we’d been through not long ago. I heard her whimpering, which made me realize she was on the verge of tears. Something was very wrong.

She didn’t respond, so I asked again.” Zhen, are you okay?”

I listened as she mumbled, but I couldn’t make out what she was saying. “Zhen!” I huffed as fear crept into my mind. What had happened to her? Why was she in such a state? If they hurt her, I would go on a killing spree until I found the person responsible, I told myself.

“I’m…,” she started saying, then breathed in hard. “I’m not sure.”

This answer wasn’t comforting. It only made me more agitated. “Where are you? Let me come to you,” I asked half pleadingly.

“Home,” I heard her saying through her sobs. “I’m… home.”

I was glad I could hear her even though she was crying frantically. “I’m coming, stay put, I’ll be right there,” I replied, hoping she heard me through her crying. “Stay on the line, don’t hang up, okay?”

Heading out to my truck, I listened as there was a loud thump noise. “Zhen?” I called out as I placed the phone in the dash bracket. Pulling out, I floored the gas. I had to get to her quickly. “Zhen, hang on, I’m coming.” I could still hear her sobbing, but it sounded further away.

I sped through red lights and skipped stop signs. The city view passed by me in a solid blur. Pulling into the condo parking, I barely stopped before jumping out. I had to ensure she was safe. My heart was pounding in my chest. It felt like it was going to crush my lungs, but I kept going.

Taking the steps two at a time, I quickly got to her door. Raising my hand to bang on the door, I stopped mid-air. Glancing around, I took a deep breath. I knocked twice. The sound echoed through the hallway. I hoped no one had heard.

I heard a shuffling on the other side of the door, and then the lock turned. The door opened, and Zhen stood there with a bat in her hands, held up high. She was ready to swing. Raising my hands in a gesture of surrender, I spoke softly. “Hey, it’s me.”

She looked like hell. Her hair was hanging in messy strands down the sides of her face. Her face was white as a sheet, but her cheeks glowed red, and her breathing was shallow. Brown streaks ran down the middle of it from all the crying. I noticed her eyes were bloodshot as they once again filled with tears.

Zhen let out a small whimper as she barreled forward into me. I heard the bat clanking as it hit the ground and wrapped my arms around her. She was clutching at the material of my shirt on my chest, letting out soft sobs. I could feel her body trembling.

Stepping inside with her, I closed the door behind us and exhaled loudly. I have never been so relieved to see someone as safe as I was at that moment. I tried to pull her head back so I could look into her eyes, but she forcefully buried it back into my chest.

“Thank you,” I heard her breathing out against my chest. Zhen took a couple of deep breaths, calming her tears slightly. I had so many questions about what had happened, but I wanted her to be calm first.

I had never been inside her place. The last time I was here, I only got as far as the door. The entrance was small, but on one side was a small table and a coat stand. Before me, the place opened to the condo through an archway. I could see half of the kitchen and half of the lounge from where we were standing.

“Come on now,” I said, pulling her back gently. “You’re safe now, I’m here.”

Zhen looked up, giving me a tired smile before nodding. I picked up the bat and placed it on the small table. “Let’s have some tea,” I added, placing my arm around her middle.

We walked through the archway. I could now see the entire place. There were two closed doors to the left on the other side of the lounge. To our right was the kitchen and breakfast nook.

Zhen walked around the counter and filled the kettle. I was burning to know what happened, but I waited for her to be ready to tell me. I wasn’t going to push. I wanted her to open up to me on her own time.

She opened a cupboard above the kettle and took out two cups. As she placed them on the counter, her tears started again. Zhen covered her face with her hands as her body started shaking again from sobbing.

Moving around the counter, I pulled her back into my arms. “It's okay, I’m here,” I whispered, rubbing her back. Trying to stay calm, I decided to ask. “Can you tell me what happened? Why did you leave the party?”

I waited as she took another couple of deep breaths. Her breathing was more irregular, though. “Zhen,” I said softly. “Whatever it is, you can tell me. I’m here for you.”

Holding her tightly, I could feel her body starting to relax as her sobs faded. She took my hand and led me to the lounge. She flopped down on the couch, wiping her eyes before tapping the seat next to her.

I sat down and took her hands in mine. Squeezing them tenderly, I prompted her again. “You know you can tell me anything. I care for you and will do what I can to keep you safe.”

She looked up, and our eyes met. There was something there, but I couldn’t figure out what. “At the party,” she started saying, then took another deep breath. “I was looking for you. Then I saw you with that woman…”

“Zhen,” I said, feeling guilty as I realized where she was going with this.

---