Page 77 of Blood Oath Christmas
As she settles against me, her breathing evening out, I make a decision. The Kozlovs think they can attack my family and disappear. They're wrong.
"Ivy," I say softly, just as she's drifting off.
"Mmm?"
"Be ready to leave in the morning. You're coming with us."
Her eyes snap open, suddenly alert. "Coming where?"
"To handle the family that shot me."
41
IVY
"Konstantin, you were shot yesterday. You need to rest." I stand in front of him as he adjusts his shoulder holster, wincing slightly as the leather straps pull against his bandaged wound.
"I'm fine, Ivy." His voice carries that familiar edge of authority that brooks no argument, but I can see the tightness around his green eyes, the way he favors his left side.
"You're not fine. You lost blood, you need?—”
He turns to face me fully, and the intensity in his gaze makes my breath catch. "What I need is to handle this before it escalates further. They shot at me in my own territory, in front of my wife. That cannot go unanswered."
The word “wife” still sends a flutter through my chest, even now. Even when I'm terrified he's going to get himself killed because of his stubborn pride.
"Then send Viktor. Send Maksim. You don't have to?—”
"Yes, I do." He steps closer, his hand cupping my cheek with surprising gentleness. "This is how it works,solnyshko. I lead from the front, always."
The Russian endearment, meaning little sun, kind of like the English version of sweetheart, makes my heart skip, but I force myself to focus on the danger. "What if you pass out? What if your wound reopens?"
"Then you'll be there to patch me up again." His thumb traces along my cheekbone, and despite everything, heat pools low in my belly at his touch. "You're coming with us."
"What? No, absolutely not. I'm not?—”
"You are." His tone leaves no room for negotiation. "I'm not leaving you here unprotected, and I need you where I can see you."
Twenty minutes later, I'm sitting in the back of Konstantin's SUV, my purse clutched tightly in my lap.
What am I doing?The thought circles through my mind like a vulture. Yesterday, when I saw Konstantin bleeding, when I thought I might lose him, everything became crystal clear. The terror that gripped me wasn't just fear for someone I cared about. It was the bone-deep panic of potentially losing the man I love.
Love. The word sits heavy in my chest. When did that happen? When did this arrangement, this marriage of protection, become something real?
But then my mother's voice echoes in my memory."He's dangerous, Ivy. These people destroy everything they touch."
I glance at Konstantin in the rearview mirror. He's staring out the window, his jaw set in that determined line I've come to know so well. Viktor is driving, occasionally glancing back at his boss with concern. Maksim sits in the passenger seat, checking his weapon with practiced efficiency.
"Where are we going?" I ask, though I'm not sure I want to know the answer.
"To have a conversation," Konstantin replies without looking at me.
The warehouse district looks exactly like what I'd expect from a crime movie—industrial buildings with broken windows, weeds growing through cracked pavement, the kind of place where bad things happen. But as we pull up to what I assumed would be an abandoned building, I realize I was wrong.
There are trucks parked outside, men moving boxes, the hum of actual business activity. This isn't some derelict hideout. It's a functioning operation.
"Stay close to me," Konstantin murmurs as we get out of the car. "Do exactly what I say, when I say it."
I nod, my mouth suddenly dry. Around us, I can see Konstantin's men moving into position with silent efficiency. They melt into shadows, disappear behind vehicles, and become invisible threats surrounding the building.
