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“Whoa, slow down. Hey.” He said to her, as he caressed her hair, brushed his thumb along her forehead and kept his is hand over hers. More tears fell. The relief of feeling him this close, of being alive and safe overwhelmed her.
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Are you in pain?” He asked.
“Missed your touch.” She whispered.
His expression changed. It was as though her words bothered him. She knew he would be upset, angry and blame himself for all of it. She didn’t blame him. She blamed Volkov. He was dead though. She killed him. Wouldn’t that prove to Ivan that she was strong enough to be his woman?
“She’s awake.” The guy, the doctor who helped her the night she got the concussion appeared and she realized that she wasn’t in a traditional hospital at all.
Ivan stepped back as Victor checked her over, listened to her chest, and then gave her a smile. “Antibiotics seem to be working. We’ll do some more tests to confirm, and then Ivan, you can take her home to rest and recover.”
“Yes, her friends are impatient to see her.” Ivan said and looked away. Pulled out his cell phone whispered into it and then stood away from her bedside. Something was wrong.
“Ivan?” She questioned him, and he just stared at her and she knew that look. He was going to try and walk away from her. From this relationship because he blamed himself and he didn’t want to put her in danger ever again.
She went to speak her mind, despite feeling so tired and weak, and now hurt by him pushing her away, but then the door opened and there was Louisa and Commerce.
“Oh thank God.” Louisa said and then Ivan walked out of the room with Commerce leaving her with Louisa, and a heavy heart.
****
“You’re wrong to be doing this. She belongs with you, under your protection, with you loving her, not with her friends, not alone. She doesn’t deserve this and neither do you.” Commerce said to Ivan.
“My decision is made. I can’t take the chance. I can’t lose her. I can’t stand to think of what she went through and that it could happen again, or worse. It’s the right thing to do. I’m a made man, and I have enemies. I can’t protect her.”
“You do this, and you’ll break her heart.” Commerce said to him.
“We can protect her, Ivan. We all care for her. What happened with Volkov, none of us ever imagined possible. It was a simultaneous hit. The warehouse, the hit on Marcollies, and that’s the only reason why she was taken.” Dante said to him.
“You’re overstepping your boundaries. I’m the boss. You obey my commands. When Victor says she is okay to go home, we take her to the Point, to her place with her friends. She will learn that this is best for her. That I can’t protect her and I will not risk something happening to her again.”
Epilogue
Ivan walked down the hallway and into the room where Annabella was. She was sitting up and talking to Mirnon, Roman and Rogan. He cleared his throat and they nodded to her and exited the room.
“Victor said I can leave this place. Wherever this is.” She smirked.
“He gave me a bunch of medicine and advice about resting.” She held his gaze.
The bruises on her face were more discolored than a week ag
o. She coughed and it still sounded pretty rough. His heart ached, and the pain in the pit of his stomach was foreign to him. He didn’t do emotions. He didn’t show vulnerability or weakness. He was a made man and a soldier. He blamed himself, his lifestyle, his decisions taking on this life after his parents and brother were murdered, for Annabella almost dying. He would never forget the place they found her in. Nor her condition, her emaciated body, or her moans that followed throughout her recovery.
“That’s great news. I can have Denver and Roman drive you home to The Point.” He said straight faced, yet the words that left his lips burned his chest, his gut, and he hoped she couldn’t hear the emotion in his voice.
She squinted her eyes at him, kept her hands on her lap over the blanket that covered her, fingers locked. He knew the men were right outside the open door, and he placed his hands on his hips and tried to control his emotions.
“So let me get this straight. I put my trust in you, give you my virginity, my love, my everything, and this happens and now you’re tossing me away?”
He stepped forward, narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m not tossing you away. I’m protecting you the best I can, and that’s by not bringing you into my world. Not exposing you to being a target again.” He raised his voice.
She tilted her head sideways. “News flash, Marine, you kind of already brought me into your world, not to mention I broke several laws, and killed three men. Don’t exactly think that makes me a great catch for any other man but a made man. I’m in love with you, and you’re in love with me, but you’re so hung up on believing that loving me and caring makes you weak. Well it doesn’t. It makes you stronger, more determined than ever to want to be close to those you love, not far apart. You think you can live without me in your life, or in your bed? Think again, you are not running out on me Ivan Sokolov. I will harass you, hell lets add stalking to the list.” She said and then started coughing as tears rolled down her cheeks.
He was by her side so fast, breathing through his nostrils, shocked at her words, her attitude, and her love for him. He held her shoulders and lowered down close.
“You need discipline.” He whispered through clenched teeth.
“And you need to kiss me Ivan. To hold me close and tell me…”
