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“What happened?” Eddie asked.
I told them the story as I wiped my bloody nose on the towel. I told them that I should have gone with my gut instinct, but it had seemed kind of churlish when he was a taxi driver, there with his taxi.
“Did he hurt you, or ...?” The Russian couldn’t say the words.
I shook my head. “He tried, but he didn’t get that far. There were no door handles in the front,” I said, my voice starting to crack as the realism of the situation began to hit me. “How did you get here so quickly?”
“You didn’t hang up. We tracked your phone,” The Russian said. “Eddie, can you take Carla to my house and ...”
“No way,” Eddie said.
It seems they all knew The Russian too well. “You’re not going near this situation Russian, not for a minute.”
I could hear The Russian’s teeth grind with anger. Every muscle in his body was hard and flexed, on alert and ready to pound someone.
Eddie—the voice of reason—continued: “Carla is safe now and you can’t ruin your career for a guy who’ll get his day in court.”
“He needs to get more than that,” The Russian hissed.
Eddie continued. “You need to get Carla home, and Jack and I will catch up with the police and let you know what’s happening. The cops will need you to make a statement Carla, but it can wait until tomorrow if you are sure there’s no, um, samples that we need?” he asked as discretely as possible.
I felt The Russian bristle with anger beside me.
“He didn’t touch me, but he tried,” I said, looking up at The Russian.
“If I see him I’ll fuckin’ ...” The Russian began and I put a finger on his lips.
“Sorry,” he said, releasing a long breath of frustration. “Let’s get you back to my place.”
He thanked Eddie and Jack and watched them head off. He lowered me into the passenger seat of his car, locking my door. As soon as he came around to the driver’s seat I began to shake ... delayed shock, I guess. He turned the heat up in the car and held my hand. We drove on for about a quarter of a mile before we came across the police car, Ken’s taxi, and Eddie and Jack with their security van. Ken was leaning against his taxi, surrounded by the men.
It must have gotten too much for The Russian, because he suddenly pulled over.
“Lock the doors,” he said to me and before I could stop him he was out of the car and rushing at Ken. Eddie saw it unfolding and he and Jack tried to cut The Russian off, but it was like trying to stop a charging lion. Ken started screaming for his life and then one of the police officers bundled him into the back of the car, while the other officer blocked The Russian.
Eddie and Jack stepped in, and it took the three of them to restrain The Russian. Eddie and Jack pushed him back towards his car; I hadn’t locked the doors, there was no need to. Eddie opened the driver’s door and he and Jack shoved The Russian in, which was no mean feat given the strength of ten men he seemed to display.
Eddie hissed at him, panting heavily. “Don’t fucking try that again, Russian. Take Carla home, we’ll deal with it.” He looked over at me. “Sorry Carla.”
The Russian started the car, his jaw locked and his eyes never leaving Ken who sat huddled in the back of the taxi, somehow managing to make himself look small.
“Seriously, get out of here,” Eddie said, closing the car door and blocking The Russian’s view of Ken. I placed my hand on The Russian’s, and he turned as if noticing I was still there. He swallowed, and the men stepped back as The Russian pulled the car away from the scene. When we returned to the main road, I completely broke down – all the stress and fear pouring out of me.
“Carla, babe ... it’s okay, you’re safe now,” The Russian said.
I couldn’t help it, I was suddenly terrified.
“I hate to see you cry, what can I do?”
“You’re here,” I said, between sobs, “I’ll be okay.”
*****
The Russian didn’t know what to do; he rubbed my back as I leaned over in the seat, and when we got home, he helped put me to bed. I heard him on the phone with the Saints’ team lawyer, asking him to work with the Suns’ team lawyer to keep this out of the media; I was hoping they’d succeed.
I slept fitfully and each time I woke, I was wrapped in The Russian’s arms, with him murmuring the words that I was safe now – he didn’t let me go all night.
