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Someone screams something in Russian, and Polina and Viktor’s heads whip to the open gash in the wall. They share a look as our assailants retreat. They look…they look like they’re running for their lives.
Viktor won’t leave my side. He has me shoved behind this broken desk, wielding his gun in one hand, when something hits me on the back of the head. I scream, and on instinct swing the gun I’m still carrying. It connects with the head of another man dressed in black just as I hear a roar behind me.
Mikhail launches himself at my assailant. I cringe at the animalistic shriek of sheer terror my assailant releases seconds before Mikhail’s got him in his grip. He lifts him bodily with both hands and throws him against the wall. The man’s body crumples against it and slumps to the ground, but unfortunately for him, he’s still conscious.
Mikhail grabs the broken drawer from the desk and slams it over his knee, takes the wooden plank, and whacks my assailant with it. Over and over he hits him while the man cries for mercy. I cringe when he kicks his ribcage but can’t look away. The human body when under attack is so much more fragile than one might think.
He beats him until the man begs for death. He holds his head between his hands when Viktor shouts out, “Don’t kill him. Not yet. We need answers.”
Mikhail chokes the man out until he slumps to the ground.
He’s covered in the blood of another man, drenched in sweat from the effort of the beating he administered, but there’s nothing but concern in his eyes when he reaches for me. He kneels on one knee and gently grabs my chin, forcing my gaze to his.
“Are you hurt, my love?”
No, you can’t,I want to tell him.Please don’t call me that, not now.
“I don’t know. I was unconscious. I – I felt a pain in my belly, Mikhail.” My voice quavers. I reach my hand to his. He strokes his thumb against my chin, and I’m confident he’s smearing blood on me, but I don’t care.
Someone screams in the background amidst the sound of more gunshots, and I hear a phrase in Russian that chills me.
Sibirskiy tigr.
I hate that I want nothing but to go to him. I try to remind myself why I’m angry, why only a short while ago I began the process of getting past their security system so I could make my escape. Butnow that he’s here? Now that I’m afraid that our baby could be harmed? There’s no one else I want but my husband.
I didn’t know a human could hold such conflicting emotions at the same time. I can’t even begin to sort through the feelings of repulsion at the utter, unapologetic violence I just witnessed, relief at his tender concern for me, and a whole bunch of other emotions I haven’t begun to sort through yet.
“We’ll get you to the hospital.” It makes me nauseous to see blood streaked across his white tee and know it isn’t his. He beat a man to the point of almost death…for me. I should be more troubled by that than I am.
Viktor watches, standing guard against any other attacks.
“Polina?” he says.
“Mom’s pulse is faint. She’s alright. We need to get both of them to a hospital immediately.”
Mikhail holds me to him and stands with me held tightly against his chest. He leans in and kisses me. I almost turn away, but at the last second…I let him.
“We have a lot to talk about,” he whispers in my ear. “But know that you are mine and that I love you.”
The rest of what I wanted to say fades. I can’t even remember why I’m upset with him anymore.
You are mine and I love you.
It might be the only thing that can sustain me through what I have to go through next.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Aria
“There,”the doctor says, pointing to the screen in front of her. I squint my eyes to see what she’s pointing at, but only see blurry, indistinct images. It’s a bit unnerving to me that I’m able to see patterns on a screen in ways other people never can, but I can’t make heads nor tails of the ultrasound screen in front of me.
“Where?” Mikhail snaps.
I squint harder, but it doesn’t help.
I’m lying on my back and Mikhail is scowling at the doctor and the screen.
“There’s a heartbeat,” she says. “You likely pulled a muscle when you fell, but thankfully the female body is remarkably resilient and built to protect and nourish growing life. You’re fine, Aria, and so is your baby.”
