Page 59 of Beneath Scarred Vows

He takes the weapon. "Casualties?"

"Johnny's dead." I pull on my suit jacket, adjusting it over the holster. "Katerina was grazed."

At the mention of Katerina's injury, something shifts in my chest—a crack in the ice, a flare of something beyond rage. Fear. I push it down.

Fear is weakness.

"How bad?" Theo asks, reading me too well.

"Chris says it's just a graze." I turn away, not wanting him to see what's in my eyes. "They'll be here soon."

Theo moves to the bar cart against the wall, pouring himself a drink. His hands are steady, but I can see the tension in hisshoulders. "You think this is retaliation for what happened at the docks?"

"Perhaps." I check my watch and think about the note on our dad, the one only I and now Katerina know about. The sons follow the father.

Maybe that extends to Calli, too.

"Or it's connected to Father. Either way, blood answers blood."

"Always," Theo agrees, downing his whiskey in one swallow.

My phone pings with a text from Chris, and I read it carefully.

"They're here," I say to Theo.

We move through the house toward the front entrance. The staff have made themselves scarce, sensing the danger in the air.

Alex, my head of security, meets us at the door, his face stern. "We've doubled security and patrols, boss. No one gets within a mile of this place without us knowing."

I nod my approval. "Call Dimitri. Have him take the lead. I want every camera feed from the restaurant and surrounding areas. Find me those fucking cars."

"Already working on it," Alex says and turns to leave.

I walk out onto the front steps, Theo at my side, as the black SUV pulls up to the house. I don't even wait for Chris to turn off the car before I'm ripping the back car door open.

I see Calli first, her face pale, mascara smudged beneath her eyes. There's a small cut on her cheek, and her hands are trembling slightly. Despite this, she holds her chin high, every inch our father's daughter.

"I'm fine. I'm fine," she says, stepping out. "Your wife saved me. Help her," she says and hugs Theo.

I run to the other side of the car and open the door. We lock eyes, and my world breaks and comes back together all at once.

"Katerina!" I say and help her out of the car, my chest constricting almost painfully when I see it.

Blood.

It's all over her white dress.

Too much blood for just a graze, I think.

Her face is composed, but I can see a hint of shock in her eyes, the slight tremble in her jaw that she's fighting to stay strong.

I don't speak anymore. I can't. The crimson color has stolen my voice, my reason. Something primal takes over. She's in my arms before I realize I've moved, crushed against my chest where nothing can touch her.

Where she belongs.

Her body is stiff at first, resisting the sudden contact. Then, like ice melting, she softens against me. Her face presses into my shoulder, and I feel her exhale a shuddering breath that breaks something inside me.

"You're okay," I murmur, my voice low. "I've got you. You're safe now."