Page 10 of Deadly Knight (The Bratva’s Elite #2)

The day Katya’s parents bring her home, I’m at their front door, pleading to her mother.

“Please.”

It’s gutting to be restricted from seeing her. To not be able to hold her and kiss away the pain, the wounds I was forced to witness her receive. To not be able to apologize for everything. For being me. For my life. And most importantly, for my father.

I want to admit who the true villain is, but I’m not sure I should. While I don’t want to hide it, and this is too big to lie about, it also feels precarious. Like I’ll lose her if I do. She’ll be too scared to be around me, knowing whose blood I share.

And really…I get it. I fucking do.

What I will vow—what I’ll be on my knees telling her—is my plan to track, hunt, and slaughter the four hired rapists. The moment she allows me to see her, I’ll make an undying oath to bring all their heads to her if it’ll make her feel safe again. Until then, day and night, I’ll protect her.

If you want to protect her, stay away from her.

The nagging thought slices at my heart, but worse—it’s the truth. The safest thing for Katya is to cut her out of my life entirely and keep her far away from the Bratva and Papa. Papa’s already acted once, so I can’t imagine what he’ll do next to keep us apart.

After the four, I’m coming for him too. Until they’re dead, though, I have to be smart, because I’m alone in this crusade. Ursin will take his brother’s side, as will most of the soldiers out of fear and loyalty. Lev may be the only one who’ll take mine.

Staying away from her might be safest, but I’m a selfish fucker who won’t be able to live with his heart ripped out.

The door opens again, and I lighten with hope, only to be instantly darkened when Katya’s mother returns instead of my girl. Her lips are pressed together, and she shakes her head.

“Not yet. I’m sorry.”

The staggering weakness in my legs makes me stumble down the steps and back onto the skinny path from the sidewalk to their front door. “I-I understand. Just…tell her I love her. And I’m sorry.”

Then I turn away before I end up on my knees, begging and pleading with the woman to let me inside.

She calls me back with a low murmur of my name. “I think she’s aware already, but I will.”

When the door shuts with a soft thud, it’s one I feel echoing through my entire body, reminding me of the emptiness within me.

The lack of life.

With a long, final look at Katya’s house, I head down the road.

That night, I return.

Call it addiction, or patheticness. Call it whatever. But here I am, seated on the curb across the street from her house like a goddamn stalker, staring at her window in the upper right side of the two-storey building. The white lace curtain remains shut, the lights dimmed with no sign of life.

For hours, I don’t blink, too scared if I do, I’ll miss her moving around. The fact she isn’t says a lot, and I picture her curled up in bed, shivering beneath the weight of the recent memories.

Out here, I can be productive; that’s what I tell myself. Going home means facing Papa. Out here means I can protect her from the world.

At some point, the blinds covering the large downstairs window part, and I assume it’s one of her parents. No one comes to shoo me away, so I remain.

The next afternoon, Katya’s father opens the door, greeting me with a frown. “Dimitri?—”

“Here.” I shove the paper bag into his hand. “It’s soup. For her.”

He takes it, peeking inside. “Thank you.”

“Just…I don’t know. I want to be there for her, even when she won’t let me.”

His lips pull up on one side. “She hasn’t stopped loving you, Dimitri. But thanks.”

When he shuts the door, I feel slightly better.

When the door opens the next day, it’s so Katya’s mother can retrieve the daily mail left on the porch. Alongside their mail is a bouquet of lilies, because they’re Katya’s favourite. She picks them up and nods my way from where I’m seated across the street.

Flowers don’t seem like enough, but they’re all I have right now.

Three more days pass, and still nothing.

Not even a peek from her window.

I wonder if she knows I’m outside. Not that I want to rush her. She’s healing. I get it.

Me? Being here is my salve. There’s nothing else I need to make recent events better. Other than being able to gaze upon her face.

When my phone—the new one I bought yesterday to replace my old one that was stolen—buzzes, I grow pointlessly hopeful, only to have those hopes crushed when it’s the man I’ve been pretending doesn’t exist.

Papa

You have duties that don’t involve playing guard dog outside her house. Have you not learned?

Me

Fuck off.

Papa

Your Pakhan is looking for you. He has a job for you. Do not ignore orders.

Me

Once again, fuck off. Better yet, go die.

Papa

So passionate in your stance to pretend you’re not one of us.

I shove my phone into my pocket, only to groan when the annoying vibration occurs again. I’ll regret looking, I’m sure, but being compelled, I flip it over to see the screen.

Lev

Your father’s looking for you. He’s asked me three different times today when you’ll be back.

It’s the most attention I’ve ever gotten from him. It’s weird. Make it stop.

Me

Fuck off.

Sorry.

I rub my hand over my face, using the break to calm me down before I say shit to Lev he doesn’t deserve.

Lev

Haven’t seen you around in days. For a second, I figured you were out of the city on a job.

I hesitate. Lev’s trustworthy, but telling him where I am means explaining why, and for now, this can’t get out. Can’t give Papa more power than he already believes he has. What happened to Katya is my personal task, and no one else needs to know.

Me

Local job, can’t explain.

Lev

Not one Ursin or your father sent you on? What have you gotten yourself into?

Never mind. If it’s a secret, no worries.

Me

Thanks.

As for my father, tell him you passed on the message and I’ve demanded he leave you alone. He reached out to me already. Obviously didn’t like my answer.

Lev

Got it. Good luck with whatever you’re doing.

Luck isn’t what I need right now.