Page 81 of Debt to the Mafia King

Viktor’s fingers gripped my shoulders.

“You can go.”

I tried to move, and he locked me in place. Clearly, he wasn’t talking to me, and that suited me just fine. I was too tired to move. I wanted nothing more than to curl up and sleep right where I sat.

What had started out as a perfect day had gone to proverbial shit.

“Viktor?”

“Unless.” Coming around the sofa, Viktor glared at him. “You are telling me she needs medical care, then I would like to talk to my wife alone. Come back and check her over tomorrow.”

“Leah?”

My eyes snapped open. It was the way the doctor was asking my permission to leave, almost like he was scared for my safety.

“I’m fine.” I smiled weakly.

“And I wasn’t asking you to leave Dr Matthews. I was telling you. Your services aren’t needed tonight. Go back to your family.”

The doctor shuffled out. Viktor remained where he was. Staring down at me. I hated the way he was looking at me. I was too tired to deal with it.

I closed my eyes again.

“Leah?” Viktor mumbled my name, and I didn’t move. I had come back, but now that I was here, I wasn’t sure I had anything to say. Not tonight anyway.

“Printsessa,” he tried again. “I’m going to get you some clean blankets and some clean water for your feet. Don’t move, ok? Don’t you dare go anywhere.”

I tightened the blanket around me. “I don’t plan on going anywhere,” I murmured truthfully.

The next thing I knew, Viktor was tugging the soaked and stained PJ bottoms down my legs. I kicked out, the bottom of my foot landing on his chest and pushing him away.

Pain lanced up through my sole to spiral through my calf, and I howled in pain.

“Get off me.” Sitting upright I grabbed at my foot and scowled at him. “Don’t touch me. That,” I stressed the word, “is not happening.”

Towering over me, Viktor glared down at me. “That wasn’t why I was stripping them off, Leah. In fact, it’s that last thing on my mind. But your clothes are freezing, and I need to get them off of you before you catch your death.”

“I’m fine.” Of course, it wasn’t what he was after. He was probably spent from his time with his mistress.

Crouching down on his haunches, he went to take my hands, and I hid them under me. Viktor sighed. “You aren’t fine, Leah, and I’m to blame for that. So let me look after you, ok?”

“I can take care of myself.”

For a second, he looked like he might argue that fact, and then hethought better of it and puffed out a breath. “I know you can, Leah, but I would like that job as well.”

I stared at him. He actually looked and sounded sincere.

“Fine, but I’ll go and get changed. I don’t need help doing that.”

Except, I did because when I stood, the pain in my feet was unbearable, and I fell back with a cry. Tears sprang up in my eyes. Damn it.

“Let me help you, Leah,” he said again softly. “I can either carry you upstairs and help you change or—”

I cut him off. “No, thank you.”

The idea of him having me in his arms was sickening. Mostly because I knew I wouldn’t be able to help myself from snuggling into his chest. He was always so warm and hard and dependable, in a cold, hard, controlling way. The thought made me snort.

“Then take this,” he yanked the thick shirt from his back, and then, kneeling, reached for the buttons of my own PJ shirt.