Chapter 96

When Keenan pulled into the underground parking lot, I felt like I could breathe a sigh of relief. It was home. It felt like home. Knowing Marek wasn’t there didn’t make it feel like a victory but there was still something to coming back to where we lived together. Keenan helped me out of the car and we made our way over to the elevators.

“Can you do me a favor?” I handed him his phone back.

“Of course.”

I smiled at his immediate reply. “There is a package coming for me in a few minutes. Can you wait at the front desk for it? I’m going to head up to the penthouse. When you get it, just come up and knock. I’ll come down and meet with this asshole.”

“Sure, Atamansha. Anything else?”

“Some food? Maybe India? I’m starving. If I have to look at Jell-O within the next ten years, I think I will puke.”

Keenan laughed and nodded. “Done.”

I stepped into the elevator that took me up to the penthouse and Keenan moved to the one that would take him to the front desk. The doors shut and I sighed. Leaning against the side of the elevator, I wanted to cry. My legs hurt really bad. With every step it was like my muscles were tearing.

The doors opened and I walked into the familiar hallway. It felt like it had been far too long. Opening up the vault door, I shut it behind me. The whole penthouse felt too quiet. As if it knew that its owner was missing. Opening up the fridge, I sighed. There was still the food I made for the dinner the day we left to get the mercenaries. That meant Victoria hadn’t come by since then to clean.

In a way it made sense, Keenan wouldn’t be able to bring her up if he was busy but I was a bit sad. Time was on pause here and I felt like I was disturbing it. Grabbing a can of sparkling water, I cracked it open and took a sip. I could almost hear Marek behind me.

‘Búsinka, that isn’t a substitute for actual water.’

I smiled and looked down at the can. “Says you.”

Part of me wanted to cry and the other part of me wanted to throw the can across the room. I needed Marek to wrap his arms around me. I needed him to hug me. I needed him to tell me everything was going to be alright. I just needed him.

Tears filled my eyes and I shook my head. I wanted to punch him in the face too. My laugh filled the space and I wiped my eyes, taking another sip of the water.

“Zasranets. Tvoya igra na vykhod otstoy.” [Asshole. Your pull out game sucks.]

Kamilia said that they hadn’t found anything from Enzo this time around because I was already pregnant. It was still early, but eight weeks was enough to tell. I’d as Kamilia not to say anything to anyone. Not yet. There was so much that could happen, especially with the trauma that my body had gone through. I was pretty much ensured a miscarriage at this point but somehow I hadn’t yet.

Taking a deep breath, I cleaned off my face with the kitchen towel. “It doesn’t matter. We can try again later. Marek comes first. No matter what.”

Thinking about him was a place I couldn’t go. I needed to be angry. I needed to be frustrated. Falling apart right now wasn’t an option and I knew better. I could lock my feelings. There was no choice. Not until Marek was safe in my arms.

Forcing all thoughts from my head, I went into my room and changed into my own clothes. Damir got me my size but they weren’t my clothes. I felt more comfortable in my own stupid shirt from Target and some jeans I could have bought from Target for five hundred dollars less. Grabbing the house tablet, I started to read up on the things I missed.

My head snapped up when there was a knock on the vault door. Once I confirmed it was Keenan, I unlocked the door for him. Not only did he have a large box but he also had a bag of food. I started to get off the stool but he shook his head.

“Don’t. It’s fine.”

He placed the bag and box next to me before going on the other side of the island.

“Grab two plates. I’m sure you’re hungry too.”

Keenan shook his head. “I’m not. It’s okay.”

“Fine. But sit next to me. I don’t…I don’t want to be alone right now.”

His head whipped around to look at mine but I only smiled sadly at him. Keenan nodded after a second and grabbed a second plate with utensils to go with it. He sat down next to me and opened up the bag of good.

“Mr. Baranov, I’m sorry and don’t kill me later please.”

I laughed and shook my head. “He can’t see or hear you right now.”

“I know. But in case he goes back and looks.”

Rolling my eyes, I let Keenan portion out the food for the two of us while I opened up the box next to me. Pulling out the smaller boxes inside, I smiled as I took the little black pouch at the very bottom.

“What’s that?”

Shaking it, they clinked together. “Coins.”

“Coins? Why? You aren’t taking the bus anywhere are you? You better not. Or you can use my phone if you need to.”

Ruffling Keenan’s hair, I laughed. “Sometimes, you’re so cute.”

“I…w-what…no….s-stop…” Keenan swatted at me and I just laughed more.

Setting the big box on the floor, I started to go through the smaller boxes. One of them had the drugs I needed. Sure enough, a bag with some pills were in them and I took out two. Before I could throw them in my mouth, Keenan caught my wrist.

“What the hell is that? You’re just going to take some unknown drugs?”

I nodded. “Yup. That’s what drugs are for, aren’t they? For taking?”

Keenan growled. “Atamansha…”

“Trust me, fratellino. I’ll be fine. They are pain meds. As long as I eat with them.”

His eyes narrowed and he looked from me to the pills. Finally, he let go and I immediately threw them in my mouth. Keenan huffed and shook his head.

“Pakhan is really going to kill me.”

“We need to save him first before that can happen. I’ll protect you though. Don’t worry.”

Keenan was quiet and he stared at his plate as I moved the boxes aside and grabbed my fork. The Indian food was like heaven in my mouth. I’d had roll of stale bread with the one time I got water. After that, Kamilia wasn’t allowing me to have anything that might have flavor in it. Taking a couple bites, I looked over at Keenan still staring at his food. I nudged him and he looked up at me.

“You called Enzo fratellino, right?”

I swallowed the bite of chicken I had in my mouth. “No. I called him fratello. Fratello is brother in Italian. Though, technically, he is my fratello maggiore which is older brother.”

“Then what’s fratellino?”

“Little brother.”

Keenan looked at me, his eyes wide. “Atamansha…” He looked like he was about to cry but then his brow furrowed. “Wait…I’m older than you.”

Laughing, I shrugged. “I’m not sure anyone would know that with how you act.”

“Hey!” He pouted at me.

I threw back my head and laughed even harder. Keenan stabbed a piece of chicken before shoving it in his mouth, angrily chewing. It just made me laugh even more. Going back to my food, I continued to eat with him. We didn’t say much else but it did feel less lonely. Instead, I just enjoyed my food having flavor and spice.

Pushing my plate away, I smiled. The meds had kicked in and my legs weren’t even an annoyance anymore. At the very least, I got to sleep at the hospital. I needed that more than anything. I probably wouldn’t get any more sleep until we finished this. Until Marek was back in my arms, my father was dead, and we were back together.

“Keenan…”

He hummed, cocking his head to the side.

“What you’re about to see…I just…” I shook my head and smiled at him. “Never mind.”

“What?”

Shaking my head again, I took his plate and mine to the sink. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Does it have to do with the guy downstairs? With you getting information from him?”

I nodded, not looking up as I rinsed off the plates.

“You are Atamansha. I know you will do anything for pakhan. It’s not going to change how I see you. I know you’ll do whatever it takes.”

“You’re sweet.” I stacked up the plates and the forks in the right side of the sink.

Keenan frowned. “You don’t believe me.”

I looked up at him. “I don’t. But it’s okay. You saying that means a lot on its own. So thank you, fratellino.”

Walking back around, I grabbed the three boxes that were inside the large one and the black pouch. “Let’s go. I’m ready.”

“Atamansha…” Keenan looked like he wanted to say more but thought better of it.

He took the food and tossed it in the trash before coming with me to the door. He took the boxes from me before opening the vault door.

I looked back over the penthouse. We would be back here. Marek and I. We could come back and sleep for an entire week together. I would paint the stairwell and he would complain that he couldn’t go up the stairs anymore because he didn’t want to walk on the art.

We would cuddle on the couch and read the smutty romance books in Russian. We would eat pizza at Aleksei’s favorite place and argue about which way was better to handle a drug deal gone south. We would plan for our future together, without the threat of my father looming over us.

“Atamansha.”

I nodded to Keenan. “Yeah. Let’s go.”