Chapter 29

**Steph's pov**

I was shaking like a leaf as I watched the guys stand off just outside the car, my breath coming in short, fast pants, what would happen to me if he was shot? I couldn’t just see the enemy letting me go, and with my leg broken, I couldn’t run. Fuck, I couldn’t even walk on my own.

But he wouldn’t die, right? He was strong and resourceful, he would figure a way out of this. For the both of us.

But then, as if by magic, or some answered prayer, the guy who cornered us was walking away, his men following closely behind, as though they hadn’t just threatened to shoot us in broad daylight in the middle of a busy mall.

“Get us the fuck out of here.” Alexi snarled, turning towards the biggest guy I’d ever seen in my whole life.

He was there the day I was taken. I remember that much.

Alexi climbed into the back with me whilst the other man and Misha climbed into the front, there was another car behind us, but I didn’t know who was in there, or what they looked like.

All I knew was that I was grateful to be alive, again.

Alexi was stiff as the car pulled out of the mall, his eyes on everything and nothing all at once. He was shaken, though he wouldn’t admit it, not to me.

“What’s going on?” I ask, my whole rosy tense and aching.

I was ready for more painkillers, my leg was fucking hell on earth right now, but I didn’t even know how to bring up the subject. Especially when my kidnapper and his temper was on such a short leash.

“None of your fucking business.” He growled at me, turning to look out of the window.

The men in front were just as silent, though I could see from here that they were just as angry, who ever it was back there, it didn’t mean anything remotely good, for anyone in this vehicle. Especially me.

I don’t need to know the full extent of what was going on to know that the guy had threatened to kidnap me himself, though I can guarantee whatever he had in store for me would be much worse than what Alexi had done so far. Fuck, I hated this. I hated having no control over my own god damn life.

This sucks. But I have to try and stay calm, Alexi would tell me if I was in any real danger, right?

I tried to tell myself he would, but I wasn’t so sure. How could I be? He was the man who had dragged me into all of this, and now I didn’t have just him to worry about, but another player in the mafia. Perfect. Fucking fantastic.

“Misha.” Alexi called out, making me jump from the sudden noise. “I want everything there is to know about Luther Drone and I wanted it yesterday.”

Misha looked at him through the mirror, “I’ll get on it as soon as we are back, I’ll call up all my favours.” His voice was thick with an accent, so much so I could barely tell what he said after that.

I just hope it wasn’t anything important.

Jione grunted from the drivers seat, “who the fuck does he think he is?” He growled, “did he really believe they’d be no retaliation from this?”

Alexi scoffed, pulling me across the seat towards him, wrapping an arm around me like it was the most natural thing he could do. “He’s going to be fucking shocked when I burn every one of his businesses to the ground.”

I knew it wasn’t an idle threat, when the Russian mafia king set his mind to something, nothing would stop him. I doubted even something like death would hold him back.

We pulled up to the iron gate that Alexi and I had left through earlier in the day, though that seemed like a lifetime ago right now. I’d give anything to be that clueless about the danger I was in again, but it was too late now, my eyes were wide open and all they saw was my own demise.

Could Alexi keep me safe? Did he have what he needed to take Luther on? Of course he did. Alexi was a god in this city, and anyone who messed with him was a fool. Myself Included.

God, what I would give to go back to a few weeks ago, I’d take Sarah and run like fuck, never looking back.

I almost kick myself, my was I kidding? I would have never made it out of the city. David would have made sure of that. Once upon a time I thought he was a big player in the wars of this city, but now I see that I was wrong. He was a rat compared to the men around me. Which he would soon realise when they came for his head.

Once the car stopped outside the massive main doors to the house Alexi let me go, slipping out of the car and then leaning back in to lift me out and carry me into the house.

“Alexi.” I whispered, nervously hanging on to his shirt.

“What?” He asks, his voice softer now.

It wasn’t calm, not by any meaning of the word. But it was definitely softer than it had been the last time I spoke.

“My legs killing me.” I say, keeping my voice low, “can I have something to help with the pain?”

He glances down at me for the first time, his brows knotted together, “how long have you been in pain?” He asks, tension in his voice.

“A while.” I whisper, turning my eyes away from his.

Please don’t tell me to fuck off.

He sighs, placing me down on counter in the kitchen, “you should have said something sooner, love, I would have gotten you some more morphine.”

“It didn’t feel like the right time.” I admitted, looking down at my lap.

He grabs my chin, forcing my head back so I have no other choice but to look into his hard eyes, “next time, you’ll tell me straight away, understood?”

I nod, holding eye contact, “understood.”  

He always seems so cruel on the outside, but to me, sometimes, I can see the gentleness of his soul. It’s blocked, but it’s there.

“Jione!” He called, his voice echoing off the walls, “get Stephanie some morphine!”

Jione poked his head round the kitchen door, “right away boss.”

Alexi lifted me back into his arms, “let’s get you back to your room.”

I’d almost forgotten that I was kept in something similar to a cell until I saw it, but Alexi promised to leave the door open from now on. I just hope he sticks to it and is a man of his word.

I hate being confined in a small space, it freaked me out.

He sets me down on the bed, sitting next to me, “I’m sorry Malyshka, I shouldn’t have taken you to the mall, I should have known going alone would be dangerous.”

Was this an apology? Of all the things he could have said, that was the most surprising, hearing him admit that he was wrong. It must have been hard for him to say. Especially to me.

Though I had a feeling it wouldn’t be the last time I heard him apologise, I was bound to be hurt again, it came with the life of an outlaw.

I just hoped I’d be alive to hear it.