by Lacey Legend
“She wasn’t this way when I knew her. She was successful. I wish I knew what happened in the years since we’d been together.”
“Did you contact the agency?”
“I’m going to have my PI guy do it. He can be discreet.”
“No wonder you have that haunted look in your eye. Even if you felt nothing for her, that was too young to die,” Kendra said.
She squeezed his arm. He gave her a sardonic smile. “Thanks for listening.”
“I did want to hug you but I didn’t think it appropriate to our boundaries.”
He brushed a hair out of her face. “It would have been appreciated, but it’s okay that you didn’t. I’m glad you’re here for me to talk to.”
“No problem.”
He rubbed a hand down his face. “Have the nanny make dinner for Cliff. I’m not hungry.”
“Good idea.”
She sent a text to the nanny. “Done. I’m not hungry either. I really appreciate Viktor letting us use his nightclub.”
“It was Alia. She told him that you could. She didn’t give him any choice. He isn’t going to argue with his pregnant wife.”
Kendra laughed. “Alia is a force of nature.”
“She is and she’s good for Viktor.”
“I’d like to do something to thank them. Can we have them over for dinner?” Kendra asked.
“I’ll see when they’re free.”
“Good. Thanks.”
She leaned back in her seat, glad the race was tomorrow and she’d be past the stress of it. She wondered when she’d be safe again. Soon, she hoped. With her mother in the home, Kendra had some things she wanted to accomplish. Things she hadn’t thought would ever be possible.
***
At the race the next morning, Sacha’s phone rang. It was Nikolai.
“Hey, Nik.”
“Sacha, I’m glad I caught you. I’ve heard some chatter this week about Kendra. Lopez is still threatening her and he’s escalating it. He wants her found.”
“Oh, crap. We’re out in public today. She’s part of a race. I have a bodyguard and I’m around.”
“Keep your eyes open. Where are you?”
He gave his friend the address. “The race starts in ten minutes.”
“Is Kendra with you?”
“No, but I’ll go find her. Right now.”
Sacha’s heart raced as he searched the crowd for Kendra. He’d assumed that there would be safety in a crowd. He was wrong. He asked a few of the volunteers he recognized if they’d seen her. They all pointed him to the starting line. He finally spotted her, but didn’t see anyone that was a threat around her. He rushed through the crowd to be by her side.
“Hey,” she said, smiling. The shorts and tank to did wonders for her figure. That was an amazing ass she had. He shook himself.
“Hi. Almost time.”
He wasn’t sure if he should warn her about the danger. He could keep up with her in the race. He didn’t have a problem with that. He’d stay by her side. What he wished he could do is tell a cop, but the ones around were only here to keep traffic away and they were further down the course. Damn. This wasn’t helping.
The smiled dropped from Kendra’s face. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
She studied him, but he put on a smile to cover his worry. He wasn’t sure who could help him. He didn’t want to put anyone else in danger.
Mollified, she didn’t ask him again. Instead her smile came back. “We’ve had a good turnout. We had about twenty entries today.”
He scanned the crowd as he listened to her. He didn’t see anything suspicious. Or anyone. “Do they get goody bags?”
“If we had leftovers, which we might have. Some people don’t end up making it to the race.”
“That would be a shame.”
“No refunds so not a shame for us,” Kendra said. “What are you looking at?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re scanning the crowd like a Secret Service guy.”
He looked down at her. “I got a call from Nik.” She deserved to know. She could make better decisions if she knew the truth.
“Oh?”
“He thinks that something might happen here. I’d love for you to leave right now.”
“Don’t ask me that Sacha. Please. I’m sure nothing can happen, there are too many people here.”
“I would think that also but I’m worried about your safety.”
“Don’t be. The race will go off without a hitch.”
The disc jockey playing music announced that it was almost race time. Sacha’s pulse quickened. Hopefully nothing would happen. They gathered at the starting line. Kendra had the privilege of being in front because she had organized the event. Sacha was right next to her still scanning the crowd. The man who would signal the start was on the sidelines. Would that be when the person shot at Kendra? The starter pistol would cover the sound.
“Oh shit.”
“What?” Kendra said.
“Get behind me.”
“Why?”
He grabbed her and put himself between her and the starter.
“Sacha?”
“Trust me.”
His eye looked over the crowd. The starter shot the pistol, but nothing happened. Other than the thundering of about fifty people behind him. Kendra passed him, but he caught up.
“I thought someone might use the starter pistol as a cover,” he said.
“Nothing happened. Relax.”
He couldn’t. She wasn’t out of danger until they were back in his penthouse. He jogged beside her.
“You don’t have to stay with me,” Kendra said.
“Yes, I do.”
As he jogged he stared at both sides of the road. There weren’t many onlookers. At each turn of the course several volunteers stood to cheer them on. As they turned into mile two, the crowd both running and watching had thinned out. Sacha was getting nervous. This wasn’t looking good at all.
“I think we should stop.”
“I’ve got a good stride, I’m not stopping. You worry too much.”
“Kendra, there are few people here.”
“It’ll be fine. Nik couldn’t give you specific information so I’m sure it’s just noise.”
Sacha frowned. He wanted to carry Kendra away, but she’d be pissed at him. At least she’d be safe. They turned another corner and that’s when he saw the guy. Hot day for coat, but the man had a jacket on. Sacha searched for where he and Kendra could hide, but there weren’t anything but vacant lots and closed stores. He wished she’d picked a better neighborhood to run through.
Kendra wasn’t paying attention, but Sacha was on high alert. The man raised his hand. He had a gun.
“Look out!” Sacha shouted.
He pushed Kendra out of the way. The man fired just as he did that. The bullet seared into Sacha’s shoulder. Damn. That hurt.
Kendra was underneath him, but the man didn’t try to shoot again. When Sacha looked up, he was gone. A cop ran around from the next block. Kendra pushed him off of her and his shoulder hurt like he’d never felt before this.
“Damn.”
“Sacha,” Kendra said, and then screamed.
It was a different sound than what she made in bed. This was not a happy sound. Not a sound he wanted to hear again. His shoulder was on fire. Kendra was shouting at him, but he couldn’t quite hear her.
He had been shot. Had the bullet stayed in? He wasn’t sure. It just hurt and he was a tough guy. “Shit.” He opened his eyes to see Kendra above him, her eyes searching his face.
“You okay?” he asked her.
“Yes, I’m fine. You’re bleeding.”
“Ouch,” Sacha said.
The cop was holding a bandage over the spot where he was bleeding. The pressure hurt.
“Did he get away?” Sacha asked.
“Yes, but I’m not concerned with him,” Kendra said.
***
Sacha was
conscious but Kendra was still worried. She rode in the front of the ambulance, but kept looking in the back. No one seemed to be overly concerned so Kendra tried not to be. There had been a lot of blood, not that she had anything to compare it to. She’d never seen anyone shot before. Her heart has skipped a beat when she’d realized Sacha was hurt. She was concerned. That was it. He was a friend and he’d be just as concerned if she’d been hurt. In fact that’s why he’d pushed her out of the way. Part of her wanted to dismiss her feelings, but she couldn’t. Still. They had an agreement so she would pretend that everything was the same. That she was grateful for Sacha saving her life.
The ambulance arrived at the hospital. The EMT told her to hop out. That she would have to fill out the admitting paperwork for the man. Sacha was wheeled past her and he looked pale. He smiled at Kendra. Gave a thumbs up but her billionaire looked like washed up dollar bill. She went to the desk where the woman sitting behind it asked her what seemed like one hundred questions. Sacha couldn’t answer them. She had to call Viktor, but she didn’t have his number.
She realized that she had Sacha’s phone. It had been buzzing the whole time. That man received too many e-mails. She pulled it out of her pocket, scrolled through his contacts then called.
“Sacha?”
“No, Viktor, it’s Kendra. Sacha’s been hurt. He’s in the hospital.” She told him which one. Would Sacha be mad that she told his brother he was here? Was it a macho man thing to go through these things alone? She texted the nanny saying she didn’t know when she’d be home.
She paced in the waiting room until a nurse came in. “Mrs. Kozlov?”
Kendra was the only person in the room. “Yes?”
“Your husband is asking for you.”
Had Sacha said something? Had he described her as his wife or did they assume? She followed the nurse who held a curtain aside for her to enter. Didn’t he at least rate a room? He was sitting on the edge of the bed. His color had returned.
“What are you doing up?”
“They’re springing me. I only needed some stitches. I feel fine though I’m a little loopy from the pain medication,” Sacha said.
“They aren’t admitting you?”
“No.”
“I called Viktor.”
“Call him back. I’m fine.”
She handed him his cell phone. “You call him. He probably won’t believe me.”
Sacha called his brother and reassured him that he was fine. He was going home to sleep. He then called for his car.
“You sure you’re okay?” Kendra said.
Sacha smiled. “I’m good. I’ll be even better when I get home.”
She stood in front of him, eyeing his arm. It was bandaged up and he was favoring it. He had no shirt on. It was probably too bloody. She wanted to touch him, make sure he was still alive even though he was right there.
“My car will be here soon.”
“Okay. Then we’ll go home.”
The grin on his face was almost creepy, but she had to laugh. His eyes were a little glazed. “I think we need to get you out of the city.”
“Let’s talk about that tomorrow, or later; sometime when you aren’t doped up, Sacha.”
“I’m fine. My critical thinking skills are fine.”
Too bad he’d slurred a few of those words. His eyelids dropped a little. The nurse came in with a wheelchair.
“Is he going to be okay?” Kendra said.
“He’ll be fine. We’ll wheel him out of here. Is your car here?”
“No, we’re still waiting on the driver,” Kendra said.
“He’s here,” Sacha said, perking up. “He just texted me.”
“Okay, then.” the nurse said.
She helped him into the wheelchair. Kendra followed them out. The driver poured Sacha into the limousine. The nurse eyed the vehicle then smiled at Kendra. “Sweet ride.”
“Thanks.”
Kendra climbed in and the driver closed her door. Sacha was slumped over but when she settled into the seat, he rolled himself so that his head was on her lap.
“You’re beautiful,” he said. “What the hell are you doing with me?”
“I’m going to assume the drugs are in full force and that was a rhetorical question.”
He put a hand on her face. “No, seriously. I’m no good for you Kendra.”
She chuckled and shook her head. “Sacha, go to sleep.”
“You could have any man you want. Why would you want someone who has no interest in getting married? Why not find someone and make babies with them?”
She patted his hand then took it off of her face. She laced her fingers with his and then he let out a light snore. He was quiet the rest of the trip. He roused when she shook him.
“Hm?” He sat up then he laid down again. “Everything just spun around.”
“Get up slower then.”
How the heck was she doing to get him upstairs and into bed? She couldn’t carry him. This time he sat up more gingerly. “Okay?” Kendra said.
“Yes, I am. Thanks.”
He leaned against the wall as they rode the elevator up. She wasn’t far from him, knowing he still wasn’t steady. “You should go to bed.”
“Is that all you can think about Kendra?” Sacha said.
“You are of no use to me in your present state,” she said. “You need help getting to bed?”
“I think I can make it there.”
He stumbled a little as he went down the hall. He ended up guiding himself with his hand on the wall. Kendra watched, listening for a thud in case he fell down.
“Is Mr. Kozlov okay?” Cliff said. He’d appeared at Kendra’s feet. The nanny wasn’t far behind. She said her goodbyes. Kendra could take over for the rest of the day.
“He was hurt but he has to sleep it off. He’ll be fine.”
She hoped.
***
Sacha woke up several hours later. He was across his bed, with his running shoes still on. He hadn’t showered after the run and he felt pretty ripe. The pain medication had worn off and his shoulder was once again on fire. He didn’t like how he felt on the pills so he wasn’t going to take them again except that he wasn’t sure he could breathe from the pain when he finally moved to stand up. He sat back down on the bed. The stitches tugged and if he even breathed heavily he winced.
“Damn.”
“You’re alive?” Kendra was in the doorway. Cliff peaked in behind her.
“Yes, I’m alive. And in a lot of pain.”
“The nurse gave me some pain medication. You want some?” Kendra said.
“I haven’t decided. I don’t like how I feel on them but I’m not a fan of the pain itself.”
“Take half of one.”
“Not yet. I need to think through this situation.”
“What do you need to think through?”
Sacha shook his head. He didn’t want to talk while Cliff was there. He didn’t want to scare the boy. “We can talk later.”
“You need dinner?” Kendra asked.
He was hungry. “Dinner? It’s that late?”
“You slept the day away.”
“And you snored, really loud,” Cliff said.
Kendra hushed him but Sacha laughed. “It’s fine. I’m sure I snore.”
Sacha wasn’t ready to stand so he motioned for Cliff to sit next to him. “What have you done with your day today? While I slept?”
Cliff climbed up onto the bed. “Kendra and I played some games. I built more on that LEGO kit you gave me. I’m almost done.”
“I guess I’ll have to find a bigger one next time,” Sacha said.
Kendra stood in the doorway, a small smile on her face. Sacha liked Cliff. He was a sweet little boy, but it made his heart ache for his own son that he never knew. Would he be able to make up for lost time? He hoped.
“Really? That would be great Mr. Kozlov.”
“You’ll have to give me some ideas of what you like,” he said.
&
nbsp; “I’m sure whatever you get him will be fine,” Kendra said.
Cliff looked from one to the other. “Right. What Kendra said.”
Sacha chuckled. He’d talk to the boy alone.
“Come on, Cliff. I’m sure Mr. Kozlov wants to shower and we need to make him dinner.”
Cliff jumped off the bed. The jolt had Sacha wincing, but he didn’t make a sound. “I’ll see you in a little bit.”
Kendra and Cliff left. Sacha stood outside the shower trying to figure out how he was going to get undressed with one hand. He shuffled to the door of his bedroom. “Kendra?”
She appeared in the hallway. “Yes?”
“I need some help.”
She smiled. “Hard to undress with one hand?” She followed him to the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
“Yes. I’d ask you to join me in the shower but not with Cliff around.”
“I would decline,” Kendra said.
Sacha chuckled. He sat, and then untied his shoes. He toed those off. Kendra slid off his socks. He stood as she removed his pants and boxers. He was turned on of course, a beautiful woman was undressing him.
Kendra just shook her head at the sight of his erection. “I’ll be back in ten minutes to help you get dressed.”
“Thanks. I hate feeling so helpless.”
She shrugged. “You’ve done so much for Cliff and I, it is the least I can do to repay you.”
She left him. He took a shower, hoping that he was able to wash enough not to smell. He had to keep the stitches dry so it was a dance to keep his shoulder out of the water. Thankfully no one could see him. He must look pretty funny.
Dressed with the help of Kendra, he now sat in his kitchen, eating dinner. Cliff played a game and Kendra sat with Sacha. “I think the situation has gotten worse. I have a feeling they’re going to escalate their attempts on you. I’m not sure if even this building is secure enough.”
“What do you suggest?”
“I have a house in upstate New York. We can get there by helicopter. We can leave Cliff with Viktor and Alia.”
“Isn’t she due soon?”
“No, she’s not due for a month or so,” Sacha said.
“I’m not comfortable leaving him there.”
“I don’t think you have a choice. We need to get you out of the city until Nik makes his arrests. Then you’ll be safe again.”
