Dancing for the Badman (Russian Bratva Book 3)

by Hayley Faiman

  “A doctor will be with you shortly to explain everything.”

  I open my mouth to scream in her face, maybe even shoot her. My hand is twitching at my side. Sergei gives me a pointed look and I close my mouth.

  “Thank you,” he murmurs before he wraps his fingers around my shoulder. He guides me away from her counter.

  “Sergei, we know nothing, just that they were in an accident,” I say.

  “I know. She won’t give any information; I can see it in her eyes. Nothing could make her talk. Would be nice to have a woman like that in the organization,” he chuckles under his breath.

  I find the comment humorous, but nothing could make me laugh in this moment. I want to know how my Tatyana is.

  “Also, I want to speak to a doctor about her condition. Not some nurse who is only guessing. I need the facts.”

  I nod at his comment. Now that I can understand. We walk into the waiting room and both just shake our heads. We have no news to share. Everybody’s hopes visibly deflate and we all wait. Kiska runs straight to her grandfather when she sees him, and I smile, happy that she has him in her life. He’s been a good grandpa to her. Oliver, Alex’s lover, is sitting down with his head in his hands, so I walk over to him.

  “I don’t know anything, I tried,” I admit sitting down next to him.

  “I know. They wouldn’t tell me anything, either,” he says. His English accent is soothing. Maybe he can continue talking to calm me?

  “Because you’re not family?” I ask.

  “I’m his husband. As soon as Radimir gave us our citizenship papers, we went to the courthouse. Alex demanded it. Said here in America I would have rights as his husband if something happened to him. I guess he was correct,” he shrugs, trying to keep himself together.

  “This is good, Oliver,” I mutter.

  “Yes, at least I can talk to a doctor, if a doctor were around,” he chuckles dryly.

  “I know. I want to know what’s happened. I want to know how it happened and I want to know why it happened,” I grunt. Oliver nods.

  We don’t say another word.

  The room is full of a somber feeling while we wait.

  I make a decision after the first hour. Tatyana is finished dancing. In one week, she’ll be my wife and she won’t be dancing anymore. I’m putting my foot down. If she were with me, this never would have happened.

  I shake my head and then rest it against the wall behind me. Tatyana will be practically tethered to me from now on. She’ll never be out of my sight again. I vow it. I will never go through this again. I’ve already lost her once, I shouldn’t have to lose her again.

  “FAMILY OF TATYANA ORLOVA?” A man in a white coat calls out. Both Sergei and I stand immediately.

  The rest of the room is asleep, aside from Oliver and Radimir. Sergei and I walk over to the man I presume is the doctor. He looks at both of us and shrinks back a bit. We’re at least six inches taller than him, and both of us have fifty pounds of muscle on him, minimum.

  “Uh, who are you?” he asks shakily.

  “I am Tatyana’s father, this is her fiancé,” Sergei rumbles. The doctor gulps before he begins to speak.

  “She was in a bad car accident. One of her arms is broken. It’s too swollen to cast at the moment, but I should be able to do that tomorrow, hopefully. She’s in a medically induced coma; she has several broken ribs, but the most concerning injury is her Subdural Hematoma. We’ve done an MRI scan and she’s lucky it’s a small bleed, but we had to drill several burr holes in her head to insert tubes to drain the blood. I have her on corticosteroids to reduce the inflammation, and anti-seizure medication until she’s stable.”

  “Why don’t you tell me everything you just said in fucking English this time?” I growl, my head spinning with the words he used. One that stands out is bleed. They drilled holes in my Tati’s head?

  “Her head hit the side of the window on impact. Her brain is bruised and bleeding. I had to drain the blood; if we don’t, her injuries would be life threatening. Right now, I have plastic tubes in her head draining the blood. Fortunately, her injuries are much smaller than they could be. I anticipate her recovery will be slow, but I’m very positive on her outcome.”

  “When can we see her?” Sergei barks.

  I look up at him and watch the vein in his forehead start to pulse. He’s upset and angry, his rage building quickly. I’ve seen him explode, it isn’t pretty.

  “I’ll allow only one of you in at a time for ten minutes each. Then I suggest you go home and get some rest. Tomorrow I’ll reassess her, see where she is; then, as long as she’s stable, I can allow for longer visits,” he murmurs, looking frightened.

  “Take me to her first,” Sergei growls.

  The doctor nods and turns with Sergei on his heels. I turn around to find the rest of the room is awake and looking at me for answers.

  I sigh and look for Kiska. Luckily, she’s asleep, so I tell the room full of friends, friends that feel like family, I tell them about my Tatyana. Haleigh and Emiliya gasp before they start to cry.

  Sergei walks back into the room and straight to me.

  “I take Kiska home. You stay here. I do not want her alone,” he announces.

  “As soon as I visit her, I’ll call in a group of Byki to guard her and Alex’s rooms. I would prefer to stay. You’ll be at my home with Kiska? Make sure she’s taken care of?” I ask.

  I don’t know who did this to Tatyana, but I do not want them to get ahold of my daughter.

  “Of course, Kirill. I’ll protect my granddaughter with my life,” he grunts as he narrows his eyes on me.

  “Radimir, I need men on my house. I want that place a fucking fortress. Nobody gets within fifty feet of the property line,” I order. Radimir nods before lifting his phone to his ear.

  “We’ll help anyway we can, Kirill, just tell us what to do,” Haleigh offers. Her sweet voice fills the room and I feel my heart contract.

  “Can you help with Kiska? During the days?”

  “Of course. Sergei, if you want to bring her over, just bring her. Emiliya and I will keep her safe, fed, and hopefully between our three children, distracted,” she offers. Relief floods my body.

  “Have you heard about Alex?” I ask, turning toward Oliver.

  “Not yet,” he murmurs, looking down at his feet.

  “Soon,” I say. He nods.

  I take a moment to wake my daughter.

  “Papa, where’s mom?” she asks, rubbing her tired eyes.

  “The accident was bad, Kiska. She’s going to be okay, but she’ll be here for a while I think. Your grandpa is going to take you home tonight. Can you be my strong girl?” I ask, looking at her terrified eyes.

  “I’ll try,” she whispers as her lip trembles.

  “Your mama needs us all to be strong, okay?” I practically beg as I wrap my arms around her tiny body. Less than a second later, she returns my hug.

  “I’ll be strong, papa,” she whispers. I kiss the top of her head before I hand her off to Sergei.

  I watch as my friends gather their belongings, including their sleeping babies, and leave the room. Radimir confirms that there will be an army of men in charge of Kiska’s safety until the threat is over. I nod before leaving Oliver alone in the waiting room. I promise to see him in ten minutes, and then I practically run to Tatyana’s side.

  “It looks scarier than it is,” the nurse warns before she opens the hospital room door.

  I don’t look at the hospital bed where Tatyana lies until I am completely alone in the room. When I hear the door click closed behind me, then I lift my eyes. I gasp at the sight. My gorgeous, blonde bombshell looks like a shell of a person. She looks so weak and small on the big bed, tubes coming out of everywhere. Her arms—her head.

  I take a shaky step toward her and then another before I collapse in the chair that is at her side. I take her cold hand in mine and I just hold it, gazing at her pretty, battered face. Gently, I caress from her eyebrow do
wn her cheek to her chin. I can’t touch her lips, as she has a breathing tube shoved between them.

  “I have not been kind enough to you, Tati,” I murmur on a choke.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry for everything, moyo zolotse. My fucking gold.”

  I apologize for everything. For hiding who I was ten years ago. For not looking for her when she vanished the way she did. For allowing the mother of my child, the love of my life, to struggle for years. I also apologize for the way I’ve treated her since she’s come back into my life. I haven’t always been kind and the threats I made were cruel.

  “Sir,” a nurse murmurs from the doorway.

  “Yeah?” I ask lifting my head from where it had been resting on Tati’s cool hand.

  “She can’t have any more visiting this evening. Tomorrow, though, you’ll probably be able to stay most of the day. Her vitals are looking good,” she offers with a sweet smile.

  I nod as I stand and take a step away from Tatyana. Once I reach the door I look back on her. She’s so vulnerable, so small in that bed.

  “You can’t be here, it’s restricted,” I hear Nurse Ratched call out as I turn the corner.

  I see four of my men trying to get past the old bitch. Two are for Alex and the other two are for Tati’s door. This lady has lost her mind if she thinks she’s going to stop my men from protecting my woman and her Byki.

  “These men can indeed come back here. They are protection for my fiancée and her friend,” I say as I walk up to the group.

  “They’re in the hospital. They’re safe. There is no way we can just allow them to waltz right in there,” she growls.

  I jerk my head as the men walk past us. The bitch puts her hands on her hips, ready to raise hell, but I put my hand in front of her face before she can.

  “Somebody ran my friend’s car off of the road, with my fiancée inside of it, and left them for dead. I have the means to keep them safe, and I plan on doing that anyway I see fit. Those men are going to protect them with their lives. Your staff will not,” I grind out.

  “I’m calling the police,” she announces, narrowing her eyes.

  “Good. Make sure you call Chief Borden, he’s a good friend of mine. I’m sure he’ll be curious to know about this entire scenario.”

  “I hate men like you,” she growls.

  “I have a feeling you hate all men, no?” I ask with a smirk.

  “Entitled asshole,” she mumbles under her breath. I ignore her. I need to see to Oliver and find out what has happened with Alex.

  “Have you heard anything?” I ask Oliver when I walk into the waiting room. He’s hunched over his thighs still. His head whips up and he gives me a small shake of his head.

  “I can’t ask that Nurse Ratched bitch anything. I just got into a fight with her,” I grumble, which makes him chuckle.

  “How is she?” Oliver asks, his voice quiet and tired.

  “Terrifying. She doesn’t look like herself lying there. So still, and with all those tubes,” I murmur.

  “She’s strong,” he assures me.

  “She is,” I say with a nod.

  Tatyana has to be one of the strongest women I know. Once upon a time, I thought her incredibly weak, Now—now I see all that strength she carries.

  Though she doesn’t boast loudly of her strength, she is so strong. She carries it within her and uses it only when she needs to. Like when she raised our daughter on her own, and stripped to pay bills. When she came with me after I threatened her, after I demanded it. She was scared, yet she came anyway. She didn’t know what to expect. I was so angry, and yet, she has stood at my side and been so kind and good.

  I’ve been a fucking bastard to her.

  I forgave her weeks ago, but I was still holding onto some of that anger and hate. Seeing her in that bed, there’s nothing but love for her. Love and worry. If she doesn’t make it, I don’t know how I’ll survive it. I’ve had her again, and she’s fucking perfect for the man I’ve become—she’s fucking mine.

  “Family of Aleksandr Krupin,” a disheveled woman in scrubs asks as she walks into the room, looking down at her chart.

  Oliver stands and I watch as he sways. I take his arm and steady him as my eyes scan the woman again, the woman who is covered in blood. My fingers tighten against Oliver’s shoulder as his body starts to shake.

  “Are you the family of Mr. Krupin?” she asks, eyeing us warily.

  “I am Alex’s husband,” Oliver says, finally speaking.

  “May I speak with you alone, sir?” she asks, narrowing her eyes on me.

  “No, Kirill can be here. Just tell me how my Alex is,” he almost demands, his voice still shaky and weak.

  “Mr. Krupin has suffered a few different injuries, including a broken leg that I have set. Once the swelling goes down, I can cast it. The most serious injury, however, was his splenic rupture. Now, I’ve done a partial splenectomy, but he needs to be monitored to be sure that there is no more internal bleeding.”

  Oliver’s face turns as white as a sheet, and I use that as my opportunity to ask questions, since it’s obvious that he can’t think at the moment.

  “What does all of that mean?” I ask, irritated that they’re not telling us in laymen’s terms. I’m not a fucking idiot, but I’m not a doctor either.

  “During the accident, he suffered a broken rib that punctured his spleen, causing internal bleeding. I’ve had to remove part of his spleen, and then I sutured the rest. I’m fairly confident that I’ve stopped the bleeding, but if after future monitoring I haven’t, then I’ll have to do a complete splenectomy. We can survive without our spleens, but it will just make him more susceptible for infections throughout the rest of his life,” she explains. I feel as though Oliver finally breathes.

  “So he’s not going to die?” he finally asks.

  “Not if I can help it. I’m ninety percent confident that he’ll leave the hospital in a few days. He’s strong and fit and extremely healthy,” she grins, taking Oliver’s hand and giving it a squeeze.

  “Can I see him?” he croaks.

  “As long as those gigantic men outside of his room allow it,” the doctor arches her brow at me.

  “They will,” I chuckle.

  Oliver takes one step toward the door and looks back at me. I shake my head once and smile.

  “Go see him, you need to,” I murmur.

  “Thank you, Kirill. For everything,” he whispers.

  I sit down and rest my head against the wall behind me. Alex is alive and will survive. Tatyana is breathing and she too will survive, because she’s a strong little fighter. She won’t leave Kiska or me, not willingly.

  I close my eyes for a moment and just rest, letting the adrenaline of the night leave my body. I’m exhausted, but I can’t leave here. What if something changes? What if she wakes and I’m not here? I couldn’t live with myself.

  So, I sit in the uncomfortable as fuck chair and I wait for the minutes to pass.

  “Coffee?” a deep voice asks, startling me. I sit up straight and see that it’s Radimir.

  I gladly take the coffee and nod to the chair at my left for him to join me. He sits and takes a sip of his coffee. I do the same and we sit in silence for a few moments before he finally decides to speak.

  “It was the agent,” he announces.

  “What?”

  “Your motorcycle club president called me this morning. Your phone is dead,” he says. I just wait for him to continue. “I told him where you were and what happened. It was the fed. He hasn’t been a federal agent for over five years. I don’t know where he’s getting his money to survive on, but he was fired because he didn’t pass his psych evaluation. He’s unstable. He’s unstable and he’s obsessive. The psychiatrists’ notes were chilling,” Radimir murmurs before he visibly shakes.

  “How did he see the notes?” I ask, trying to make sense of everything he’s telling me.

  “Your biker has a way with the women, apparently. She readily h
anded over the documentation of his obsession. She told him that he’s mentally unstable and could snap at any moment. Perhaps last night was the moment?” Radimir questions. It’s rhetorical, but I can’t help but answer him anyway.

  “Perhaps last night was only the beginning,” I suggest. He nods.

  “I think you are correct. We need to find out the source of his income, then we will find out how to get to him and stop him,” Radimir suggests.

  “I may be able to help you with all of this,” Ziven offers, walking into the room. I look at him with question, unsure of how much he heard.

  “Tatyana only wanted to help, Kirill,” he begins.

  Then he tells me a story. A story about my fiancée, my Tatyana, who met secretly with Agent Ryan Green and pretended to help him. She did this so she could prove to me that I could trust her—so that she could earn trust from me.

  Trust I was adamant she would never have again. She wanted me to trust her so she went behind my back. Her logic was completely fucked up, but what’s even more fucked up is that I understand it. I understand her. Essentially, this is all of my fault, and that guilt feels like a ton of bricks settling in my gut.

  “We met with him last night. He wanted her to plant a bug in your office, but his device—it was some bullshit bought off of the internet. It wasn’t government grade. That’s when we knew something was way off,” he continues.

  “We?” I ask, breaking my silence.

  “Me, Alex, and Semion,” he coughs.

  “What about Emiliya and Haleigh? They were at the club last night,” Radimir asks. My eyes widen in surprise.

  “We didn’t know they were coming. We kept them out of sight, and Semion told Anton to get them the hell out of there as soon as he could without alerting them to anything. They were not compromised or even seen by the psycho,” Ziven informs us. I let out a heavy breath.

  Those two girls don’t need any more shit thrown at their feet. They’ve both suffered enough.

  “I have a hit out on him tonight,” Ziven chuckles. My eyes snap up to meet his.

  “What?” I bark.