With This ring

by Le Carre, Georgia

  They looked at each other in confusion.

  I glared at them. “What the fuck are you going to do, shoot her?”

  In a flash, they lowered their guns.

  “Just do what she says,” I instructed. “She won’t harm me.”

  “Don’t be so sure of that,” she scoffed.

  I turned to glare at her. “Are you sure you want to get out of here alive? Then you better shut up and wrap this up quickly.”

  She glanced at my men, but didn’t say anything.

  “Did you bring the car around?”

  “No,” Otari said, even as he produced his walkie-talkie and gave instructions for the Range Rover to be brought to the elevator doors.

  “Move aside!” I said to my men and they parted ways. With the gun pointed to my head, I walked ahead of them towards the elevator.

  As the elevator doors shut on us, I turned to look at her. “Where are you planning on going?”

  I could hear her pausing for a moment to think of how she was going to make this happen. “That’s my business.”

  “Right.”

  The door swished open.

  The Range Rover was parked a few feet away. Both driver and passenger doors were open and the keys were in the ignition. Vasily was standing by. I jerked my head in his direction to indicate that he left.

  “Get in!” she said.

  I got into the driver’s seat, the gun still on me. She rounded the vehicle, one eye on me, and the other on Vasily. As she climbed into the high vehicle her footing slipped and l lunged forward to grab her hand to stop her from falling backwards and cracking her head on the unforgiving concrete sidewalk.

  In that moment, when my hand was circled around her soft flesh, time stood still. Everything became crystal clear. The shocked expression on her face, her mouth slightly open, the noise of the gunshot echoing through the car park, my unwillingness to let go of her flesh even though the pain that blast through me was staggering.

  She had fired the gun.

  I heard Vasily begin to rush towards us, but everything that had been so crystal clear began to seem farther away. As I tightened my hold on her hand I saw the gun fall. I could feel my strength ebbing away. Before it did, I pulled her into the car. She came barreling in and nearly landed on top of me.

  “Maxim,” she cried.

  I looked down to see where I had been hit. It was right in the chest. She was going to be in so much trouble.

  “Oh fuck,” I cursed and felt myself begin to fall back onto the seat.

  The lift doors opened and my men burst through, the car park began to fill with them.

  “Don’t fucking touch her,” I roared, but I could feel my voice getting fainter and fainter as pain spread through me.

  “If any of you lay a- hurt a hair on h-her head… I will kill you myself,” I warned.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it,” she sobbed hoarsely.

  “Get out of here!” I said harshly. “Right now. And don’t come back until I'm alright. Do you hear me? Do you fucking hear me? If I’m not okay—”

  She laid her hand on my chest. The pain that hit me stole my breath.

  “Maxim,” she sobbed.

  “Don’t fucking come back,” I croaked out. “If I'm not okay, don't … you d-dar … come ba—”

  Then everything went black.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Freya

  Oh God. What have I done? I couldn’t believe what was happening.

  I was pushed out of the way by his men, and within moments the vehicle zoomed off.

  “Leave!” One of them who had remained suddenly yelled at me, his eyes so mean with fury I instantly remembered Maxim’s warning. I hurried back up to the apartment I saw my phone on the ground outside the elevator. I was shaking so badly it took three tries before I could pick it up. I pushed it into my pocket and ran towards the exit. Outside, I stood on the street for a moment. In disbelief and shock. Cold sweat poured down my back.

  I had just shot Maxim.

  My God.

  What if I had killed him?

  My eyes welled over with tears. Tears of fear and horror at what I had done. I turned back to go to him, but a ringing sound stopped me. For a few seconds I froze. The sound was so loud and jarring I couldn’t think. I shook my head to clear it, and realized it was my phone. I pulled it out of my pocket and stared at it stupidly. It was my father. My fingers were so sweaty, they slipped on the screen and refused to let me take the call. Roughly I wiped them on my jeans and tried again.

  “Papa,” I gasped.

  “Get out of there right now,” he said to me. I tried my best to stop shaking.

  “Papa?” I said again.

  “It’s all going to be okay, moya Printsessa. All you have to do is turn left at the end of the street and keep walking as fast as you can until you get to a small park. There will be a green Toyota waiting for you there. The driver will be wearing a blue cap. Get into the back of that car. Say nothing to the driver. He will take you to my plane. It will fly you to Moscow immediately.”

  “Moscow?” I breathed.

  “Yes, Moscow. Don’t waste another moment, Freya. If Ivanov catches you in New York he will kill you! Do you understand me? You just shot his son. Whether he lives or not you cannot remain in the same state with them. He will kill you on sight. Move, right now!”

  He ended the call. I didn’t want to leave. The last thing I wanted in this world was to leave. It seemed cowardly. I wanted to stay and see Maxim. I wanted to make sure he was okay. I had to be sure he was okay.

  My heart was pounding so hard it was like one of those African drums. I called Bianca.

  “Freya?” she asked sleepily.

  “Can I stay with your friend, Aldie? Something bad has happened. I … I … accidentally shot Maxim. I didn’t mean to. I was drunk and it all happened so suddenly. My father wants to take me out of the country, but I can’t leave Maxim. I need to be here… to know what happens... how he fares… I have to make sure that Maxim is okay. Can I stay with her? Just for a little bit until Maxim gets better. Please. It’s okay if you can’t help me but please don’t tell Levan I called you.”

  “Where are you?”

  I swallowed the sob. “Outside the car park of Maxim’s home.”

  “Got it. It’s not safe for you to stand there. Move to the next street. I’ll tell Aldie to pick you up in about twenty minutes. I won’t tell Levan a word.”

  “No,” I choked out. “My father’s people are everywhere. I’ll find a way to give them the slip and sneak away. Send me her address and I’ll go to her.”

  * * *

  Thirty minutes later, I arrived at the upscale apartment in Bushwick. Both Aldie and Bianca received me at the door. Bianca immediately pulled me into her arms. I didn’t want to unravel all over again, but I held on to her as tightly as I could, and tried my best not to fall apart.

  “He’s okay,” she whispered to me. “He’s going to be alright.”

  My heart slammed painfully in my chest at her words, and I instantly pulled away to search her gaze.

  “He is?”

  I saw her gaze shift, and knew instantly that she wasn’t telling the truth. “Bianca, please don’t lie to me.”

  She held my hand and led me over to the couch.

  “Do you want something to drink to calm your nerves?” Aldie asked, but even the thought of alcohol at that moment made me feel sick to my stomach.

  “Bianca?” I called as I stared into her eyes.

  “He’s not completely in the clear,” she said. “But Levan said that the bullet missed his heart. He is undergoing surgery right now so we can only know for sure in a few more hours.”

  I buried my head in my hands and pressed them against my mouth to muffle my sobs. I had never hated myself, but I did then. Why did I get drunk? Why did I provoke him like that? Why did I go back with the gun? When I was around him, I was a different person. An unrecognizable person. He truly brought out the worst
in me.

  “I didn’t mean it,” I sobbed. “I was just so scared... of every goddamn fucking thing.”

  She put her arms around me and I felt even worse at the pity party I was evoking. He was the one lying on an operating table not me.

  “I’m fine,” I said and raised my head. “He’s the one I hurt so... I have no right to cry like this. He’ll be fine. He has to be.”

  “It’s alright to be upset,” she said to me. “It only means you care.”

  I nodded my head in agreement, and at the shocking realization of just how much I did care. I had always deemed him indestructible, and not deserving or even needful of any caution whatsoever. What a freaking heartbreak it was to find out that he was just human, like the rest of us.

  While I, on the other hand, was a total and complete idiot.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Freya

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG0IYV6G0I0

  I was sitting on the bed in Aldie’s spare bedroom when Bianca called me.

  “What?” I breathed.

  “The surgery went well. He’s still in Intensive Care, but he’s awake now, and the doctors are pleased with everything. He was lucky. The bullet just missed his heart. Since he is young and healthy they expect a normal recovery, but he has to remain in the hospital for a few days in case any complications develop.”

  “I understand!” I nodded profusely, my hand on my mouth as tears filled my eyes.

  Maxim was out of surgery. He was going to be all right. I tried to sleep but I couldn’t get him out of my mind, and neither could I do much about my business, especially since Britney was not around. After Aldie left for work I called up one of the sports bars that I had rejected as an unsuitable place of employment and told them I was accepting the job.

  I didn’t want to be a burden to Aldie so I lied to everyone and told them I had found a small room to rent close to the bar. I sent my father a text to tell him I was safe, but since I didn’t want him or Maxim’s father for that matter, to find me I decided not to go back to my apartment. Over the next two days I worked as many shifts as I could, mostly so I wouldn’t have to think, and afterwards went to sleep on some blankets on the floor in our staff room. The manager knew I was doing that, but I told him it was just a temporary measure. He really needed the staff so he told me I could do that for a couple of weeks.

  It was exactly two excruciating days later that I dared to ask Bianca if I could go visit Maxim.

  “Freya … I didn’t tell you earlier because I didn’t want to make things worse. With Maxim’s position, they’ve done their utmost to keep this news quiet, but in their world that is almost impossible. His father is furious and has been on the hunt for you.” She paused. “Also, his father has called your father. The big wedding to unite the two families is off, and there could be a war brewing right now.”

  “What?”

  “I’m sorry. Levan is trying to calm his father’s wrath before anything more severe happens. So things are truly sticky right now.”

  I shut my eyes. “I want to see him,” I whispered to her. “Even if it’s for a minute, and from afar. I don’t want to cause trouble, but I just need to see that he’s okay. I feel so guilty. So torn apart.”

  “You can go now,” she said, “but please be careful. Levan is still with him so if anything goes awry please call him and he will help you out. I’ll text you the address of the hospital.”

  My gratitude to her was boundless. “Thank you so, so, so much, Bianca. I don’t know how I can ever repay you, but there is a thing called karma and you will get your good turn somewhere down the line.”

  Then I immediately grabbed my bag and less than an hour later, my taxi pulled into the hospital grounds. I found my way up to his floor easily, but when I arrived in the corridor however, I saw a couple of his guards in the hallway. His father was standing a little further away outside the door of one of the rooms. He had the most bitter look on his face. At the sight of him, my heart nearly gave out.

  I waited, hoping that he would leave soon, but instead the door was slid open, and Levan appeared. The guards moved away and then they began to speak in very low tones. To my luck, they also began to take their leave. My heart jumped for joy and I waited, hoping that they would soon turn away from the corridor and soon they did.

  I immediately began to walk as casually as I could towards his door. I placed my hand on the door handle and was about to open it, when another hand slammed down on mine. I turned around to see Levan staring down furiously at me.

  “You’re here to finish what you started?” he rasped his eyes strained with anger and exhaustion.

  “No. I never meant to hurt him. I’m so sorry... I just want to see how he is doing. Please.”

  “Did you really think you could get in here without us spotting you? I had to move my father away to keep him from blowing your head off on sight. Please leave. There’s a limit to the leniency that I can afford you.”

  I could see just how angry he was with me, but I couldn’t leave without seeing Maxim. “Please, Levan,” I pleaded. “Please I beg of you. Just give me a second and I’ll be out of there. I need to see that he’s alright.

  “No!” he refused, and grabbed my hand to pull me away.

  “Levan," I cried, but my pleas fell on deaf ears.

  “This is something between me and him. Please, Levan. You know he will never thank you for keeping me away.”

  He hesitated.

  “I didn’t mean to hurt him. It was an accident,” I whispered, my eyes filling with tears of desperation.

  “Go on. You have five minutes, then I’m coming in.”

  Without another word, he let go of me and began to walk down the corridor. I turned around and hurried into Maxim’s room.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Maxim

  She crept into the room like a thief... quietly and warily. But when she appeared by my bed I almost couldn’t recognize her.

  She jumped the moment our gazes met. She was startled to see that I was awake. She immediately turned away to wipe the tears off her face but it was too late. I’d seen the distress in her eyes and the sorrow that she carried. She was grief stricken and full of remorse.

  When she faced me again her face was different. “You’re awake,” she breathed. “I just thought I’d see how you’re doing.”

  I wondered if she was upset because I had been hurt, or simply because she had almost killed someone. The first kill was always the one that haunted you forever.

  “I told you not to show yourself unless I was okay.”

  I saw the fear instantly cross her eyes. “But you’re awake.”

  “I’m still lying here,” I replied, my voice hoarse and void of energy. “If you’re attacked there’s very little I can do.”

  She lowered her head again and took a step forward, her hands linked together in front of her. “I’m really sorry I hurt you. You know, I didn’t mean to. I would never have shot you even if you had stopped me from leaving. It was all bravado.”

  I watched her and felt disturbed. This was not my wild mustang! Where had all her confidence disappeared to? Her docile shift was strangely painful. I could only hope she wouldn’t remain in that state for long. Despite the fact she’d held a gun to my head, and threatened to kill me, I would rather have her tearing down the world than for her to be beaten by it. “It was strictly not your fault. I should have let you fall on your ass.”

  She lifted her head then to meet my gaze. She bit her lip. “I agree. I deserved it.”

  I smiled. “Yes, you did.”

  She licked her lips and took a step forward. “How are you doing?”

  I glanced towards the bandaged wound on my chest. “Okay, so far. Apparently, I was very lucky.”

  A strangled sound escaped her.

  I didn’t want her pity. That’s the last thing I wanted. “I’ll be alright and very soon. They’ll be releasing me from here in a few days and everything will be back
to normal.

  “I’m so sorry, Maxim,” she apologized again.

  I sighed. I hated seeing her like this. “I’m fine. Let it go.”

  She nodded then and I saw the longing in her eyes. She wanted to come closer... she didn’t want to leave.

  I hoped that she would take the leap, but there was a light tap on the door and Levan put his head through. “Time’s up. My father’s on his way.”

  She gave me one last look then turned around and walked away quickly.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Freya

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSM3w1v-A_Y

  Three days passed and it felt like I was losing my mind.

  Given Maxim’s recovery, I was no longer a target of the Ivanovs, but it still didn’t give me the pass to show up in front of any of them without expecting some form of hostility or revenge even.

  Bianca kept tabs on his recovery for me when he had returned to his home, and countless times I almost had to tie my hands behind my back to stop myself from calling him.

  But then I broke.

  I’d been so lost with thoughts of Maxim I was staring emptily at a bottle of beer in my hand. It was only the honk of a car in the street outside that startled me back to life. The world around me came back into focus again. I shook my head in wonder. Unable to hold back anymore I found my phone and hit his number.

  To my surprise, he immediately picked up. My stomach flipped a bit.

  “Uh … it’s … it’s me, Freya,” I stuttered.

  “I know.”

  Silence.

  “I wanted to check up on you. Er … how are you doing?”

  “Okay,” he replied.

  “Oh, that’s good.”

  I wanted to see him more than anything, but it seemed like that was an impossibility. All marriage talks were gone. Not that I was leaning towards it, but it would have been a good enough excuse.