Ruthless Stranger by Maggie Cole

32

Aspen

"I wantto know where that bastard is now," Maksim's voice growls.

A beeping noise gets louder. I try to open my eyes, but everything feels groggy.

"Aspen," a familiar woman's voice says, but I can't pinpoint who it is.

"I don't care how dangerous it is. Tell me his location," Maksim barks.

Another woman says, "Maksim, you need to calm down."

"Anna's right. You're going to get kicked out of here," Dmitri states.

I try to move, but pain shoots through my arm. "Ow," I moan.

Someone strokes my forehead. "Don't move too fast."

"My krasotka!" Bergamot and cardamom flare in my nostrils. Maksim's lips touch mine. He sternly murmurs, "Wake up, please."

I struggle and fight the bright lights but finally get my eyes to stay open.

Maksim leans over me and strokes my cheek. His eyes glisten. "Krasotka. I'm so sorry."

"Wh..." I clear my throat. "What happened?"

His face darkens. "Wes sent a snake. It bit you. You don't remember?"

I shut my eyes, and it comes flying back to me. I try to move my arm again, but it's too painful. I wince.

"Take it easy."

I glance past him. His brothers, Adrian, Anna, and Nora, stand near the bed. "Sorry to ruin your night," I joke.

Anna's face is serious. "Don't be silly. He could have killed you."

Maksim growls. It's low, but I hear it.

I reach for his cheek. Pain shoots through me again. I blurt out, "Why does this hurt so bad?"

"Snakebites and poison tend to do that," Nora teases.

"Not funny," Maksim snaps.

"Chill," Boris barks and tightens his arm around Nora.

Maksim takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. "Sorry."

"You're forgiven," Nora replies.

"Why does he get forgiven easily, and you hold grudges against me forever?" Boris asks.

She tilts her head up and smirks.

His expression turns cocky. He slowly looks at every part of her, lingering on her breasts and lower body, then drags his finger over her collarbone.

I don't miss the way her chest fills with air or the slight flush in her face.

The vision of them getting it on at the wedding fills my mind, and I refocus on Maksim. "Can we go home?"

"Let me tell the doctor you're awake."

He hesitates then gently kisses me. He quietly admits, "You scared me."

I smile. "I'm okay. At least, I think. I won't have anything long term from this, will I?"

"I can help answer that," a man's voice says.

I glance at the door. An older man with a bald head, maybe in his sixties, comes closer. He smiles. "I'm Dr. Granger. How are you feeling?"

"My arm's sore when I move it."

"We can increase the pain meds."

He addresses Maksim. "Mind if I examine my patient?"

Maksim rises and steps back.

"We'll go to the waiting room," Anna says, and everyone but Maksim follows her.

He circles the bed so he's on the other side of me.

"You're lucky. Your wound is shallow, and you got medical attention quickly. I suspect you won't have long-term issues, but you'll want to keep a close eye on things."

I release a big breath. "Okay. What kind of things?"

"Sometimes patients can have a permanent neurological injury from hypoxic encephalopathy or respiratory paralysis or cardiac arrest. Amputations sometimes occur as well."

"What?" I cry out and look at Maksim.

His face hardens, and his eyes turn icy.

The doctor pats my hand. "I don't think you'll have to worry about any of these issues. But I'll put down what to watch out for on your discharge papers."

"All right. Can I go home now?"

"We should be able to get you out of here soon. But expect pain and swelling for at least three weeks, possibly up to nine months."

"Nine months?" Maksim seethes.

The doctor jerks back.

"Maksim," I quietly say and try to take his hand, but my arm hurts again, and I wince.

"Let me increase your I.V. drip." The doctor fidgets with it, and I get a surge of warmth in my veins.

"Whoo!" I laugh.

The doctor grins. "You're probably going to get tired. Or in rare cases, the opposite will happen, and you won't be able to sleep."

I yawn and start to drift off as the doctor and Maksim talk. When I wake up, I'm in Maksim's bed. My arm is throbbing, and my mouth is dry.

It's dark, except for the glow of the fireplace. The shades cover the windows. I glance next to me, and the bed is made.

What time is it?

Where is Maksim?

I slowly get up and go out to the main room.

"Get it done, Obrecht. I'm getting impatient. He tried to kill her. My krasotka could have long-term damage." Maksim paces the room and runs his hand in his hair then stops and stares out at the lit-up buildings.

I should tell him I'm here, but for some reason, I don't. Instead, I lean against the doorframe. I'm not hidden. If Maksim turns, he will see me, but I don't voluntarily tell him I'm here.

"I want him taken to the garage, stripped, and hung by his toes. The thugs who were with him in the club, I want them there, too."

My heart races. I get dizzy and grab onto the wall to steady myself.

Maksim turns. "Get it done," he barks, hangs up, and rushes to my side.

"My krasotka. You should be resting."

"What day is it?"

"Saturday."

"I've been asleep since Friday night?"

"Yes. Come sit down." He leads me to the couch and pulls me onto his lap. "How is your arm?"

I curl up, keeping my bad arm away from him. "It's throbbing."

He kisses my head. "You have a few more hours until your next pain pill. Let me take you back to bed."

"No. Let me stay with you."

He sighs. "I'm sorry I didn't protect you."

I tilt my head. "You couldn't have done anything."

"I shouldn't have allowed you to open that box. It should never have even gotten in here."

"Maksim, don't do this. It's my fault I'm on Wes's radar. I was the one who went to the Cat's Meow. I let him take me in his VIP room."

Maksim's face hardens, and he focuses on the ceiling. "You are mine to protect. This isn't your fault."

"Please, let's not play the blame game." I rest my head back on his shoulder. Several minutes pass, and he strokes my hair. I ask, "What is the garage?"

He freezes.

I straddle him so he can't hide from me. "Tell me."

His blue eyes turn to ice. The rise and fall of his chest increases. "It's a building my brothers and I own."

How much do I ask him?

I clear my throat. My mouth is so dry, my throat hurts when I speak. My heart beats faster. "You kill men there?"

"Yes."

I nod. "Where is it?"

"I will never tell you. You do not need to know this. It is for your protection."

I can't argue with him. What would be the reason I would ever need to know? "Okay."

He holds my face. "He will pay for what he did to you, my krasotka. I will watch him take his last breath. And his thugs will not receive my mercy, either."

We stay silent for several moments. The old me would never believe I could sit on a man's lap and not feel scared or guilty or that it was wrong to kill someone. But I'm not the same woman I used to be. Everything has changed. The switch flipped in me. All I care about is that Maksim does whatever he's going to without getting hurt.

I swallow hard. "Do I need to worry about your safety?"

Relief crosses his face. "No."

"You were worried I was judging you? Or would tell you not to?"

"Sometimes, your silence makes my thoughts spiral."

"Listen to me closely, Maksim."

He raises his eyebrows.

"The only thing I care about is you. I trust you completely. So whatever you feel is necessary, do. I will never stand in your way."

"Thank you for—"

I put my finger over his lips. "But you are a calculated man. Do not act with your heart on this. Use your head. I cannot stand to lose you in any way." My stomach growls.

"Let me make you some food, my krasotka."

"Promise me first. I want to know you'll not let your feelings for me affect your ability to deal with this as you normally would."

He tucks my hair behind my ear then locks eyes with mine. "I'm a ruthless man. I promise you, I will deal with Wes Petrov and his thugs by tapping into every piece of me the devil owns."