Page 72 of Forced & Owned By the Bratva Boss

Chapter Nineteen

Igor

The doctor tells me she’ll live.

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I’m still shaken from watching her lose consciousness an hour ago.

How is that possible?

I’ve killed men without feeling anything. I’ve ended lives without a second thought. But knowing I almost lost her again drove me to the point where my hands were shaking and I was praying desperately that she wouldn’t die.

Nothing has ever brought me that much intense emotion.

Not even when my business almost crumbled a year ago.

“She lost a fair amount of blood from the gunshot wound during the attack on the highway, and she hasn’t fully recovered from that,” the doctor continues while removing his gloves. “But it’s nothing serious. She has a concussion, multiple contusions, and signs of dehydration. She’ll be in a little bit of discomfort for a few days, but she’ll recover quickly.”

I nod. For some reason, I can’t bring myself to utter a word in response. It’s all fine as long as she recovers. It’s all fine as long as I get to apologize and tell her how I truly feel.

The doctor glances between me and Audrey before clearing his throat. “She’ll need someone watching her through the night. If she develops a fever or seems confused when she wakes up, call me immediately.”

“I will. Thank you, Dr. Petrov.”

“You’re welcome.” He gathers the rest of his equipment and heads toward the door. Sergei follows him outside, quietly discussing medications and security arrangements before shutting the bedroom door behind them.

Silence stretches over the room when they leave. It’s the kind of silence that pierces through your heart until it starts to bleed.

I don’t go to Audrey immediately. Instead I stand by the door, watching her sleep. She looks so peaceful and beautiful despite how pale she is.

The bruise along her cheek has already begun to darken beneath the soft glow of the bedside lamp, and a white bandage wraps around her forehead where one of Serrano’s men must have hit her.

Even asleep, she looks exhausted, like she’s still fighting a battle inside her own mind.

I realized I should’ve given her a chance to explain herself before I sent her away. Whatever excuse she gave may not have been plausible, but I should’ve listened. I ran after her, but it was too late.

She was gone.

My pride got the better of me, so instead of getting into my car and going after her, I sent Volkov and Dimitri to watch her. I can’t stand to remember the way my chest tightened when I found out Serrano and his men were at her place.

I’d been determined to kill that bastard tonight, but the slimy thing managed to slip from under my grasp the minute I arrived.

My nostrils flare and something more wicked than rage ripples through me.

He dared to hurt my wife. He tried to kill her a second time, and he won’t get away with it. The bastard could crawl into the very abyss of hell and I’d still follow him there.

I won’t be done with him until I’ve drained every last drop of blood from his body. That’s a promise I intend to keep.

Finding my courage, I walk to the bed and sit on the chair beside it. Then I take Audrey’s hand and press a kiss to the back of her fingers. They’re cold. And bruised.

I wonder how afraid she must’ve been when Emiliano pointed the gun at her head. I wonder if she called for me or prayed that I would come save her.

If I’d been just a minute later—

“You’re safe now,” I whisper, pressing another kiss to the back of her hand. “And I’m so sorry for everything.”

I’m sorry for not realizing sooner how much she meant to me. I thought I was just attracted to her and I was only being possessive because of that attraction, but it was something more.

It took me almost losing her a third time to realize I’m in love with her.