Page 33 of Lord of the Underworld

They're dragged over to lean against the wall as the doctor races in. "What the hell is going on? Why did you shoot these men?"

"You can look at them after you finish with my wife and her friend," I say, holstering my gun.

One of my other men has tossed them towels from their bathroom, and they press them down on their wounds trying to stifle their groans.

Dr. Komilova turns, heading back into the bathroom without another word. The door flies open and Oksana’s family hurries in.

"Where is she?" her mother asks, frantic.

"The bathroom." I angle my head toward the door.

"What is the meaning of this?" Benedikt shouts. "How could this have happened?"

"Exactly," I say. "The floor and this suite were under your security's supervision. How did it happen?" Benedikt may be half drunk and full of righteous indignation, but the bluster drains away almost immediately. "The attacker is your former Sovietnik. How did a man who is missing his hand and an eye break into a secured suite?"

Now, he turns pale. "Impossible! Yefim was too badly injured.”

I step back to the closet. He follows me, along with his sons, stopping short when he sees what remains of Yefim. Nikolai gives a long, low whistle, and Maks stays silent. Knowing what I do about the two of them, I'm surprised they aren't high-fiving each other.

"He had a gun in my wife's mouth," I say slowly.

Benedikt is shaking his head furiously. "No, I don't understand this. This is impossible. Is this some kind of a setup?"

Nikolai quickly touches his father's arm. "Father, please allow me to speak with Vadim. I am sure you would like to see that Oksana is all right for yourself."

We both know he doesn't care, but surprisingly, he allows his son to take over. "I apologize for my father," Nikolai says gravely. "There is no excuse for how our former Sovietnik was able to infiltrate this room and impact our sister's safety and that of her friends. I also see that…" His gaze turns to my men, currently bleeding on the living room carpet, "That you also had security at the door."

Ah, clever. Subtly trying to assign some of the blame on my people, and it's well done. I incline my head. "Do I have your word that you will personally conduct an investigation?"

Nikolai nods firmly. "You have my word." He looks down at what's left of Yefim, bloody foam bubbling from his mouth and dripping down the sides of his face. Squatting, Nikolai looks at him closely. "He had to have taken something incredibly powerful to have kept him on his feet," he says, shaking his head.

"He's always been a pig. Oksana tried to tell us about him before," Maks says.

"Shut the fuck up, Maks." Nikolai cuts him off viciously.

Looking between them, my disgust grows. So, she had tried to ask for help before, and they didn't protect her. Shoving past them, I head back to Oksana. Anka's there, conscious and getting checked over by the doctor.

"Your wife is fine. Banged up, certainly," Dr. Komilova says. "I bandaged her back. I don't think a scan for a concussion is necessary. She's not showing any signs that concern me. Still, keep an eye on her tonight, please. If her throat swells, or she starts having difficulties breathing, or drinking water, please notify me immediately. If you wish, I'll send a nurse back with you. Where are you staying tonight?"

I'd been intending to put Oksana on my jet and fly back to the U.S. tonight, it's clear that won't be happening. I'm not going to risk her having a potential head injury.

"My home here in the city," I say shortly, and the doctor nods.

"Miss Anka here has an unpleasant cut on the back of her head, where he struck her," she continues. "Fortunately, also no signs of concussion and she did not require stitches."

Anka's watery gaze moves from Dr. Komilova to me. "Thank you for saving us. Thank you for looking after Oksana. It's the first fucking time anyone has," she says bitterly.

Oksana's mother stands in the corner, forgotten, until I notice her visibly flinch. Anka does not apologize.

Dr. Komilova breaks the uncomfortable silence. "Follow up care for you, Miss Anka. If your cut starts bleeding, if you're dizzy or confused, you call immediately, understood?"

"Yes, thank you," Anka nods.

Looping her stethoscope around her neck with a sigh, the doctor says, "If you'll excuse me, I believe I have two gunshot wounds to attend to."

Oksana and her mother are talking quietly. There are tears in her eyes as she smooths Oksana's hair back from her face. I can hear bits and pieces of their conversation, though they're whispering.

"Mat', you don't have anything to apologize for," Oksana says, squeezing her mother's hand. "None of this is your fault. I'm okay. Vadim got to me in time." She gives me a beaming smile.