Page 68 of Kept By the Bratva

I was buoyed by her needy kiss, and I took her offer freely. Her sweet taste. Her boldly fierce desire for me. And the heart-wrenching relief that we were together.

Growling into her mouth, I held her tight and dipped her backward, realizing that while we fought to breathe, lip locked and so zealous to touch each other, she couldn’t be so wounded to hold on to me like this.

Still, I had to temper this raging relief. I couldn’t be sure until I saw for my own eyes that she was unharmed and not at risk. So many hadbeen shooting. All these men had been fighting. It was the last scenario I ever wanted to find my woman in, but she’d survived it all.

Amy was strong. I knew that and loved it, but I had to prioritize her safety.

She had the same thought. Rearing back and breathing hard, she framed my face and rubbed her thumbs over my cheeks. As though she had to feel me to know I was okay.

“Are you hurt? Did he shoot you? Are you?—”

I kissed her quiet again, groaning against her lips.

This woman wanted me. She cared for me, but hearing her panicked questions like that had me wondering if what she felt for me ran even deeper.

That she could love me, too.

“I’m not hurt,” I told her as I started to stand, helping her up with me. Now that I knew she was okay, I had to see to the others.

“Okay—wait!” She furrowed her brow as she climbed to her feet. Tracing my face, then my shoulders, and down to my arms, she’d found my one slight encounter with a bullet.

“Nik! Youareinjured!” She scowled, worried and on the move. After prying the fabric of my jacket and shirt aside to better inspect the graze on my skin, she shook her head. “I’ll stitch it up.”

I almost smiled, amused at her insistence to play nurse. This woman. She was perfection. Anyone else might have flinched or gagged, but Amy proved to be hardier than that. The sight of blood and gore didn’t repulse her, and I wanted to have hope that one day, she might not judge me as an instigator of spilling blood.

“Not yet.” I took her hand and couldn’t help myself. Standing up, I had a full view of her and I checked her over. No wounds. No blood.

It’s a miracle.She’smy miracle.

“But your arm?—”

“Won’t fall off,” I finished for her. Just because Diego was dead didn’t mean the threat was over. He’d come with so many of the Cartel that I wanted to do my duty and make sure none of those fuckers were still alive and posing danger on our turf, in our home.

“I need to help.” I ran my free hand over my head, scraping my hair back. It would take hours to restore order in the house. We had plenty to help with that, but I needed to see to my brothers and help where I could.

But not without Amy. I refused to let her out of my sight, and she understood that without my having to explain anything.

Alek nodded at me from the other side of the room. He spoke with a soldier but paused to face me. Behind him, Mila hugged Margie and spoke to the housekeeper, no doubt terrified with this messy violence even though she lived with us and was in deep as a long-standing Bratva woman.

“It’s done,” Alek said, glancing at where Diego lay on the floor. He winced as he rotated his arm, likely injured from the fighting. “You’re okay?” Looking me over, then Amy, he seemed satisfied with the evidence that we were fine.

Diego was done. He was dead, never to be a threat to us again. But the night was far from over.

I couldn’t bask in the comfort of relief yet. I couldn’t sit down and coax my heart to slow. It felt like it would be a long time before I could lower my guard and think peace was around the corner. Almost losing Amy—and our babies—like that was too stark and awful of a terror to get over that easily.

With time, and keeping her near, I would improve. We all had to. This breach on our mansion wouldn’t be forgivable, but eventually, it would be one more dark memory among a lifetime of them.

“Is Maxim all right?” I asked, recalling how he’d been on the ground when we arrived.

Another soldier passed by, helping the wounded. “Yes, sir. I was there when he was hit with the Taser. He’s being helped to his wing now for a gunshot wound to his thigh.”

“Thank you.” I singled out Alek and Maxim because they were my brothers by blood, but all the men who worked for the family were part of my concern. I didn’t need to hover over them all. We had layers of help for these specific situations.

“Amy.” Mila came close and hugged her, but I didn’t release her hand. She would be glued to me whether anyone liked it or not.

“Thank you,” Amy told her, squeezing her hand. “Thank you for hiding and getting that knife for me.”

She nodded, smiling, but the sound of a man crying out in pain from outside had her furrowing her brow. “I think,” she said as she stepped closer to Alek, “that we might need to plan on hiring a better medical crew here.”