Page 60 of My Merciless Don

Suddenly the hands were gone from around my neck and I couldn't stand either. I fell to the ground choking and coughing and taking huge gulps of air into my abused throat. It was the most painful, most beautiful thing I had ever done.

“Audry?” Hands landed on my shoulders and I cowered away from them. “It's me. You're safe. I'll protect you.”

I relaxed into him with a sigh of relief, my body recognizing him even before I did. His hands were gentle on my shoulders, making soothing motions along my back as if calming a skittish horse. I closed my eyes and leaned into the motion, allowing myself that bit of comfort before I had to deal with reality again.

I coughed, feeling embarrassed at the rough raspy sound of it, yet relieved that I could breathe at all. Marco rubbed my back as I coughed, murmuring comforting words as he waited for my fit to be over.

Finally, I was able to look up at him, half in disbelief that he was even here. After everything I had done to him, he had still come for me. Every time I tried to compute it, I got error messages.

“Are you okay?” he asked me softly, peering down at me with concerned eyes. I barely remembered to answer. I was just staring up at him with my mouth open.

“Audry?”

I gasped, taking in a deep breath as if I had just emerged from the deep end of a pool. “Yes, yes I'm fine.”

He gave me a decisive nod, before getting back up to his feet. That's when I saw Yegorov on the other side of the room. His head was bleeding and he was lying on his side but judging from how his hands were moving, he was trying to get back on his feet. The three other hench men in the room also lay sprawled on the ground. I couldn't tell if they were alive or dead.

I was hyperventilating a little and had to lean back against the table before I fell down completely. I kept staring at Marco, still in a state of disbelief about his presence.

Why did you rescue me?

Could it be that he had really meant what he said, about us being a team? My heart began to thud a little harder with something that felt mortifyingly like hope. Was I really going to allow myself to believe that Marco cared for me?

Looks like…

Then Marco aimed a kick at Yegorov, getting him right in the belly as the Pakhan successfully managed to get on his hands and knees.

I struggled to get on my own knees, determined to stand by Marco’s side as he dealt with his nemesis once and for all. In spite of being kicked in the stomach, Yegorov managed to get one foot under him and stagger to his feet.

From where I struggled to my own feet, leaning heavily against the desk, I watched the hatred burning in Marco’s eyes. He needed this. For himself, his family, and my sister. He needed to finish Yegorov.

Yegorov rushed at him, shoulders down, and slammed his shoulder into Marco’s belly before trying to lift him up so he could throw him down. But Marco clung to him, wrapping his arms around Yegorov’s neck and holding on, the gun falling from his hand. They both staggered and slid all over the floor in blood and other fluids.

Marco managed to pull Yegorov’s head back, literally trying to snap his neck, but Yegorov slammed his fist into Marco’s crotch, making him grunt, stagger backwards and bend over in pain. Unfortunately, he was physically too slow to take advantage of this tactical victory and Marco was back on the attack, punching Yegorov in the face again and again, making the Russian boss stagger backwards with every blow until he hit the wall and there was nowhere to go.

“You think you can take everything from me?” he articulated with every blow. “First my father, then Amy, now Audry? Have you lost your mind?”

His face as swollen and bloody as mine, Yegorov grinned, showing his teeth, stained red with blood. “You always were too emotional for your own good.” He said sneeringly.

Between one blink and the next, the gun was back in Marco’s hand. He pulled the trigger and Yegorov was dead, his eyes still staring straight ahead, his mouth still twisted in a sneer. Marco stepped back and slowly, Yegorov’s body slid down the wall to the floor. Marco stared at him for a long time, probably in disbelief that it was finally done. Then he spat on the body and turned away, his eyes seeking me out.

The emotion in his eyes was too much for me and I lurched over to him, practically falling into his arms. He held me tight, his body shaking slightly and I held him back, just as fiercely, saying with my body what I couldn’t with my mouth.

I am here for you.

“It’s over,” he whispered.

I just held him tighter.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

AUDRY

The uneasy peace of the room was broken by slow clapping.

I frowned taking a step back from Marco to see what that was about. I stared at the door and a man was standing there, a smirk on his face, applauding us like we were the New York City orchestra. I blinked once and then again, wondering if I was having an aneurysm.

“Dad?”

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