Page 26 of Andrei's Solnyshko

“Her? Come on, you can’t be serious. She owes me a fuck and then you can have her back. I got some blow downstairs, go do a couple lines and I’ll bring the bitch down when I’m done with her.”

I grab his knife and cut her zip ties. She rubs her wrists and I check out her leg. The gash is deep and there is a lot of blood. “Fuck.”

I lower my gun, “It’s your lucky fucking day.”

He exhales thinking I’m letting him go, “Thanks man.”

“My girl needs me, so I’m not going to make you suffer.” His eyes widen when I jam my gun into his stomach, shooting him.

He falls to the floor and I quickly remove my shirt and wrap it around her leg creating a tourniquet. I pick her up and race down the stairs. I glance quickly at the room with a dozen dead bodies and Serg yells, “We got this. Clean up crew is on their way.”

“Call Doctor Kiseleva and have her meet me at the house.”

Lev yells out, “On it!”

I hate letting go of her, but I have to drive. She’s in and out of consciousness, and I’m not sure if it’s the injury, shock, or both.

“Stay with me,solnyshko. You can’t leave me.”

Her voice is weak and small, “I knew you’d come for me.”

My voice cracks, “Always, my angel. I love you.”

She passes out and I say a quick prayer. I’m a bad person who does unbelievably bad things, but this prayer is for Summer, the only bright thing in my life, my little sun. I pull into the driveway and slam on my brakes. Dr. Kiseleva is already in the living room waiting. I lay Summer on the couch and she immediately tends to the patient.

“Is she going to be okay?”

Her assistant is busy checking Summer’s vitals and hooking her up to an IV. Dr. Kiseleva removes my shirt from the wound and cleans it. “It looks worse than it is. She’s lucky though, a couple inches and it would be another story. We’ll administer the pain medication and I’ll clean the wound thoroughly and stitch her up.”

I let out a small sigh of relief, but wring my hands and ask, “Why isn’t she awake?”

“Shock from whatever happened. Considering the pain, it’s for the best.”

My angel is in pain. Anger rolls through me and I want to go back and resurrect Julio so I can make him suffer until he’s begging for death.

I leave the doctor so she can focus on Summer without me hovering over her. I enter the kitchen to find Chef Lionel and Roza. “Chef, make all the soups you can think of.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Roza, I want pink roses in the bedroom. As many as you can fit.”

She nods. “Miss Summer is good for you.”

My laugh is sarcastic, “She is, but I’m no good for her I’m afraid.”

“She needs your protection. She feels safe with you.”

“Not last night.”

“Exactly.”

I narrow my eyes at her, “Exactly?”

“It was the last night she’ll ever feel that way. Ever.”

I nod. “Ever.”

She’s right. I will protect Summer. She will never be in danger again.