Page 15 of Ten

“That’s not going to happen with Kiki. He confessed. His DNA was all over the victims and the knife they found in the house. Even if he managed to get out of those charges on some bizarre technicality, he attempted to kill you while police were right outside the front door. It’s on the 9-1-1 call.” Eric hesitated. “He also killed your baby.”

A wave of nausea left me lightheaded. My dinner swirled in my stomach, and I swayed as the horrible memories of that night came rushing back.

“Nisha!” Eric engulfed me in his arms, cradling me close and bringing me back to reality. “You’re okay. You’re okay.”

“I’m not okay.” I closed my eyes and held tight to my friend. “I’ll never be okay. I should have known Kiki would never let me escape. He’s going to finish what he started and kill me.”

“Don’t say that!” Eric urged. “You are not going to die.”

“We’re all going to die, Eric. It’s just a matter of when.” I didn’t often let myself sink into such moody nihilism, but it felt appropriate in that moment.

“Yeah, well, I’d rather us be old and wrinkled and surrounded by kids and grandkids and great-grandkids when we go.” He gently pressed me away until we could look each other in the eye. “You and I have a lot of living to do, Nisha.”

“You’re right.” I held tight to his hand. “I’m not letting that piece of shit Kiki take anything else from me. If anyone is going to meet our maker, it’s going to be him.”

Eric didn’t scold me for basically confessing to a plan to murder my ex-husband if I got the chance. Instead, he nodded in agreement. “I’ll help you in any way I can.”

I understood what he meant. He wasn’t talking about helping me as a police officer and a detective. He was talking about helping me as only a true friend could. He would take off his badge and pick up a shovel if I asked him.

“Lean on your uncle,” Eric counseled. “He can probably protect you better than we can. If there is some friction with the cartel and the Hermanos, hopefully, he has some pull to get you clear of it.”

“And if he doesn’t?” I didn’t ask my uncle questions about his business or look too deeply into what was happening in our neighborhood. The less I knew the better, but now I worried I might not have the security I assumed.

Eric hesitated. “I can reach out to my cousin.”

“Vivian? I thought you two weren’t close anymore.”

“It’s complicated.” Eric scratched his jaw. “We’ve made amends since Lev was born, but there’s still bad blood with her husband.”

It seemed he couldn’t even bring himself to speak Nikolai’s name. I wasn’t aware of everything that had gone down between the two men, but it had to do with the only woman Eric had ever loved. All these years, we had thought she was dead, but apparently, she was living her best life in Asia after Nikolai helped her escape her father’s clutches. It was like something out of a telenovela.

Thoughts of Vivian and Nikolai spurred images of Ten. If I called him, would he come? Would he keep me safe? Or would he take one look at my messed-up history and run like his ass was on fire?

No. Ten wasn’t like that. I had seen him with Vivian and the other women in her group of friends. He would never allow anyone to threaten a woman and especially not one he wanted for his own.

I flushed, overcome by the notion of being Ten’s woman. Was that what he wanted? Was it what I wanted?

What would he be like as a partner? As a lover?

He would never hurt me or hit me.

Ten was a criminal, but Nikolai would never leave Ten alone with his wife and child if there was even a sliver of doubt regarding his honor.

“Nisha.” Eric reached out suddenly and drew me between his body and my Jeep. Guarding me with his back, he stiffened and let his hand fall to the sidearm at his hip.

I didn’t understand what was happening until I heard a revving engine and squealing tires. I flinched and drew back against my Jeep, fully expecting to be shot at or worse.

A vehicle braked. Eric’s arm twitched. A door slammed. And then—

“Nisha!” Ten shouted my name.

Startled, I peeked around Eric’s shoulder. The Russian behemoth stormed across the parking lot, closing the distance between his Tahoe and my Jeep with determined strides. His expression was hard, and he glared at Eric. “Ten?”

“Are you okay? Did something happen?” He glanced around the parking lot. “Why the hell aren’t there more cops here? Why doesn’t she have an escort?”

“Hey, back up!” Eric shouted and stepped to the side, blocking me from view. “Put your hands up where I can see them.”

“Are you fucking serious, Eric?” Ten squared his shoulders. “We’re doing this? Now?”

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