Page 106 of Daniil
I stare at her for a beat.
Then I burst into tears.
* * *
Despite the relentlesspounding in my head, I’m waiting in the garage when the SUV pulls up.Landon called to tell me they were on the way and that they had Micah.Daniil joins me a moment later and we run to the SUV together.
“He’s fine,” Landon says, getting out with Micah in his arms.
Micah turns and immediately holds out his arms—to his father.I don’t care, though, and snatch him up before Daniil has a chance.I bury my face against his soft, warm body, holding him tightly.
“Mommm…” He murmurs over and over, fisting a lock of my hair.
“I’m right here,” I whisper.
“You motherfucker!”I look up as the expletive leaves Daniil’s lips and then his fist connects with Jesper’s face and blood spurts everywhere.
I turn so Micah can’t see it, but I have zero sympathy for Jesper.
“I didn’t hurt him!”Jesper yells, holding his face.
“You fucking took my son!”Daniil yells, throwing up his hands.“My six-month-old baby—are you kidding me right now?Anything that was left between us needed to be settled like adults, not using the children!”
“This wasn’t about us!”he snaps.“There are bigger things than you, Dan, though I’m sure you don’t think so.”
“This is about the pipeline?”he demands.“You risked my son’s life over money?”
“I wasn’t going to hurt him!Jesus, he was with my great aunt.He was happy as a clam and perfectly safe.”
“You scared me—and nearly killed Courtney.They fractured her skull, you stupid son of a bitch.”
He has the grace to look embarrassed.“She wasn’t supposed to be hurt—she shouldn’t have fought back.”
Daniil stares at him like he’s an idiot.“Did you think a fucking soldier—a god damn marine—would just sit there and let someone take her child?Do you not know who she is?”
“How was I to know she’s another tough guy?That’s your type, though, right?A woman who’s more like a man?”
I wince at that comment, but Daniil backhands him hard enough to turn his face completely to the side.
“I’d keep my mouth shut if I were you,” he snaps.“Because I can do this all day.”
He doesn’t respond and Landon gives him a little shove.“Okay, play time is over.Where are we taking him?”
“Erik wants to see him,” Daniil grunts.“Marcus knows where interrogation is—call me if you need anything but I’m going to spend a little time with my son.”
He comes over to me, puts an arm around my waist, and guides us toward the elevators.We ride up to the floor where my suite is located in silence, other than Micah’s babbling, and I let him take him once we get to the room because it feels like there’s a drum line performing behind my eyes.
I sink onto the couch and try to breathe through the pain.Now that I have my son back, I can think about resting.
“You don’t look good, Courtney,” Daniil says softly.
“I’m not.My head is killing me.”
“Should I call the doctor?”
“No.I haven’t been taking the meds they gave me because I refused to sleep until we found Micah.But now… I have to.”I’m so tired I can barely think.Barely function.
“What can I do?”
