Thane stared into her eyes, trying to express the relief and joy he felt. After a long battle in comatose Hell, he had finally broken the barrier that separated them.
He had made it back to her…
Thane noticed movement out of the corner of his eye and turned his gaze toward it.
Durov.
Thane stared at his friend with gratitude.
“Moy droog.”
Before Thane could manage a word, Durov held up his hand. “There is no need to say anything. You are back among the living.” He hit his chest with his fist. “And your brother is deeply grateful.”
Thane nodded slightly, a torrent of emotions building up with no outlet for their release. Durov, however, cried the tears of relief and celebration that he could not.
But there were darker emotions that rose up, as well. Feelings of anger, helplessness and concern for Brie and the baby. God only knew how much she’d endured the last four and a half months as he lay between life and death. There were so many emotions he could not express that it left him frustrated.
Durov made quick his exit, telling Thane, “I am stepping out for a moment, but do not slip back into a coma, moy droog. If you do, I will beat the shit out of you.”
Thane would have laughed, but he could only manage the barest of smiles. Thank God for his stubborn friend. No matter how difficult the road to recovery, Durov would remain by his side, spurring him on while taking care of Brie. And, yes, Thane had no doubt if he slipped back into a coma, the burly Russian would hunt him down, even to the ends of the netherworld.
Before Durov left, he grinned at Brie and stated proudly, “Did I not tell you he would be fine?”
Brie’s voice filled the room with joy. “He’s back!”
Durov glanced at Thane and winked before heading out the door.
Brie smiled at Thane as she leaned over and kissed him tenderly on the lips.
Oh, the sweet taste of those lips… Thane groaned in pleasure.
With her face just inches from his, she said, “I have been waiting for this day ever since the plane crash.” Her voice quavered as tears began to fall. “I never gave up hope.”
Hope.
It was the recurring theme he associated with Brie. With great effort, each word coming out in a low, gruff whisper, he said, “I never…stopped…fighting.”
She burst into tears, nodding her head as she took his hand and placed it against her cheek. “You came back to me.”
Thane looked at her, wishing he could hold her tightly in his arms and tell her all the things he needed to say, but his body was uncooperative. He could only express with his eyes a fraction of what was in his heart.
Brie’s honey-colored gaze shone with love, and he soaked it in—all of it.
He broke his gaze from hers for only a moment to look up toward the heavens. If there is a God, I thank you for this second chance to be with her.
He looked back at Brie. Nothing would stand in his way of recovering fully from this accident. No matter the prognosis he was given, Thane would continue to fight until he reclaimed the life he once had.
Looking down at Brie’s growing stomach only added fuel to the fire. The baby needed a father who could protect and provide for her.
When Brie saw his gaze shift, she rubbed her belly and smiled. “Yes, our baby is doing well. Master Anderson, Tono, and Rytsar have all made sure of that.”
His eyes darted back to hers in concern.
“Even though I never lost hope, I struggled for a while…so they stepped in,” she explained.
Tears pricked his eyes.
She shook her head, smiling as she wiped away the one tear which escaped and ran down his cheek. “There’s no reason to feel sad, Sir. Master Anderson made sure that I ate well, Tono encouraged me to work on my films, and Rytsar has been my protector ever since.”
Despite her smile, he knew there were volumes she wasn’t telling him and, based on the vague memories he could bring into focus, he knew some of it had to do with his half-sister. Thane had no idea which of those memories were real and which were only nightmares, but Lilly had been a constant theme throughout.
He was profoundly grateful for his friends, knowing they’d watched over Brie when he could not. Seeing her now, he appreciated that they had kept both Brie and the baby safe. He would never be able to thank them enough.
However, babygirl had a darkness behind her eyes he’d never seen before.
It stirred the Dominant nature in him. He had to recover so he could protect her, and take away the pain and fears she carried. It gutted Thane to be lying here, helpless, when he could see how much she needed him to be strong for her.
Thank God for Durov. He was the only person who truly understood the threat Lilly posed and could be trusted to eliminate the danger, should the need arise.
Although Thane was not a violent man, he would do anything to keep Brie and their baby safe.
Brie’s hand grazed his cheek. “This is the happiest day of my life. Nothing could touch the joy I feel right now. I love you, Sir…”
She leaned forward again to kiss him.
Thane closed his eyes as the kiss lingered, and he expressed with his mouth how deeply he loved this woman. When she finally broke the kiss, her eyes crinkled into a smile. “I’d forgotten just how sexy those lips are.”
He smirked weakly in response and tried to give her a witty reply, but that only ended up causing a coughing fit.
Brie instantly disappeared from his line of sight and returned a few seconds later with a cup of water, which she brought to his lips. “Drink this.”
Thane took small sips and instantly felt the relief of the cold water running down his sore throat. Damn…he’d never realized how good water tasted until now. There was so much he’d been oblivious to.
He nodded to Brie in thanks when she took the cup away, not wanting to speak and possibly incite another spurt of coughing.
“Mrs. Davis?” Dr. Hessen said as she opened the door and walked into the room. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but there are some tests and assessments we need to perform.”
“Of course.”
Brie turned back to him. “Sir, would you like me to stay?”
He shook his head, saying in a hoarse whisper, “Durov.”
She smiled, grabbing his hand and squeezing. “I’ll see if I can find him.” She leaned in for one last kiss, saying, “I’ll be right back.”
He felt a stirring in his heart. Those words, said so often while he lay in the coma, had meant everything to him.
“Brie,” he croaked as she turned to leave.
She was immediately back by his side. “What, Sir?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.
“Love…”
Her bottom lip trembled. “I love you, too, Sir.”
Brie had to drag herself away, and kept looking back as she was leaving. Before she exited, she pointed to her heart, crossed her arms over her chest, and pointed to him.
Thane nodded. He would never get tired of her telling him that, no matter how many different ways she chose to express it.
Stripped Bare
When Durov returned, he insisted on talking with Thane alone.
There was no doubt the discussion had to do with Lilly, and Thane was impatient to find out why Brie had been drugged, since Brie had been vague about it.
His brother picked up the chair beside the bed and turned it backwards before sitting down. “We have much to talk about but, first…before anything else, you must know I would have been here the instant I heard about the crash. But there’s the catch, I was not informed about the accident until only a few weeks ago. Whether it was a legitimate mistake or by design, I am still not sure, but know that my absence was not of my own doing, moy droog.”
Thane shook his head. He couldn’t fathom why Durov wouldn’t have been the first one called and looked at his friend with concern.
Durov saw he was upset and quickly laughed it off. “In the end, i
t is not important because I am here now, radost moya is safe, and you, comrade, are wide awake.”
Thane glanced toward the door Brie had just exited, feeling apprehensive.
“Da, it is serious, moy droog. Your creature of a half-sister planned to do Brie and the babe great harm.”
Thane looked back at Durov, alarmed when he hesitated to say more. It was unlike the passionate Russian—his silence was ominous. “This woman deserves to die, and we both know she will continue to be a threat to you both until she draws her last breath. With forceful persuasion, I have gotten her to confess several key things. Are you interested in hearing them now, or would you rather wait until you have had a few days to recover?”
Thane would have punched Durov, if he’d had the strength. Instead, he was left glaring at his friend, waiting for him to speak.
“Very well, but I warn you, such knowledge may prove a hindrance to your recovery, for to know such things and not be able to take action is detrimental to the soul.”
Without hesitation, Thane forced out the words, “Tell…me.”
“You have been warned…” He leaned even closer, speaking to Thane in low tones to keep the conversation private, should someone walk in. “She’s truly depraved, comrade. When she met you the first time, the creature found you extremely attractive, dismissing the fact you both share a mother.”
Thane was sickened by the revelation and looked at Durov in disgust.
The Russian shared how Lilly had come to be with child, explaining, “He resented her for wanting to break up his marriage and became violent when she tried to blackmail him. Knowing she could not go to the police after the attack, she crafted a plan to ensnare you—the true object of her obsession. When you joined her in China, she’d already set in motion her trap for you. But, moy droog, as depraved as she was, claiming the child was yours, it is nothing compared to what she tried to do to radost moya and the babe.”
Thane stared at him, unsure if he could handle what Durov was about to say.
“The creature knew you to be a gentleman, and she convinced herself that you would insist on raising the child as your own after her false accusations. And, given enough time together, you would fall in love with her.”
Thane narrowed his eyes, shaking his head. The story Durov told was beyond anything he could have imagined.
“I agree the creature is warped in the head, and I could have had a level of sympathy for her, but for what came next.”
Durov got up and started pacing. Thane watched him with growing concern as the man paced back and forth in silence. His comrade had suffered a myriad of horrific experiences in his life, which left Thane dreading what had him so upset now.
Sitting back down, Durov looked at Thane, his whole being tense with rage. “The creature had your woman drugged so that…” Durov closed his eyes, fighting to say the words out loud. “She planned to kill moye solntse.”
Ice ran through Thane’s veins, seeping into the depths of his soul. He’d never thought her capable of murder.
“But that was not all.” Durov’s eyes welled up with tears as he continued. “The creature had already sold Brie into slavery and was going to have her delivered into the hands of a monster after the loss of the babe. A life like Tatianna’s, but so much worse…”
The devastation on Durov’s face matched his own. Thane fought back the dark rage that was mounting—ready to consume his soul.
“Moy droog, I regret that I am not able to eliminate the threat while she remains with child, and you can only lie here with the knowledge of what she tried to do.”
The Russian stared at his palms, looking gutted. “Both of our hands are tied for different reasons.”
The horrific truth was worse than anything Thane could have imagined. He struggled to digest it, the bile of how truly monstrous Lilly was proving impossible to swallow—as was the realization of how close Thane had come to losing everything he loved.
In the past, Durov had leaned heavily on Thane during critical points in his life, but now their roles were reversed. Thane needed Durov to be his strength.
Thane stared at him, lost in a feeling of helplessness, and whispered hoarsely, “Brother.”
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner, moy droog?” Durov accused him. “I could have squashed the creature before she had the chance to harm anyone.”
Thane was devastated by the question and could say nothing, knowing his silence had almost cost Brie her life.
Durov shook his head. “Actually, I am not being fair to you…”
Thane’s eyes narrowed, realizing his friend was hiding something more.
Durov sighed deeply. “I am also guilty of keeping things from you in an attempt to protect radost moya. Like true brothers, we share the same flaw.”
Thane frowned, squeezing his friend’s hand—demanding an explanation.
The resignation on Durov’s face when he met Thane’s gaze was disquieting. “Moy droog, the situation involving the maggot I killed has become…complicated. The Kozlov brothers are seeking revenge because it turns out he was their second cousin once removed. Although they’d never met in person, it became a convenient excuse for vengeance against me.”
Thane nodded slowly, the cold realization of how dire the situation really was now becoming apparent.
“I thought I was safe, but now I see the tides turning and I cannot stop what is coming.” He slapped his other hand against Thane’s and held it tight in both hands. “But I promise with every breath still left in me that I will not let radost moya suffer for what happened in Russia.”
Thane stared at him, unable to process it all.
Durov slapped his shoulder encouragingly. “The Kozlov brothers desire my death as payment for the maggot. I vow not to go down without a fight but, if the worst should happen, do not mourn for me. I will be with Tatianna, and will sup at my mother’s table again.”
Thane understood how dangerous the Koslovs were, but his friend was speaking as if he’d already given up hope of escaping.
Thane would not, could not, accept that this was his fate, and spat out a word, throwing down the gauntlet. “Coward…”
Durov smirked, accepting his challenge. “Fine, you peasant bastard. I will fight as hard as you have. We are brothers, after all. Stubborn to the depths of our dark souls.”
Thane stared at him, expressing with the force of his will, one single, driving thought:
I can’t lose you, brother.
Thane had not appreciated at the time that Durov suspected what was coming and was actually telling him goodbye.
To have his brother physically dragged out of the hospital room by the bratva to be tortured and killed that very next morning was beyond what Thane was capable of bearing.
He lay there in utter shock, listening to Brie’s sobs, as the room was flooded with strangers asking him questions he was unable to answer.
Thane held out his hand to Brie, holding her tight as he closed his eyes and tuned out the world.
This cannot be his fate.
Thane suddenly screamed, shutting up everyone in the room. They slowly filed out, leaving the two of them alone. The silence left behind was deafening.
“He’s going to come back,” Thane assured Brie. He said it not because he believed it, but because it had to be true.
Any other reality was not acceptable.
What little he knew about the Koslov brothers he’d learned from Durov. He understood they were a powerful faction of the Russian bratva and were feared in their country. Thane needed to learn more about them so he could get Durov back alive. Bribery was a powerful tool, and if placed in the right hands, it could open doors nothing else could.
Thane needed to contact Durov’s four brothers and enlist their help. Although he had no respect for the men because of their vile treatment toward Durov, Thane would have to rely on their assistance to have any chance of rescuing Durov.
Only a blood relative would be able to negotiate with the Ko
slovs.
Thane would approach Timur first, remembering that Durov had mentioned he was the most reasonable of the four.
Titov was another good option…
If Thane could keep his head straight, he was confident he could devise a plan to get Durov back. But time was of the essence.
The door opened, interrupting his thoughts, when Wallace entered the room. The boy seemed harried and overly nervous as he approached.
“I…I’m sorry to disturb you both.”
Brie looked up at him and complained weakly, “But I told you not to come.”
“I know,” Wallace said, looking at Thane as he answered. “However, I’m here to speak to you on the orders of a mutual friend.”
Thane narrowed his eyes, certain the boy was speaking of Durov. “Come…closer.”
Wallace stood next to Brie, speaking in quiet tones. “I have news about Lilly.”
Thane saw Brie’s face drain of all color.
“Durov spoke with me yesterday. Together, we formulated a plan to get Lilly behind bars as quickly as possible.”
Brie broke into tears, too fragile to handle anything more.
However, Wallace was insistent, and thankfully so. “I came to inform you that she has been arrested and is in jail. I made sure, personally. I wanted you both to rest assured that she is no longer a threat, and I will continue to monitor her situation to guarantee it remains that way.”
“You should not—” Sir began.
Wallace interrupted. “Durov asked me to manage the situation, and that is what I will do—without fail.”
Brie’s voice broke. “You…saw him…yesterday?”
“Yes, Brie. I vowed I would protect you if he could not.”
She looked crestfallen as she whimpered, “He knew this was coming?”
Thane held out a shaking hand, placing it on Brie’s. She instantly quieted, comforted by her Master’s touch, but the tears continued to fall.
“I’m here for you both in whatever capacity you need. I owe you my life.”
Thane shook his head. “You owe…nothing.”
Wallace vehemently disagreed. “You found my donor on the other side of the world when I’d all but given up, and Brie cared for me in the hospital—even making sure I had chocolate.” He met Thane’s gaze, adding, “I remember when you told me ‘There are families formed by blood, and others by character.’ Well, you guys, and that crazy Russian, are now part of my family.”