Chapter 7 Safe With Me

• ADRIKO
• I was halfway through a meeting with Marco’s men, discussing the details of the next shipment. The club’s VIP room was dimly lit, with clouds of cigar smoke curling around the table.
• “We’re paying you for safe passage, Ivanov,” one of them spat in heavily accented Italian. “But your end of the deal needs to hold, or—”
• I barely heard him as the vibration of my phone on the table cut him off. I picked it up without thinking, and I saw her name on the screen.
• I froze, the conversation around me fading off as I read her message. “Please get here quickly; there's someone here.”
• The air in the room shifted. My heart pounded against my ribs. The chair scraped against the floor as I stood abruptly, ignoring the startled looks around the table.
• “Meeting’s over,” I snapped, my tone sharp and final. One of Marco’s men, a burly thug with scars tracing his cheek, leaned back with a smirk. “We’re not finished here, Ivanov.”
• I turned to him, the phone still clutched in my hand. My eyes locked with his, cold and unyielding.
• “We are. If you have a problem with that, let me know how your boss prefers his condolences delivered.”
• The room fell silent, their faces pale. I didn’t wait for a reply before walking out.
• I heard the fading music from the club as I entered the parking lot. I fumbled with the keys for a second before sliding into the driver's seat. The Mercedes Maybach roared to life as I zoomed out. I dialed her number, the tension in my chest growing with every unanswered ring.
• “Yebat!!” I cursed as I hit the steering wheel. (fuck!!).
• The Maybach’s tires screeched as I took a corner too fast. Horns blared in my wake, angry drivers cussing at me, but I didn't care. Every second wasted might be one second too late. The GPS marked her location a few minutes away, but it seemed like a million miles.
• I dialed Dima’s number as I drove at breakneck speed. I had put him and Mikhail in charge of her. What the fuck were they doing for someone to have gained access to her room? I was going to murder those idiots. He picked on the third ring.
• “Where the fuck are you?” I shouted.
• “Boss, I’m down in the parking lot; I came to have a smoke,” he replied.
• The veins in my head popped as I tried to control my anger. “You fool!!” I bellowed in barely concealed rage, “You left her alone to go smoke?”
• “Ya ub’yu tebya,” I swore. (I will kill you.)
• “I—I left Mikhail upstairs, boss,” he stuttered, his voice shaking. I could hear the faint sound of footsteps and doors slamming on his end, but it wasn't fast enough for me.
• “Then where the fuck is Mikhail?” My words were a knife. “She just texted me that someone is in her room.”
• Silence stretched on the line before Dima stammered again, his panic spilling over.
• “B-boss, I’ll—”
• “Shut up,” I snapped, my tone colder than steel. “If anything happens to her, Dima, you won't live to regret it.” I ended the call without waiting for a reply.
• A chill crept up my spine at the thought of her in danger. I accelerated roughly, the screech of tires reflecting my panic. I need to get to her before it’s too late…
• ♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧
• SERAFINA’S POV
• My eyes flew to the door as the masked figure slipped in, tall and intimidating, with broad shoulders. The black mask blocked the face, but the eyes were cold and deadly.
• My throat tightened as my breath came out in short, shallow gasps, and I clutched the blanket with trembling hands. A cold chill ran down my spine as the figure stepped closer.
• “W-who are you?” I stuttered.
• The intruder didn’t say a word as he stepped forward, his left hand wielding a blade. I swallow in fear as I slip my hand underneath the blanket and feel around for the bread knife I had snatched from the table beside me. I gripped it firmly, the cold steel pressing against my palm. If he was going to kill me, I wasn't going down without a fight.
• “Please.” I begged, in a trembling voice, “What do you want?” I whispered, but he didn’t answer, the silence in the room disturbing.
• In one swift move, he gets to my side of the bed and grabs my neck in a choking hold. I clawed at his arm, desperate for air, my nails scraping against the fabric of his sleeve. A gloved hand covered my mouth, muffling my screams.
• I struggled to break free from his hold, but it proved futile; he was too strong. I panicked as my vision blurred.
• The sound of approaching footsteps and loud voices startles him for a moment as his eyes dart to the door.
• It's now or never, I thought to myself. I have to defend myself. Gathering all the strength I had left, I gripped the knife and stabbed his arm. He cursed in a foreign language, and his hold slackened, the knife he held clattering to the floor.
• The masked man staggered back, clutching his injured arm. His dark eyes burned with fury as he glared at me, but the sound of boots pounding down the hall made him hesitate. Without a word, he turned and bolted towards the open window, and before I could blink, he was gone.
• The door to my room burst open, and Adriko’s silhouette filled the doorway, his chest heaving as his eyes darted to me, the knife on the floor, and the bloodied sheet. In two strides, he was by my side, his hands on my shoulders.
• “Are you hurt?” His voice was rough and strained, but his gaze softened as it scanned me. I shook my head, unable to form words, my trembling hand still gripping the blanket. My hand flew to my throat, and his eyes narrowed as he followed my movements. “What did he do to you?” he questions in a sharp tone.
• “He…he just tried to stab—”
• “Shh.” He cuts me off, rubbing my hand soothingly. ”It's over now.”
• He crouches as he picks up the knife and observes it. Dima and Mikhali rush in; they glance at me, then at the blood on the floor, and visibly swallow. Dima spoke.
• “Boss, I—”
• “Shut up. Adriko snaps, “I pay you to be vigilant, not to smoke like a useless idiot.”
• “Check for clues or signs of anything he might have dropped,” Adriko barks at them. Mikali nods and moves to the balcony.
• Adriko hands the knife to Dima. “Get a cleanup crew here; get this checked out for prints and also the blood for a match.”
• Adriko walks towards me and takes off his coat. “It’s over now,” he whispers as he wraps it around my trembling shoulders. “You're safe with me.”