N I K O L A I
Chicago, USA
My head was ringing with something beeping right beside my ears, and I opened my eyes to shut it off, only to be startled by brilliant white light. I opened my eyes again, slower this time, and looked around myself, not surprised to find myself in a hospital bed. Almost instinctively, my eyes went to my torso, but I couldn't really see much of the damage as everything was covered by a hospital gown and blanket. It was probably a good thing I was loaded with painkillers right now because I still remembered that a bullet hurt like a motherfucker. Still, it wasn't the wound on my flesh that had an ache developing inside my heart, taking over my insides and making it harder for me to breathe by the second as I searched the room again. My eyes stilled on Keira's passed-out form beside me, her head lolled to the side, her fingers holding mine in a death grip even in her sleep, and fuck, this time was nothing like the last time I'd woken up in a hospital.
She was here. With Me.
Wanting to let her sleep, I tried prying her fingers off my hand so I could brush my lips against them, but the moment I moved my hand, she jerked awake, her frantic gaze settling on me. Keira's soft, green gaze settled on me, and she rubbed her eyes almost like she was caught in a trance, and my lips stretched in a small smile.
"Hey," I whispered, my voice raspy.
"Hi." She murmured, her eyes wide, her jaw lose, "You're awake. You're here." She covered her mouth as she let out a sob, her whole frame shaking with the force of her pain.
Pain that was there because of me.
"Keira. Hey," I squeezed her hand, tugging her forward, grimacing when she fell forward on my chest, her hand pushing against me as she steadied herself.
"What are you doing? I could have hurt you!" She hissed, trying to move away, and I pulled her back against me.
"It's nothing I can't handle."
Her eyes met mine. This time, they were alight with a fiery glint I knew nothing about, "And can you handle me finding anyone else?" I opened my mouth to argue as radiating pain took hold of my muscles as the very idea of someone else kissing her. "What the fuck was throwing yourself in front of a bullet? What were you thinking, Nikolai? You could—"
"But I didn't," I reassured her, ignoring the groans of my muscles. "And Angelo had a backup plan. I watched someone else take out a gun and point it at you, so I had to act. I'd rather it's my flesh that gets torn into if it means you'll be safe."
"Oh, Niko..." Her tears were flowing freely now, and she sniffled, burying her head into my neck. I threaded my fingers through her hair, moving them slowly with my free hand. Keira held my other hand in a death grip. "I can't lose you. I love you."
For a second, it was like my heart stopped beating in my chest as my fingers massaging her scalp stopped. Noticing my newfound state of paralysis, Keira pulled back and tilted her head.
"You don't have to say it back, Nikolai." She whispered softly, her fingers brushing hair away from my forehead.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, "Loving me means staying, Keira. Can you do that?"
"Nikolai, I stayed when you were too busy hurting me in your rage. I'm not going anywhere now. You don't have to forgive me, but how many people get another chance to be with someone they love?"
"Is this what it is? Another chance?" I asked, turning my head away, not trusting myself not to fall for the green threads in her gaze that called onto me like an old favorite song that'd gotten buried in one of my playlists.
"Have you never hoped for one? A chance to try again?" She whispered, moving her weight off me so now she was leaning over my face, her blonde locks falling around my face like a curtain.
My heart had long since given in, but over the years, my brain had gotten louder, and he was a suspicious bastard, and in the back of my head, there was still this thread that kept pulling that what if she left again? I didn't think I could survive it again, but it was also true that for so many nights I'd lain awake, begging the universe to let me have one more day with her, and now there was a lifetime in front of us. A lifetime of trying again.
Perhaps, it was time I let go of the anger anchoring me to the bottom of the sea and broke through the surface of my despair with her holding my hand.
"There won't be anyone else. I won't let you go again, and I swear if you try to leave, I'll hunt you to the end of the world."
"There never was. You're the only man I've ever loved, and I hope you do. But I'm not going anywhere, Nikolai."
I nodded, and she brought her lips down on mine in a kiss that would seal the promises that we'd just made to each other. As always, her lips against mine started a chain reaction inside me, and no matter how many times our lips touched, it was impossible for me not to want more.
"One would think a fucking bullet would slow you down."
Keira gasped and pulled back at the voice of her cockblocking brother, but before she could move back to the chair that was way too far away, I pulled her to sit beside me as I pressed the button on the side of the bed that would incline the damn thing so I could look at Kyzer.
He crossed his ankles, leaning against the wall, "Did you have to be the fucking hero?"
I scoffed, "I do not have a hero complex. Clearly, Angelo still has loyal men, which Samuel doesn't know about because one of them was pointing a gun too. I didn't want to take a chance."
Kyzer rubbed his jaw at the new piece of information, "Not everyone is as ready to betray their fucking Capo as Samuel. And are you sure you can trust him?"
"I know his Achilles heel. It wasn't him." Kyzer shook his head, his eyes distant.
"Now what?"
"Now I get married, and you're my best man."
"I don't remember agreeing to that."
"You just did," Kyzer smirked, nodding at his sister, who had the brightest smile on her face, and the siblings looked comical, if not creepy, with identical smiles. "And your grandfather is waiting."
"Fuck." I whispered under my breath, wondering why he hadn't barged inside yet.
"Kolya," His voice broke through, and I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes, knowing I might've thought that too soon.
Keira stiffened beside me and tried getting her hand out of mine, but I only tightened my hold on her and kept her plastered to my side.
"Dedushka," I nodded, "This is my wife Keira, and that's her brother, Kyzer."
Dedushka looked at Kyzer over his shoulder. His jaw clenched, "We've met." His words were enough for me to know Kyzer had gotten on his last nerve. He turned to Keira, "It's unfortunate that we have to meet under such grave circumstances."
Keira nodded, smiling uncomfortably, "I'm just happy he's okay."
"I suppose we all are," Dedushka said thoughtfully before sitting down on the chair Keira had vacated. "You are coming home now."
I nodded because it wasn't a question. It was an order. He'd given me enough time to get my shit together. Besides, it was about time I got my shit together and returned to my rightful place.
"Good. I am getting old now. The men need to get used to you so they won't question you when you're Pakhan."
I could see Kyzer wanting to fucking say something, and I shook my head at him, stopping his annoying habit of grating on people's nerves.
"I assume you will be joining too?" He turned to Keira, who nodded, her fingers sweating around mine.
I didn't know if she was nervous because he was my grandfather or if he was the Pakhan of the Chernov Bratva. I would like to think it was the former, but we would have to talk about it later. We had a lot to talk about, and we would figure it all out because this time, both of us really meant the wedding vows we'd taken what felt like yesterday yet still a forever ago.
Till death do us part.
* * *
THE END.
Oh, hell, it's so hard to write these two words down. With this Till Death Do Us Part has officially ended, but since I couldn't let go of Niko and Keira, an epilogue is up for you to read, and some bonus chapters should follow soon after.
Thank you so much for sticking through my erratic update schedules. I can't tell you how much your support means to me. Don't forget to vote and comment! I hope to see you all again in Kyzer's book, Between Pride & Fate. It's prologue is now up!
Happy Reading.