Love Thy Enemy (Red Stone Security #13)(36)

The chef she’d met earlier was standing next to an industrial stove, terror on his face as he remained frozen in place.

Viktor shouted at another man who Dominique had met earlier. Lyosha. If she’d thought Viktor looked scary, this guy was even more so. Tattoos crept up under the top of his shirt, covering part of his neck. He might look like a brainless thug but his sharp green eyes seemed to take in everything. And he didn’t appear to like what he saw when he looked at her.

Viktor said something to him in Russian and pushed her to him. She wanted to argue but was almost numb. The man’s jaw tightened and it was clear he wanted to argue as well, but he nodded once.

“Stay with him no matter what. He’ll keep you safe,” Viktor snapped at her before disappearing back out the swinging kitchen door.

She took a step after him, not really to go with him, but to keep him with her. Right now it felt as if her insides would break apart from the adrenaline pumping through her. Her fight or flight response was going haywire and she was having a hard time keeping it together.

A strong hand grasped her upper arm. “Come with me.” Lyosha pulled her with him.

“Where’s Viktor going? What’s happening?” She was terrified for him, that he’d run back into where men were shooting.

He didn’t respond, just looked over at the chef and shouted for him and the server to follow. The two men hurried after them as Lyosha tugged her through another door, none too gently—but not before checking outside it. She heard the distant pop of another gunshot, then nothing. Fear for Viktor swelled inside her. What if he’d been hurt?

Her heart continued that erratic beat as they stepped out into a small hallway she realized must be used for employees. “Where’s Viktor gone?” She wondered if it was a stupid question but she couldn’t believe he’d just raced back out toward the gunfire even if he did have a gun. “Has anyone called the police?”

But the man just hurried down the hallway, his gun at the ready as he stopped four doors down. “We’ll be safe in here. There’s an extra exit if necessary.” He stood back and motioned the three of them into what turned out to be a storage room.

Bins marked with different holiday decorations were stacked on tall metal racks that went all the way up to the ceiling. There was another door on the other side of the small space just as Lyosha had said.

“What’s going on?” she asked quietly as he shut the door. Her entire body was trembling so she wrapped her arms around herself. “You can talk now that we’re safe,” she snapped when he still didn’t respond.

He pinned her with a hard look. “I don’t know what’s going on. Someone is stupid enough to attack Viktor and I should be out there with him. Not watching you three,” he muttered, his jaw tightening again.

“Then go if he needs your help!” She hated that Viktor had raced right back into whatever dangerous situation without knowing what he was getting into. The thought of him injured or worse sent another jolt of fear through her. Especially after everything he’d just told her. She couldn’t believe his own father had done that to him—well she could, knowing who his father had been, but she still hated it. Viktor had looked as if he hated himself as he admitted to her he’d only been with escorts.

Lyosha simply frowned at her but didn’t respond, just pulled his phone out of his pants pocket when it buzzed. After a short conversation in Russian he shoved it back into his pocket then opened the door a fraction.

Hope bloomed inside Dominique that Viktor was there, but another man…Kir was there. The blond-haired, blue-eyed man seemed to have an easy smile for everyone. Now his expression was tight but after murmuring quietly to Lyosha, the other man stepped back and let Kir in.

“Protect the woman with your life.” Or else, seemed to be the unspoken words that followed. Lyosha’s words were sharp, deadly, and sent a frisson of fear down her spine.

Yeah, she was glad he wanted Kir to keep her alive, but the way he spoke was scary. Okay, everything about him was terrifying.

Kir turned to look at all of them as Lyosha left, and half-smiled. “Everything’s okay. We’ll be in here for just a little bit,” he said calmly, his words having a soothing effect on all three of them. “The threat has been neutralized so don’t worry. And Viktor’s fine,” he added before she could ask. “He sent me here to keep an eye on you. To keep you safe.”

That was all she needed to hear—that Viktor was okay. Yeah, she had a lot more questions but knowing he was unharmed allowed her to take a deep breath and let some of her panic go. She leaned against one of the racks and turned to look at the other two men who were standing in what looked like a state of shock. Especially the chef. His dark eyes were wide and his entire body was trembling as he more or less stared blankly at her.

She pulled one of the bins off a rack. “Why don’t you sit?”

He nodded and did as she said as if he was on autopilot.

“You should probably ask for a raise after tonight,” Dominique said to the server, hoping to dispel some of the tension in the small room.

Kir was standing guard and clearly not interested in making the two men feel better, and when she was nervous she tended to talk.

The server let out a shaky laugh but she could see some of the tension leave his shoulders. “No kidding. I’m Eric, by the way.”