The Emperor (The Tarot Club 2)

As soon as the thought dissipated, I heard the front door open, the driver ushering in a towering blonde man who looked decidedly not Bratva. He seemed to clean, too vanilla, too wholesome.

He marched towards me with confident strides, his gaze flickering in surprise as he took me in - as if I was something he wasn’t expecting. It lasted only a heartbeat, but it made me wholly aware of how I looked - what I was wearing. My ratty cut-offs and tank probably weren’t something that someone associated with Dimitri should have been seen in, but I couldn’t find it in me to care - not beyond the panic that clutched me in its icy grasp.

“What happened to them?” His voice was quiet - controlled, and it was his control that broke me. I could do nothing to hold back the sob that threatened to crack my chest as hot salty tears rolled down my cheeks, dribbling onto my chin. I was not a pretty crier, but I was real - in this moment, I could be nothing else.

“I’m not sure.”

I answered carefully, rubbing the palm of my hand across my face, forcing myself to take control of the situation. No one else could fix this - handle this, even, it was all on me, because Dimitri was mine, as were his men. I felt the truth of that statement, as if the very notion flowed in my blood.

“What do you need?” I stood tall, needing to command rather than simply be a bystander.

“Clean towels, and some warm water.”

I nodded and turned towards the kitchen. Henla was there, wringing her hands nervously as if she didn’t know what to do - what to think. Same, Henla, same.

Apparently, the driver had called her and demanded she arrive in the event that I required anything from her. That was foresight that I should have been capable of. Dammit, I needed to get better at this.

Still, I channeled every ounce of Emily Rand that flowed through my veins as I barked orders at her for towels and warm water. She obeyed instinctively, without argument or discussion.

By the time I returned to the good doctor, he seemed to have made some headway. He turned towards me and offered me the information that I so desperately needed.

“Dimitri seems to have suffered a head injury. From what I can tell, it’s just a concussion, but he also has a couple of broken ribs - nothing I can do about those. I have some pain medication I can administer to keep him comfortable until he’s back on his feet.”

“And how long will that be?” I spoke with a calm I didn’t truly feel, but I needed to pretend - needed to put on that societal mask that had been ruthlessly drilled into me from such a young age.

“About a week.”

I nodded once. A week. I just needed to keep my shit together for a week, manage the Bratva for a week, look after Dimitri for a week.

A week had never seemed so long - so daunting.

“And Ravi?”

“He needs rest.” Doc Benson’s answers were short and clipped, but I didn’t mind - didn’t think I had it in me to hold a conversation anyway.

“Then he will rest.” I nodded once, working through the muddy waters of my thoughts. “Can you help me move them upstairs? Ravi will be staying here with us.”

Benson blinked once in surprise, but nodded as he assisted me in moving the men one by one.

We ended up calling the driver for assistance, because while Benson and I could move Ravi into one of the guest bedrooms, Dimitri was a mountain of a man, and he was all dead weight.

Doc Benson dished out a series of instructions on what sort of medication the two of them needed and how to care properly for Ravi's wound as he made his way to leave.

“You will come back tomorrow to check on them.” I didn't care that it was a command - didn't even care that I hadn't asked.

Benson was already shaking his head in refusal, but I pushed forward. “You will come back tomorrow and every single day afterwards until Dimitri is fully healed. You said it yourself - it's only a week.”

"I can't just drop everything I'm doing and come here daily."

"You can and you will." I steeled my spine as I took control of the situation.

Benson's ears burned bright, and I didn't need to look at his expression to know that he was pissed. But that was fine, because so was I, and I wasn't about to take any chances with Dimitri's health.

"You think I will just bow to your wishes." It was a last ditch attempt to ignore my orders, and I didn't miss the way his gaze raked over my appearance in absolute disdain.

I did not care.

"You will obey the Bratva." My contention was swift, my delivery final, and I watched his shoulders curve slightly in defeat as he showed himself out.

I stared at Dimitri's unmoving figure for a long time before I finally pressed my phone to my ear.

"Corinne?" Stepen's voice was filled with confusion. I could understand it - I had never phoned him - phoned any of them before. But I also couldn't stop the knee shuddering relief that swept through my body, because he was okay. Stepen obviously hadn't been with Dimitri and Ravi when the attack occurred.

"How many men are in the Bratva?" My voice was cold and controlled, even as I added, "How many do I need to protect?"