“You’re wrong about that.”

I hear the sound of Dimitri’s voice and then the booming sound of a gunshot. I close my eyes, pressing my hands over my ears, too scared to open them. If Roger got the first shot in . . . oh God.

“I care about her,” I hear softly.

I dare to open my eyes, and when I do I see Dimitri at the door, followed by Luke, Hendrix and Drake. My heart both breaks to pieces and mends back together all at the same time. I let out a choking sob as Dimitri kneels in front of me, scooping me into his arms.

“I got you, baby. Ain’t nobody goin’ to hurt you again.”

I glance at the ground as he moves to the side and I see Roger’s dead body, blood seeping from a tiny hole in his head.

“He’s d-d-d-dead?” I rasp.

“He’s dead. Never goin’ to hurt you again.”

I press my face into Dimitri’s shirt and I breathe him in. He smells exactly like everything I’ve needed so desperately in the past week. He smells like home. Like comfort. Like family.

“Hendrix, you and your boys able to clean this up?” Dimitri asks.

“On it.”

I lift my head, staring at the two of them. They’re in the same room, both alive, both speaking . . . civilly.

“You two . . . you’re . . .” I croak.

“We’re fine,” Hendrix says, walking over and grinning down at me. “You fought real good out there tonight, made me real proud.”

I try to smile but I can’t. Tears decide to break free instead. He strokes my cheek and looks up at Dimitri. “Get her someplace and clean her up. We’ve got this here.”

“Damon,” I say as Dimitri takes me from the room. “Where is he?”

Dimitri looks down at me, his blue eyes full of things I don’t quite understand. One of them I’m sure is relief. The rest is a mystery. “He’s in the crowd, making sure no one comes in here.”

“He’s a good man. He has a family, a wife that’s . . . well . . . disabled. He needs the money this job brings.”

Dimitri smiles at me. “I paid him very accordingly for taking care of you.”

“You did?” I squeak.

He strokes my cheek. “Yeah, baby, I did.”

I let myself relax back into his arms.

“Take her home, we’ve got this covered,” Drake says, smiling down at me.

I haven’t seen him for a while now, but I adore Drake.

“Hey, Drake.”

“Hey, good to see you’re still alive.”

I smile as Dimitri carries me through the back entrance and out into the street. When we reach his car, he opens the door and puts me in.

“Dimi?” I ask as he climbs in the driver’s seat.

He looks over at me, reaching across and taking my face in his hands. He runs his thumbs over my swelling cheekbones.

“I’m so fuckin’ sorry, Jess,” he rasps.

“You don’t need to be sorry, it wasn’t your fault.”

He smoothes a finger over my bottom lip. “You have no idea how I felt when I found out you were fightin’. Shit, Jess, I thought I’d be too late . . .”

I reach up and cup his jaw. “You’re not, though.”

He leans in, pressing a soft kiss to the side of my mouth. “You made me real proud out there tonight, Hendrix was right about that. You fought so fuckin’ well.”

I nestle my head into his shoulder and breathe him in. “I was scared, Dimi.”

“I know, baby,” he murmurs into my hair.

“Take me home.”

“I’m on it.”

He leans back and starts the car. I clip myself in.

“Are you going to get into trouble for killing Roger?” I whisper, shuddering at the thought that Roger could bring the person I love harm even after he’s dead.

“No, because Roger is a criminal and he runs illegal clubs. He’s not going to be missed and he’s certainly not going to have anyone looking for him. Those who do look for him won’t look very long before realizing he’s gone and moving on. You’re safe now, Jess. I won’t let anyone hurt you again, do you understand me?”

I turn and stare into his eyes. “I understand.”

“I didn’t say it to you before, and I should have, because God knows you deserve it more than anyone. You need to know . . .” He hesitates. “You need to know I want you in my life, for as long as you’ll have me.”

I force my lips not to tremble at his words; instead I let a tear slip down my cheek. He stares at it, a muscle in his jaw ticking. Then he turns his eyes to the road and begins to drive. In the darkness reality finally hits. I realize just how close I came to having my life upended for a final time. My body begins to tremble and tears start flowing hard and fast while I make soft, squeaking sounds.

“Shit,” Dimitri says.

The car swerves to the side of the road and Dimitri’s door swings open. He’s at mine in less than a minute, swinging the door open and pulling me into his arms. I crumble into him, sobbing so heavily I’m unable to make a single sound; my body is just shaking violently.

“Baby, you’re okay,” Dimitri soothes, pulling me out of the car and switching us so he’s sitting down and I’m tucked into his lap.

He holds me there for what feels like hours, stroking my hair and soothing me. I feel my body beginning to go numb from lack of movement, and I have no doubt he’s feeling exactly the same. He doesn’t say anything, he doesn’t have to. He’s being everything he needs to be in this moment—he’s comforting me, he’s letting me know he’s here with me and that it’s all going to be okay now.