They kept the interview rooms unnecessarily cold. He noticed the way Erin shivered next to him. She wore jeans and a t-shirt with his jacket draped around her shoulders. He deduced it wasn't the chill that left her hands trembling but the post-adrenaline shakes from surviving such a brazen attack on their lives.
Wanting to reassure her, Ivan reached for her hand beneath the table and dragged it onto his leg. He glanced at her and winked. She smiled, just for him, and let some of the fear ease from her pretty face.
His face, on the other hand, didn't look so good. Taking down two armed men in the dark wasn’t as easy as the movie stars made it look. He'd escaped the ordeal with only a black eye, busted mouth and gashes on his shoulders and arms. The two gunshots he'd narrowly missed had been pure luck.
It had been a long time since he'd felt real fear. The idea that those thugs had come into his home to hurt Erin had enraged him. Feeling bullets snap by his ear and slam into the wall behind him had turned that rage into fear. Not for himself but for Erin. He'd never forgive himself if anything had happened to her. The need to protect and defend her had spurred him onward, right into the face of danger.
"Well, Mr. Markovic, since you managed to de-escalate the situation without killing the two intruders, you saved yourself a hell of a lot of hassle." The detective from the gang unit finished scribbling his signature across the statements he and Erin had given. "Unfortunately, this won't be the last you see of me. You'll both likely be called to testify if this goes to jury trial."
Ivan inwardly grimaced. The last thing he wanted was to be called to testify. He hoped those two idiots he'd put in headlocks and choked into submission would be smart enough to take a plea deal and spare everyone the headache.
There was a knock on the door to the interview room. A second later, a patrol officer poked his head into the room. "Sorry to interrupt but you're needed out here, Detective Santos."
"Sure." The detective smiled at them. "I'll be right back."
Ivan nodded and watched the man disappear. His inner alarm clanged. Was this some kind of game? It wasn't the first time two police officers had tried to pull this kind of ruse on him. He eyed Erin carefully and hoped she'd get the message he was trying to send. If those two men were listening in from the connected observation room, he didn't want Erin to accidentally say anything that might cause them more problems.
"Ivan?"
"Yes?" He reached out and touched her cheek.
"I'm sorry about all of this."
He shook his head. "Don't be. It's not your fault."
"Isn't it?"
"No, angil moy. It's—"
The door opened and the detective returned. He didn't come all the way into the room. Instead he said, "Miss Hanson, is your sister's name Ruby?"
Ivan's gut clenched. He silently prayed this detective wasn't about to tell them Ruby was dead.
Erin went rigid. "Yes."
"So I suppose I don't have to ask why those two Hermanos cockroaches were trying to kill the two of you," the detective said with a frown. He sighed and waved his hand. "You two should come with me. Your sister was picked up an hour ago. She's been in a cell downstairs but they brought her up here for questioning."
Ivan gripped Erin's hand as they left the interview room and trailed the detective to another room. They were led into a smaller, dimly lit space with a two-way mirror. Ivan let go of Erin's hand so she could make her way to the glass. She put her hand on it and stared at her sister.
Ivan had thought Ruby looked terrible last night when they'd found her in a pool of her own piss and vomit but she stunned him by looking even worse now. Her dirty hair hung in greasy clumps around her face. She'd found a pair of slacks and a blouse that looked like they belonged on a grandmother. Hell, they probably had! Knowing Ruby, she'd likely stolen them from another patient before escaping the hospital.
The sleeves of the white blouse were torn and blood-stained. Her hands had been bandaged. She had some small scrapes on her face and kept rubbing at her neck and forehead. In short, Ruby was in a bad, bad way.
"She was picked up breaking into a pharmacy not far from the hospital. She managed to sneak out of the hospital without any of the nurses or doctors seeing her." The detective hesitated. "One of our patrol officers reported warning her away from a known prostitution area around eight this evening. It looks like she tried to make some cash the old-fashioned way, and when that didn't work, she just broke into a pharmacy to get what she wanted."
Ivan hated that Erin had to hear all this. He cleared his throat. "I'll call a lawyer for her."
"She's going to need one." Detective Santos took a few steps toward Erin. "You know that she's being hunted by the Hermanos and the Albanians, right? I mean, if my informants have kicked that piece of information up to me here in the gang squad, you must know."
Erin nodded. "I do."
The detective glanced back at Ivan. "I know enough about your boyfriend to be damn sure that he knows exactly what kind of trouble the Albanians and Hermanos can make for you."
Ivan didn't even try to deny his history. It wasn't exactly a secret, after all. His interest remained on Erin. Her shoulders slumped with defeat. He desperately wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss away her fears but right now she had choices to make about her future.
"We found a body in a junk yard earlier this afternoon. It's Andrei Kominsky." Detective Santos dropped that bombshell without warning. "I'd heard that he was trying to muscle in on some Hermanos territory and had been stealing from the Albanians. I guess your sister is the girlfriend everyone on the street wanted to find."
Erin nodded. "Yes."
"It looks like the Albanians were the ones who finished him off. I'm just guessing here but I think they took out Andrei and left your sister's score to be settled by the Hermanos." Her met Ivan's stare. "After what happened in your home, I doubt you'll have to worry about those jerks coming back for more from the two of you. They'll respect your strong response."
"But Ruby?" Erin asked softly.
"If you bail her out, they'll come for her—and you might get caught in the crossfire."
It was the ugly truth that Ivan had been hoping to spare Erin. What the detective wasn't saying was that it would be equally as difficult for the jail to keep Ruby safe from retribution on the inside.
"Look, she's a drug addict in need of rehab. When we're done questioning her, she's going to go straight to the special medical unit for addicts undergoing withdrawal. She'll be safe there for a few days. Maybe this thing with the Hermanos will have blown over by then."
Detective Santos shot Ivan a look that was easily interpreted. What he meant was that maybe Ivan would be able to use his contacts to iron out some kind of peace.
"And then what?" Erin asked, her voice wobbling with sadness.
"A good lawyer will get her into one of the rehab programs run by the jail. If she stays clean, she could do six months, maybe a year, and then probation."
"If she stays clean," Erin repeated skeptically.
Ivan couldn't blame her skepticism. When they'd been at the hospital, she'd told him all about the many times she'd taken Ruby to meetings and even arranged rehab. None of it had worked. Hopefully this nightmare experience would be the thing that helped Ruby get a grip on her life.
When Erin turned to face him, he saw the uncertainty etched on her face. "Ivan, what do I do?"
Even though it killed him to offer, he said, "I'll pay her bail, if you want to get her out tonight."
"Thank you." Erin inhaled slowly. "But no. I think I'm done bailing her out of trouble. She's never going to get better if I keep helping her escape the consequences."
Ivan knew how hard it was for Erin to do something so harsh but he respected her all the more for it. On the verge of tears, she hugged herself tightly. "May I see her?"
Detective Santos nodded. "I can give you a few minutes."
Ivan held out his hand and Erin came to him. He wrapped his arms around h
er small frame and hugged her tight. He brushed lips against her temple. "Go talk to Ruby. Make peace with her." He caressed her face. "I'll call a lawyer."
With a nod, Erin slipped out of his arms and followed the detective out of the room. Ivan took his phone from his pocket and scrolled through his list of contacts. The lawyer who handled the gym's business affairs answered on the fourth ring. "Jack, sorry to bother you so late at night but I need a favor…"
* * *
My stomach ached as I entered the interview room where Ruby sat. Her panicked gaze found me. She started to weep into her bandaged hands. "Erin, I'm so sorry."
"Hey," I whispered and rushed to her. I crouched down and slipped my arms around her shaking shoulders. My nose wrinkled as the scents of dirt, blood and sweat hit my nose. "It's okay."
"It's not," she sobbed. "Andrei is dead. They killed him!"
"I'm so sorry, Ruby." Even though I hadn't liked her boyfriend, I'd never wanted him dead. Her painful sobs tore at me. Her whole world was crumbling around her and all I could do was offer a hug and my love.
"The police told me that some of the Hermanos tried to kill you." She sobbed even harder now. "I never meant for you to get hurt."
"I know you didn't." I rubbed her back. "I know you didn't mean for any of this to happen."
"But it did," she wailed.
I held her as she cried and tried to soothe her. "Ivan is hiring a lawyer right now. He's going to try to get you into the jail rehab program. The detective told me they'll keep you segregated from the other inmates to keep you safe."
She leaned back and searched my face. "You're not bailing me out?"
My chest constricted and I prepared for the inevitable screaming match. "No."
Her lower lip trembled. "Is it because I yelled at you in the hospital?"
"No, Ruby. That's not why." I pushed some of the dirty strands of hair behind her ear. "If I bail you out, you're going to run away from me and get high. I know it. You know it. You almost died last night. I can't—I won't watch you do it again."
She grew quiet and still. "Why do you still love me so much?"
I reeled backwards at her unexpected question. "What? Why would you ask me that?"
"I killed Mom and Dad."
"You did not!" I started to cry now. "It was just an accident, Ruby. Even if you had gotten home on time, you might not have realized the house was filling with carbon monoxide. You might have been killed—and then I would have been all alone." I squeezed her hands. "I need you, Ruby. We need each other."
Ruby cried, the tears streaming down her face and leaving clean lines on her dirt-smudged cheeks. "I want to get clean but I'm so scared."
"I know you are but you won't be doing it alone. There will be people to help you and I'll visit whenever I can. Even if I can't see you or talk to you, I'll be supporting you, Ruby. You're my sister and I love you." I cupped her cheek. "I love you, Ruby."
"I love you, Erin." She touched her forehead to mine. "I'm going to get clean. I swear it."
"I believe you." This time felt different than the others. I had no doubts that she was finally going to take control and face her demons.
She touched a spot on her arm and drew my attention. Her finger circled the strange drawing on her skin. It looked like a bird. Our gazes met and I frowned. I wanted to ask her what she was trying to tell me but she cut me off before I could even get a word out. "You need to go, Erin."
"I can stay a little longer."
She shook her head and wiped at her face. "No, I need you to go. If you stay, I'm going to lose my nerve and beg you bail me out. Go. Please."
"Okay." I gave her one final hug before rushing out of the interview room—and straight into Ivan's waiting arms. He didn't ask for the details and I was grateful. Instead, he took care of the last remaining items with the detective and ushered me out of the police station.
Outside, Dimitri and Kostya waited for us. No one spoke a word as we climbed into the SUV idling in the parking lot. Dimitri shot me a reassuring look from the front seat but it was Ivan's strong hand holding mine that kept me from having a complete breakdown during the ride back to his home.
At first, I couldn't believe that we were going back to his house, especially since it had no electricity and two men had just tried to kill us there. Finally, it occurred to me that going back there was Ivan's way of making a public statement. He wasn't going to be scared out of his home or allow anyone to strong-arm him.
Considering he'd just taken down a pair of armed assailants with nothing but his bare hands, I figured the Hermanos crew would get the message loud and clear. Ivan was not a man to be fucked with and he sure as hell wasn't going to let them touch me.
I was surprised to find Ivan's house teeming with men. Some of them I recognized from the gym. Others were strangers to me but obvious friends to Ivan. I didn't have to ask what they were doing there. It was clear they'd come to show support for Ivan.
He stepped away from me just long enough to talk in quiet tones with Dimitri. His piece said, he took my arm and led me into the house. Someone had placed candles on the available flat surfaces. The subtle glow of candlelight lent a strange ambience to the place. Even so, a flashlight was thrust into Ivan's hand. He flicked it on and used it to light our way upstairs.
Instead of taking me to the guest room, he led me right into the master suite. He closed the door behind us and walked away from me just long enough to dig a long-handled lighter from a drawer. He lit some of the large scented candles on the dresser. The flickering flames glowed strangely on his shirt and skin.
Lowering the flashlight beam, he sank down into a big leather chair in the corner of his bedroom. "Come here, angel."
I ran to him, letting the jacket he'd given to me fall onto the floor. Sobbing, I hurled myself at him and snuggled up tight on his lap. Those powerful arms embraced me. I relished his heat and strength and found such comfort in his soft words and the hand stroking my hair.
"I know you're frightened but everything is going to be fine, Erin. I promise you. No one is going to harm you."
Guilt swamped me. I gingerly touched his bruised face. "I'm so sorry you got hurt, Ivan. When I came to you for help, I never imagined it would get this bad."
He took my hand and kissed my fingertips. "I gave you my protection knowing full well that it could escalate to this level." He held my gaze in the candlelight. "I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat."
He didn't need to say anything else. I understood then that his feelings for me were just as intense as mine were toward him. "I'm so glad I found you."
Smiling, he kissed me. "And I'm so glad you were brave enough to come into my gym. I can't imagine never meeting you."
"I know what you mean. I feel like my life has suddenly been separated into two halves—before Ivan and after Ivan."
He chuckled softly and nuzzled my neck. "It's the same for me."
The front of his shirt gaped open. I ran my finger over one of the onion dome tattoos visible there. In better light, the domes had a bluish tint and each one was capped by a small cross. "What do these mean, Ivan?"
He said something that sounded suspiciously like Russian cursing. "Angel, it's way too late to get into my sordid history. Let's leave it."
I let my finger move along the tattoo. "But you will tell me eventually?"
"Yes." He kissed my forehead. "Someday soon, I'll tell you everything—and then you can decide."
"Decide what?"
"Whether you still want me."
He said it as though he feared I wouldn't. I wasn't naïve enough to think that his past was lily white. It was clear from the amount of ink I'd seen on his naked body that Ivan had lived a terrible life before getting onto a straighter path. I prayed that he hadn't done anything unforgivable.
As I traced his tattoo, my mind returned to the bizarre bird drawing Ruby had shown me. I was sure it meant something but what? I closed my eyes and tried to picture the symbol again. The blurry li
nes of blue ink became clear in my mind. What was she trying to tell me?
And then it hit me.
Chapter Seven
"It was a blue bird!" My head popped off Ivan's chest and I grinned at him. "A blue bird!"
He gawked at me like I was a crazy person. "What are you—"
"Ruby had a blue bird drawn on her skin. Bluebird Lane," I explained. "That's our house."
"Your house?" He frowned. "I thought you lived in an apartment."
"I do but we still own our old house. We lived in it until almost two years ago when we decided to put it on the market. The memories, you know?"
"But what does that have to do with Ruby?"
"If you needed to hide a shit load of drugs and money in a place where no one would look, wouldn't you choose a quiet house in an upper middle class neighborhood? We ended our realtor contract a few months ago. I got nervous that Ruby would spend all of her share on drugs so I convinced her that we should ride out the housing slump to get a better price. The place is just sitting there empty."
Ivan sat up straighter. "Where's your purse?"
"In the guest room."
"And your overnight bag that Vivi and Lena brought you at the hospital?"
"The same place. Why?"
"Let's go get them."
Not understanding why we needed my overnight bag, I nonetheless followed him into the guest room to grab it and my purse. Someone had cleared away all the busted up furniture and swept up the broken glass from the brutal fight that had taken place there. Still, the fine hairs on the back of my neck stood on edge as we entered the space.
In the hallway, we ran into Dimitri. Ivan spoke to him in Russian. For the first time since I'd met him, the fact that I couldn’t understand what he was saying really annoyed me. I decided then and there that Vivi was going to have to tutor me in Russian as soon as possible.
As we followed Dimitri downstairs, I asked, "What are we doing?"
"You and I are going to get into my car and drive to a hotel."