1.1 | The Yakuza Bride

Chapter 16

'Leon?' she called out softly. She scuttled over to him and gave his shoulder an experimental prod.

No response.

'Leon?' she tried again, this time louder.

Her heart pounded in trepidation as she waited for him to stir, to open his eyes, to burst out in laughter and say it was all a joke.

She swallowed, hovering over him with her lips pursed tightly together. Maybe she could call someone. But who?

And what could she say?

He fell and hit his head.

Who would believe her?

He was kissing me and he wanted to do more but I didn't want to, and so I pushed him, but he knocked his head, and now he's on the floor.

That explanation didn't sound good either. They would want to know why a push from her would have resulted in the Federov heir lying unconscious on the floor.

But she couldn't just leave him lying there. What if someone came to look for him? What if – what if he was really dead? The thought sent her heart thudding noisily and her head spinning.

Killing her husband was the last thing she wanted to do in his own home. Gathering her wits about her, she anxiously placed a finger under his nostrils.

He's not breathing?!

Her breath caught in her throat. She licked her finger, then tried again.

Oh, thank goodness! She almost cried out in relief. There was a flutter of cool air on her skin.

She scurried about his room as she thought. A cloth! She needed a cloth. A damp cloth! Maybe it would wake him up.

She ran into the bathroom and found a cloth in a cabinet, then wet it thoroughly and wrung it dry. She rushed to his side again, then knelt beside him as she patted his brow with the damp cloth.

Still no response. His eyes weren't opening. What if he was bleeding internally? That thought sent her down another frightening nightmare of being caught in his room with his dead body beside her.

She didn't want to be arrested for murder. She didn't want to go to jail. What was the punishment for murder in Russia? She couldn't even speak Russian. What would a trial in Russia be like?

Medicine! In movies, there was always medicine lying about that woke the main character up after a blow to their head. She ran to his desk. Then she stopped short. They weren't in a movie! What was she thinking?

Why had she pushed him so hard? Maybe if she had kneed him where it hurt most, then he wouldn't have fallen back and hit his head. He would have been angry, but he wouldn't be sprawled on the floor like that!

Damn it, next time think first! she thought angrily.

Hana went back to sit beside him with her knees pulled up to her chest.

'Please wake up,' she mumbled, her voice trembling. 'I'm sorry for pushing you so hard. I didn't mean to.'

But you were the one who started kissing me first! You - She didn't have an adequate name to call him. Her brow creased as she trained anxious eyes on his face, waiting for some twitch of awakening.

She picked up the cloth again, then began mopping his brow and his cheeks. Those buttons on his shirt didn't seem too comfortable. Her fingers flew to his neck, wondering if his shirt was constricting his airways. Without much thought, she hurriedly picked the buttons out.