"He'll need an ambulance," I say and point.
"Go downstairs, Petr. We got this," one of them says as he moves past me.
I obey and exit into the cold night. Adrenaline keeps the wind from chilling me, and I circle the apartment building until I reach the flashing lights of police cars and an ambulance pulling into the parking lot.
"Petr!" Claudia spots me immediately and barrels towards me, face wet with tears. She throws herself into my arms. Her hands are bloodied, the sleeve of one shirt soaked and her cheek smeared with red. "Are you okay?" She flutters kisses across my cheeks, crying.
"I'm fine." I hold her tightly and murmur into her hair, breathing in her scent. She's shaking, and I smell blood and gasoline. Anger stirs, and I repress it with some difficulty. "He won't be bothering you anymore."
"Todd?" she whispers.
"Safe. With Sawyer and Baba," I reply. I push her away to see her face. "We need to get you looked at," I whisper.
"I'm okay," she replies.
"Claudia, you're not okay." I cup her face with my hands. "I won't leave your side, but we're getting you checked out." Before she can refuse again, I bend down, scoop her up and take her to the ambulance. The paramedics immediately begin tending to her, and I stand aside, watching.
She's calming down, the collected, cool woman I know her to be remerging. She looks at me a few times, and I smile each time in encouragement. My hands clench and release from their positions in my pockets. The urge to pull her into my arms and run away with her home is intense.
They roll The Monster out shortly after. She stands automatically and twists her back to him, reaching out for me with her bandaged hands.
I hug her, relieved to have her in my arms again. "Is she cleared to go?" I ask the paramedics hanging back.
"She'll need to see a doctor in the next day or so," comes the response.
"Petr, we'll need statements," calls one of the deputy's escorting The Monster.
"Come on by whenever you want," I return with a quick smile. "We'll be at my dad's."
He waves. The police know my family as well as anyone else in town.
"Come on, Claudia. Let's go home," I whisper to the shell-shocked woman in my arms.
She nods.
We get into my truck and leave the apartment building. Her cheek, hands and forearm are bandaged, and bruising is starting to form across her face from where he hit her.
I'm starting to think I let The Monster off too easily. "You okay?"