“Your father sent me,” I warned her. Her small body immediately stilled in my arms.
Thank fucking God!
“Move fast,” Nikolai barked, as he pointed his gun at the house, firing shots at the men swarming the outside of the house. As we continued running, I opened the back of the car door, throwing the woman on the seat. In her state, I was sure it hurt but we didn’t have time to be gentle.
The window exploded, shattering glass all over the woman, me, and the ground. A small scream tore off her lips and her body shook. I wanted to assure her it would be alright but there was no time to comfort her. I climbed in after the woman, her petite body under mine while bullets kept flying everywhere. My body was the only shelter I could provide her right now.
Nikolai was already behind the wheel.
“Get us out of here,” I yelled, pulling out my own weapon. The small, soft body underneath me shook in fear but to her credit she didn’t cry, no hysterics or whimpers. I yanked the door shut, then aimed my gun through the open window. I kept firing, until the clip was empty, but there were too many of them still left.
Three men stood in front of the house and raised their weapon in unison.
“Fuck,” I yelled, covering the woman with my body. “Automatics.”
Nikolai drove like a maniac, swirling and at the same time pulling the trigger, hoping to hit anyone.
Another bullet took out the back window, shattering more glass over me and the woman. The stream of bullets kept coming at us, and Anastasia pressed her body against mine as if on instinct.
“Oh God! I don’t want to die,” she murmured underneath me, her hands fisting my shirt. I took my knife out and cut the rope that kept her hands bound together. “There is so much I still have to do. I need to experience the fireworks, you know?”
What the fuck was she talking about?
“Nobody is dying today,” I spat out. “Don’t you think these fireworks are enough?” I asked her as I took her cover off her head.
She squinted her eyes, at the sudden insult of sunlight. She kept blinking her eyes, never letting go of me. When her eyes adjusted, and our eyes met, I knew I was fucked. She was even more beautiful than on the footage I saw. Her eyes were bright and soft, the color of cool moss. Or bright emeralds under the light of the sun. I had never seen eyes like hers before. There was wildness, a lightness of summer and captivating recklessness in them.
“Don’t move,” I ordered her. We would not die today, not before I had this woman.
I lifted my head and started shooting.
Chapter Four
Anastasia
Gunmetal grey eyes watched me. I had never seen this man. He sounded Russian although his English was perfect. It sounded more British English than American English. But holy crap, he was hot. His face was beautiful but in a rough, harsh way. His cheekbones were sharp and angular.
“They are following us,” the man above me spat out. “We need to lose them.”
“Yes.”
I couldn’t see the other guy. He said my father sent them. Are they friends? Why are they Russian? I thought my father would send CIA agents after me, not Russians.
“Who are you?” My voice sounded raspy. I hadn’t talked much in the last two weeks. My face hurt… my whole body hurt but I refused to be weak now.
He glanced at me through those cold grey eyes but he didn’t respond. His face was void of all emotions.
“They are closing on us,” the other guy said.
The man above me looked up, assessing the situation and our options.
“Anastasia, can you shoot?”
“No,” I swallowed hard. “I am a doctor. I save people, not kill them.” I retorted dryly, although at this moment, I wouldn’t mind killing that bastard that tried to rape me. My grandfather had assigned me security guards so I wouldn't be kidnapped again. A lot of good that did me, although once again it's on me and my careless decision.
A flash of annoyance crossed his face. “Get on the floor. Now.”
It was unlike me not to question someone who was ordering me around. But I figured this circumstance called for exceptions. So I immediately followed his barking order, sliding off the seat and curling into a ball. He leaned over me, his minty breath and the cologne invading my lungs.