Dark wolf.
I sucked in a breath, my heart catapulting into my ribs.No way.
Ohmyfuckinggod!
I recalled the creepy text from earlier.
The wolf is at your door, pretty Annika...
Coincidence?
Adrik wouldn’t show me his face. Why? What was he hiding?
My breath whooshed out.
My mind flashed back to the night of my concert and the attack. Though I hadn’t seen my attacker’s face, he’d been big. Like Adrik. Strong. His shaggy dark hair had hidden his face. Like Adrik’s. When he’d stabbed me, his thrusts had been powerful. Brutal. He’d meant to kill me.
Little pig, little pig, it’s time to die!
I gasped as I tried to wrap my mind around the impossibility...
Could Adrik be the same man?
Could he be my stalker?
Was Adrik Volkov the wolf at the door?
In a panic, I yelped, shoving my chair abruptly away from him until I rammed into the wall behind me. There was a small pouch inside my wheelchair that contained a small handgun. It was there for my protection if I needed it, but I’d never had to use it yet. Now, my hand closed over the gun.
He took a step toward me, his face hidden in darkness behind the hoodie.
My hand tightened around the gun.
“Annika? Are you all right?” He sounded flabbergasted. And as I stared at him, trying to catch a glimpse of his face through the shadows of the hood, his confusion flowed into me like a rushing river.
My heart skittered. Had I just overreacted? Was the meaning of his name a mere coincidence that I’d blown all out of proportion?
A tense silence settled over the hallway.
“Why won’t you let me see your face?” I squeaked out.
He expelled a long breath. “Because it’s not pretty and I don’t want to scare you.”
How did I know he was telling the truth? That he wasn’t keeping something from me? How did I know he wasn’t playing me? That he hadn’t been playing my familyall along? What if he’d just been waiting and biding his time all these years? Earning the family’s trust so he could strike?
No.Wasn’t possible. He would have been vetted before being allowed to join the Bratva. My family wouldn’t even allow him on the property unless they trusted him.
You’re being paranoid is all. Get a grip, girl!
I didn’t know what to think. I wasn’t a very good judge of character since I spent the majority of my time alone. So how could I tell if I was being fooled?
Follow your gut, girl.
“Did you see the text I got tonight?”
A quick negative shake of his head. “I wasn’t provided with that information.”
I hesitated, wishing I could see his face so I could gauge his reaction. “It was really creepy. And right now, I’m a little freaked out.”