“I’m not scared or anything, but just in case, can you stay here until I fall asleep?”
“Sure.”
I remain by her bedside as she tells me stories and cool tidbits she’s learned online. She’s a serial comic writer and said maybe one day she’d tell me her pen name. While she struggles with the world, she’s managed to build her own miniature world where she feels more at ease.
After she falls asleep, I cover her with a blanket and silently step out of the room.
I get a text from a maid informing me that Konstantin is out of danger and asleep. Yulia is staying by his side tonight.
Releasing a relieved breath, I go to Kirill’s room. I’ve got Konstantin’s blood all over me from when I carried him earlier, and I need a change of clothes before I report to night duty.
The moment I open the door, black energy grabs hold of me before a hand wraps around my mouth. A muffled squeal leaves me as I’m dragged inside.
A dark, ominous voice whispers in my ear, “Shh. I need you to shut the fuck up, Sasha.”
29
SASHA
My mind goes blank.
The worst part isn’t my lack of reaction or thinking. It’s how suddenly my body takes charge of the situation.
The moment I’m pulled inside, I don’t go into hyperaware mode or tense for a fight. It’s far from that.
I recognize the touch and drown in the familiar masculine scent that I couldn’t grow immune to even if I tried.
The door closes with a quiet click, and then I’m pushed inside. The feral power of his strength leaves me breathless and with no choice but to match his steps.
Or try to.
He’s too fast, too unpredictable, and that awakens a dormant beast inside me.
My calf hits a hard edge, and I gasp as I stumble straight onto the soft surface of the mattress.
Then he’s on me.
His hand imprisons my wrists over my head, and his knees lie on either side of my stomach.
I get the first look at his face since he ambushed me, and I wish I hadn’t.
It’s tight but blank. Dark but emotional.
There’s nothing scarier than a calm Kirill. He becomes a force to be reckoned with, lacking any restraint or moral codes. Not that he ever had either of those, but he at least makes the effort to pretend that he does. Right now, though?
There’s no hint of that part of him. He’s fully set on destruction, and I happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“What…” I trail off when he shakes his head once.
“Shhh, don’t talk. I’m this close to becoming a pure fucking animal, and if you keep talking, this situation will turn very ugly, very fast.”
I swallow, but a ball gets stuck at the back of my throat. This is the first time I’ve heard him use that low tone of voice. It’s firm and collected, but a frightening hurricane lurks beneath the surface.
“Now, Sasha…” His voice deepens further to a subtle threat. “Have you finished being the benevolent one and making sure Konstantin is all safe?”
“Yes, I have, actually.” No clue how my voice sounds so neutral under the circumstances. “One of us had to do it since he’s your brother.”
“Have I asked you to look after my brother?” His menacing tone shakes me to the core.