Because I believe him.
32
NIKOLAI
I burst through the front door of the lodge with Holly in my arms. She's so cold against my chest I can barely feel her heartbeat through all the layers between us.
My security team fill the great room, but I don't acknowledge them as I stride past. All I see are Holly’s blue lips, and her pale skin, as pale as the snow that clings to her hair.
I take the stairs two at a time and carry her straight to the guest bedroom and into the bathroom. The door slams behind us, and I set her on the counter while I crank the shower to get it warm.
Steam fills the room almost immediately.
My hands shake as I peel the wet clothes from her body. Her jeans are stiff with ice. Her sweater is soaked through. Every piece I remove reveals more pale skin, more evidence of how close I came to losing her.
She’s soft and pliant and leans up against the mirror like a rag doll. She doesn’t fight me. She can barely keep her eyes open. And if it wasn’t for her violent shivering, I think she would pass out.
When she's finally bare, I strip down to my briefs and lift her into my arms again. She's so light and fragile. Nothing like the fierce woman who enjoyed calling me an asshole.
The shower is a warm cascade when I step under the spray with her cradled against my chest. She doesn't flinch. Doesn't react. Just hangs limp in my arms while the water pounds down on us both.
"Come on,solnyshko," I murmur against her hair. "Wake up for me."
Nothing.
I adjust my grip, one arm around her waist, the other cradling her head against my shoulder. The hot water streams over us, and I can feel her slowly come back to me. Her skin goes from ice-cold to merely cold. Her breathing deepens slightly.
"Holly." My voice is rough. "I need you to wake up now."
Her eyelids flutter.
"That's it. Come back to me."
A soft sound escapes her throat and then those big brown eyes crack open.
"Nikolai..." My name is barely a whisper on her lips.
"I've got you." I pull her tighter against me, and she melts into my body, limp in my arms under the cascade of warm water. "I’ll never let you fall."
She shivers, and I turn us slightly so the water hits her back directly. Her fingers curl weakly against my chest.
I hold her up as the water works its magic, bringing color back to her cheeks.
I press my lips to her forehead and feel the chill still lingering there.
"Stay with me," I say quietly. "Don't fall asleep."
"But I’m so tired..." Her words slur together, and her eyes start to drift closed again.
"No." I shift her in my arms, and her eyes snap back open. "You need to stay awake a little longer. Can you do that for me?"
She nods weakly against my shoulder.
"Good girl." I brush wet hair from her face. "You stay awake, and I'll make you one of Katya’s hot cocoas. She thinks it’s a secret recipe, but I’ve known it for years."
A ghost of a smile touches her lips. "Will there be extra marshmallows?"
"As many as you want,malyshka, as many as you want."
