That single word knocked the breath out of me more than any punch could have.
Not “you’re coming with me.”
Not “I won.”
Just you.
I hesitated for one last heartbeat.
Then I stepped past Mikel—chin high, throat tight—and walked straight to Nikolai’s side.
And I didn’t look back.
“Mina’s not going anywhere with you!”
Mikel’s voice cracked through the air like a whip, raw and loud and way too close. Rage poured off him in waves, his chest heaving like he couldn’t catch his breath—like he didn’t want to.
The whole room felt like it was holding its breath with him.
Nikolai stepped forward then, slow and deliberate, his body language calm in that terrifying way—like someone who never needs to shout to be dangerous. His jacket creaked with the movement, and I hated that I noticed the smell of leather and cold air still clinging to him.
They squared off. Fists clenched. Jaws tight. Two storms facing each other across a room that suddenly felt way too small.
And I was in the middle.
My stomach twisted so violently I thought I might throw up. It felt like watching a car crash happen in slow motion. I knew what was coming. Knew no matter who “won,” something in this room would break—and it might be me.
Mikel whipped his gaze back toward me. “You’re not serious about this, are you?”
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. My throat had sealed itself shut.
I stared back at him, but everything felt far away—like I was underwater, the sound muted and warped. My silence said more than words ever could.
Nikolai smirked beside me. Of course he did. He lived in moments like this.
“She’s making her own choices now,” he said, voice slick with sarcasm and that smug coolness that always drove Mikel mad.
And yep—there it was. Mikel turned crimson.
“You think you can just swoop in and take her?” He seethed. “You’re not some knight in shining armor, Volkov. This isn’t some fairy tale.”
Nikolai didn’t even blink. He leaned against the wall with infuriating ease, and it made something twist in my stomach—shame and something dangerously close to intrigue.
“Doesn’t matter,” he said, flicking invisible lint off his sleeve. “You already turned her into a prize.”
My body moved before my brain could catch up.
“I’m not some prize!” I snapped.
Their heads snapped toward me like synchronized robots.
Nikolai raised an eyebrow, his voice amused. “See? She gets it.”
“Don’t put words in her mouth!” Mikel snapped, stepping forward, heat radiating off him like a wildfire. “You think she wants this?” he demanded. “You think she’d choose you over me?”
Nikolai’s shrug was infuriatingly casual. “She wouldn’t have to choose if you hadn’t turned it into a game.”
The tension in the air pulsed like a heartbeat.
