And I want to be human…for her.
“You’re bleeding like a fountain.” She grimaces. “I’m not sure if this will help. We have to get you to a doctor.”
“No. I’m fine.”
She shakes her head. “You’re absolutely not fine. Please just promise me if it doesn’t stop in the next few minutes, you’ll go.”
Her tone cracks at the end, and it does something cruel to me. I’ve taken bullets and blades without flinching, but her voice breaking like that feels like the deadliest blow I’ve ever taken.
What the hell is she trying to do? Kill me?
“What are you doing here?” I ask, trying hard not to split in two, to be the man my father taught me to be.
But with every second, this woman, my wife…she makes it harder to live without her.
“Konstantin brought me.”
“Ya yevo ubyu,” I mutter.I will kill him.
She frowns. “What?”
“Nothing.” I clamp down, needing to get away from her before I kiss her and get blood all over that perfect mouth. “We’re going home.”
As soon as I grab her hand, her warmth shoots through me like a drug. I help her out of the cage and slip into my sneakers and sweatshirt before heading for the exit.
She tries to twist away with the familiar knife-edge of sarcasm. “Oh, you’re actually coming home this time? How nice of you.”
“I did not think you noticed.” I let out a dry laugh.
The way she stares at me, it’s filled with a sliver of vulnerability.
Has she missed me the way I’ve missed her?
She hands me the cloth. “Hold that before you bleed all over the damn floor.”
I take it because it matters to her.Imatter to her.
And I want to matter.
I don’t say goodbye to my brothers as we step outside, my car waiting for me at the curb. Our fingers brush when I help her inside, and instinctively, my arm curls around her, dragging her body flush against mine.
“Spasebo,” I whisper, my mouth so close to hers I can feel every exhale warm against my lips.
“For what?” she breathes, her voice barely a sound.
“For taking care of me.”
She doesn’t answer, just nods, her eyes too full of emotion. Of questions. Of things neither of us can say.
I want to kiss her. I want to forget everything else exists and pull her under with me.
Reluctantly, I let her go, closing the door behind her with more force than necessary. As I round the car, my hand curls into a fist to keep from reaching for her again.
When the engine roars to life, I watch her through the corner of my eye while she stares out the window. And I know with bone-deep certainty, I’ve never wanted anything like I want her.
No matter how much I try to fight it, I know that whatever this is between us will not bend to rules or reason.
It will take what it wants, no matter the cost.
