“Let’s go.”
He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and steered me away from my first near-death experience. As I staggered to keep up with him, too numb to protest or flee, I couldn’t help but imagine this wouldn’t be my last near-death experience if I allowed myself to be near him again.
11
MIKHAIL
Instead of bringing Claire to the backseat of the car waiting nearby, I strode toward the driver’s door.
The driver exited, as did the other soldier who rode in the front.
One tip of my head toward the dead Giovanni assassin was all they needed for instruction. They were both here to back me up, but I could get Claire to safety on my own.
The driver nodded.
“Dispose of him,” I ordered. Looking at the other man, I said, “Go help the others secure Sergei’s room.” That was why I’d come. Andre and Roman updated me that Sergei had been taken to surgery, and with him in a vulnerable position like that, I felt it necessary to come and make sure no one tried anything. The Giovannis seemed to have an insider at this hospital. Besides, I was more than eager for an excuse to run into Claire.
I hadn’t counted on running into her like this, saving her from one of my fucking enemies.
As I got her into the passenger seat, worried about how stiff and shocked she seemed, I fought back the anger of witnessing her threatened like that. I’d never forget the memory of her held up against the wall, a gun pressed to her head.
Rage reignited all over again, but as I guided her into the car and shut the door, I exhaled through my nose and tried to regain control.
I’d saved her.
She was alive.
And now, I’d do all I could to protect her further.
I got in to speed away, knowing my men would heed my orders.
“Where are we going? What’s going on?” As if being removed from the parking garage was all that it took to snap Claire out of that fugue, she turned toward me with a sharp and frantic expression. “What… Mikhail…” She grimaced, roving her gaze around as she watched the streets blur by outside the tinted windows. “Where are you taking me?”
“Somewhere safe,” I replied, focused on driving and making sure no one was tailing me.
“You’rekidnappingme?” She lashed out, smacking my upper arm. “Let me out. Let me?—”
Reaching over to grab her wrist and hold it steady, I shook my head. “Let you go back to that garage where another asshole might be waiting to threaten you or kill you?”
That shut her up. She wrenched her arm out of my hold and huffed. This feistiness, I could handle. This sass and rebelliousnature were good. So long as she wasn’t zombie-like after that fear, she should be fine.
“I told you. Itoldyou, Mr. Orlov.” She seethed, fuming as she sat there. Anger was fine, too. It was bullshit that she’d act mad at me when I’d saved her life, but I could take it. She was venting, letting out her anger however she could, and I would hear her out.
“I told you that nothing would continue between us.”
“I wasn’t aware that we’d let anything start.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I walked out of your house with a clear intention to never bother with you again. That included your… your businessmen and family. Yet I was asked to help keep your soldiers off the record earlier. And I was asked by that monster where they were.”
“Thank you for not telling him.”
Her mouth hung open. “How could I tell him anything?” she screeched. “I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t breathe. He was choking me. He wanted to kill me for this and, and, and?—”
Keeping my eyes on the road, I put my hand out to push her forward. “Put your head down.”
She started to duck, breathing wildly, but shot back up. “Why? In case someone shoots me through the window now?”
“Put your head down,” I repeated sternly. “Between your knees. Focus. Breathe.”
