In my defense, Demyon was still inside the café, finalizing things with the couple. The plan was to quickly help the cat and return before they finished talking. I didn’t think the animal would resist my help—I had to run after it, trying to gain its trust.
Just when it finally realized that I wasn’t trying to hurt it and surrendered to me, Demyon showed up with that stern lookon his face. Even the stray cat seemed afraid of him and hid under the bench.
Because of him, I hadn’t tended to that poor animal’s injury, and I hated the fact that I had to abandon it like that in the snow.
As the vehicle drove back home, I leaned my head against the glass, my arms folded across my chest. A mix of anger and sadness coursed through my blood as I sat in the backseat, seething in silence.
Seated on the other side, his expression remained unreadable, his watchful eyes scanning the surroundings outside the window. I couldn’t help wondering what he was looking out for, and it only pissed me off how he completely ignored me.
Demyon was certain that I was angry at him, and although I wasn’t expecting an apology, he should’ve at least glanced in my direction. That way, he’d see the frown on my face and would be forced to acknowledge my anger.
But he didn’t. He just kept looking out the window and glancing at his goddamn watch.
I adjusted in my seat, the fine leather crunching beneath my weight. The plan was to move noisily until I gained his attention, but the more I tried, the more he kept ignoring me.
Gradually, I started becoming more angry than sad, and my face was already contorted into a frown. “You didn’t have to be so mean, you know,” I growled, shooting a stern glare at him.
“You didn’t have to run off the way you did,” he replied, his voice calm and steady.
“I didn’t run off; I was trying to help an injured cat.”
He kept his gaze out the window. “What are you, Mother Teresa?”
“Are you kidding me?” My scowl deepened. “The cat was injured. Where’s your empathy?”
“Do not lecture me about empathy if you cannot obey simple instructions.”
I groaned, furious at his nonchalance and the coldness of his tone. “Everything is about control with you, isn’t it?”
Without turning to look at me, he added, “I told you to wait outside the café, and I expected you to do just that.”
“I’m not some robot you own, Demyon!” I snapped, my voice rising higher than I intended. “I’m a human being with rights and free will—and stripping me of those only makes you a monster.”
He still didn’t look at me and didn’t even bother responding this time. His silence infuriated me all the more.
“Are you even listening to me?” I lost my temper, my voice dripping with venom. “Demyon!”
“Quiet.” He held up a hand in the air, his eyes scanning the surroundings outside.
Ignorant and oblivious to whatever he saw out the window, I refused to be silent. “No, you can’t shut me up. I’m not done yet.”
“Seriously, Eva, stop talking,” he growled, his voice laced with urgency.
It wasn’t until after I shut the fuck up that I realized how alert he was, his watchful eyes frantically scanning out his window and mine.
In an instant, the car came to an abrupt halt, as if it had been blocked by something in front. The sudden stop made the car jerk, and I slammed my forehead into the back of the front passenger seat.
I heard his men in the cars ahead and behind us yelling in Russian, their thick voices drifting through the cold air. A shiver ran down my spine when I saw Demyon reach for his pistol, tucked away at the back of his pants.
My heart sank into my stomach because at this point, I didn’t need anyone to tell me that trouble was lurking in the shadows outside.
He turned to face me, his cold, hollow eyes boring into mine. “Get down,” he whispered.
Without wasting another second, I obeyed immediately. The moment my head touched the leather seat, deafening gunshots tore through the air.
I screamed at the top of my lungs as rapid gunfire filled the air and shards of shattered glass exploded into the car’s cabin. Next thing I knew, Demyon was on top of me, his body shielding me from the chaos. His protective arms wrapped around me in an instant, my body trembling beneath him.
“Lay low!” he said, his voice rising above the loud shots outside. “Do not raise your head no matter what. Do you understand?”
