Page 36 of Prey of the Bratva

“So they think you took me.” I already knew that.

“Yes.”

The room went quieter than it already was. I stepped back slightly, my hands dropping from his shirt as my mind worked faster than my body could follow. Of course, they would think that. Of course, they would trace the patterns, the movements, the silence, and land directly on Kliment. He was the most obvious choice in this entire game. A flicker of something sharp moved through my chest. It wasn’t fear or regret but something closer to guilt.

Not because they were wrong, but because my absence had become a catalyst. Because what I had chosen to do alonewas no longer contained, and everyone was beginning to suffer because of it. My absence had been causing problems, and no matter how much I chose to ignore them, I could not escape them forever.

“They attacked you for it,” I said.

“They attacked a Romanov property,” he corrected. “The reason is secondary.”

“That’s not how my brothers work. You yourself said they came looking for you, and they will do it again. They will continue attacking different properties until they find me in one of them. They won’t rest until they do.”

His gaze sharpened slightly. “That’s not for you to worry about. I will handle it.”

I looked at him and exhaled slowly, stepping past him.

“Sit.”

It was not a request, and to my surprise, he did not even argue. That, more than anything, told me he understood the severity of the situation. He moved toward the chair near the small table, lowering himself into it with controlled ease. I retrieved the medical kit from the desk drawer without another word, placing it down with quiet precision before kneeling slightly in front of him.

“Take it off,” I said, gesturing to his shirt.

His gaze lingered on my face for a moment too long, but he did exactly as told. His movements were deliberately slow, making me wonder if his shoulder hurt more than he was willing to admit. The fabric peeled away from his skin, revealing more damage than I had initially seen. The graze on his shoulder was much worse up close, the skin torn in a shallow but angry line. There was bruising along his ribs as well, which was darkeningalready, spreading beneath the surface in uneven patterns. I knew from experience that it hurt.

I inhaled quietly as I looked at his naked torso, trying to tear my gaze away from his biceps and the abs that lined his lower abdomen. I already knew he worked out regularly, but I could never have guessed that he looked like this underneath the suits and the snug shirts and t-shirts. Everything around us was going up in flames, and all I could think about was Kliment Romanov’s body.

Get a grip, Misha.

“Sit still,” I said, clearing my throat.

“I am still.” The amused smile on his face was enough to tell me that he had noticed me staring.

“Then don’t move.”

A faint flicker of something, amusement maybe, passed through his eyes. But he didn’t move. I worked in silence at first, cleaning the wound with careful, practiced motions. My hands were steady, precise, and efficient. I did not rush or hesitate, knowing fully well that I needed to be careful. Blood had never unsettled me before, and his did not either, but the proximity between us was a completely different story.

It almost felt as if he was closer than ever before. The heat of his skin under my fingers was impossible to ignore, the solid line of muscle beneath, the controlled stillness of someone who was always aware of everything. Even now. I could feel his gaze on me, and I knew it was neither casual nor indifferent. It was focused instead.

“What?” I asked without looking up.

“You are not shaking.”

I let out a quiet breath, dabbing at the wound again.

“Should I be?”

“You’re treating someone you’re supposed to hate.”

“I don’t hate you,” I said evenly. “I just don’t like you.”

That earned a soft, almost imperceptible shift in his posture.

“Is that supposed to be reassuring?”

“Not particularly.”

I finished cleaning the wound and reached for the bandage, my fingers brushing lightly against his shoulder as I secured it in place. His breathing shifted slightly at the touch, but it was enough for me to notice. Of course I did.