Page 35 of Unholy Tsar

I gulp, my mind swirling with conflicting emotions. “Can’t you just leave them be? It was a freak accident; it’s not like they’ll come back for me.” It’s another blatant lie, but my heart pounds with urgency. I don’t know if it’s fear of him discovering the truth about my past or if I just don’t want him to leave my side, but I can’t bear the thought of him going.

Taking a deep breath, Maksim leans over me and tenderly runs his hand through my hair. “I’m not going to leave your safety to chance, Myshka. I will protect you, even If I have to chase those men to the end of oblivion.”

“But I can protect myself. I proved it last night. Shouldn’t my safety be left up to me?”

“Barely, Myshka. I watched that video. It was luck that helped you make it out of that situation alive.” His hand leaves my hair, and I immediately feel bereft. “Don’t get me wrong, you’re a tough cookie. But you’re not ready. Not yet.”

All I can do is watch him tidy up the first aid box, then follow him into the bathroom where he stashes it under the sink.

“Okay, that’s true. But the only reason I escaped at all was because you’ve been teaching me self-defense. Do you see now why I wanted to join your lessons with Bree so badly?”

He scowls, already knowing what I’m going to say next. “You’re still injured.”

“I could’ve been killed,” I remind him. “There’s no time to waste. Security guards are all well and good, but I need to be able to protect myself.”

His honey brown eyes blaze into mine, then they soften. “I know, Myshka. We’ll continue your lessons with Bree tomorrow.”

I smile up at him, practically bouncing on my toes with excitement, “Can we move on from knives to guns?”

“Cecilia–”

“You know it’s the best move. If I had a gun last night and knew how to use it, things would’ve gone way better.”

He sighs. “I’ll think about it.”

But just like I can tell the difference in Roy’s grunts, I’m starting to understand Maksim. That look on his face says he’s agreed but just doesn’t want to admit it yet. My little marshmallow. My smile widens, and I walk into his arms. “Thank you,” I murmur. He grunts in reply, and I chuckle.

“About Roy—” I start, but he pushes me away before I can continue.

“Don’t push your luck, Myshka.”

With those words, a hardness overtakes him. I do as I’m told, and don’t say another word as he leaves the room. Almost as soon as he’s gone, my heart shrivels, and I look around the room with a sense of emptiness, already missing him.

I miss him.

My eyes almost pop out of their sockets at the thought.

I don’t miss him. I’m just lonely. No way I miss him. He’s just a means to an end, a way for me to protect myself—just like Bree. But Bree is no longer just a means to an end, is she?

No. By now, she’s a friend. A true friend.

Shit, could I really be developing feelings for Maksim? No, no. Impossible. It’s just my frayed mind grabbing onto whatever it thinks is safe and warm… and sexy and—stop!

This is nothing. We are nothing.

Right?

Right.

14

MAKSIM

“Damn it! Where the hell are these vermin hiding?” I growl, frustration bubbling in my chest.

It’s been two whole days already and I still haven’t been able to track them down. I expected to have them in my custody by now. But no, they seem to have vanished into thin air.

How could they have just disappeared off the surface of the earth like that?