Page 47 of Gilded in Blood

I figured even Michael wasn’t reckless enough to order an attack while I was still inside with the one asset he hadn’t finished using.

Turns out I gave him too much credit.

Reckless doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Michael actually smiles, looking absurdly pleased with himself.

“Yeah. I told those idiots to wait a little longer, but they got impatient. I wanted to send a message. Cool huh?”

For a second, I can’t find the words. This fool is even worse than I thought.

“You fucking idiot,” I snarl, stepping forward.

Michael instinctively backs up. “You put my life at risk. You put her life at risk. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“Hey, relax man—” Michael starts, hands up.

“Relax?” I cut him off, voice lethal. “I was in there with her when your men opened fire. Bullets were flying everywhere. She could have died. I could have died. Is this some kind of fucking game to you?”

Michael visibly shrinks, his pale eyes widening in fear. The idiot is actually shaking. He tries to laugh it off, but it comes out weak.

“Come on, Kirill. No one died. The girl’s fine. I just wanted to rattle her brothers a little bit. To let them know they’re still breathing because I haven’t given the final order yet.”

I’m one second away from putting a bullet in his head right here.

“So, this is a game to you?” I growl, stepping closer until he’s backed against his car. “You send me in to protect her, to keep her close, and then you try to blow the whole place up while I’m standing right next to her? You didn’t even warn me. What the fuck was your plan? What if one of those bullets hit her?”

Michael swallows hard, clearly scared. “I… I trusted you’d handle it. You always do. You protected her, right? Seems like you’re taking this job a little too seriously. Is she still just a job to you… or has she become more?”

His words hit like a knife between the ribs.

I grab him by the collar and slam him against the car. “Shut the fuck up. Never try this shit again. If you do, I’ll put a bullet in your head myself and walk away from this entire deal. Do you understand me?”

Michael nods rapidly, eyes wide with fear. “Y-yeah. Fine. Next time I’ll let you know before anything happens.” He winces. “Can you let go now? You’re cutting off my circulation.”

I release him with a shove and force myself to walk away. I slam the door and drive off, tires screeching. If I’d stayed another second, I’d have killed him.

But his question keeps ringing in my head.

Has she become more?

I grip the steering wheel tighter, knuckles white. I already know the answer to that. I'm becoming attached to her, and that attachment… it’s becoming lethal.

For both of us.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Milana

The dryer dings, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I open the door and start pulling out the warm laundry, folding it piece by piece into the basket.

My hand pauses when I grab the oversized black hoodie. The one Ilya gave me the night we went to dinner with my family. The night everything between us changed.

I bring it to my nose without thinking and inhale deeply. Even after being washed, there’s still a faint trace of him, that masculine, woodsy, slightly smoky scent that always seems to cling to him.

Things have been… different between us since that night. There’s a strange, careful warmth between us now. Not quite comfortable.