Page 37

I pressed my lips together as my throat tightened. She was lying. She was trying to protect me from the truth, and that terrified me. It terrified me to think about what she must have gone through just to survive.

Eight years. She had had to fend for herself for eight years while still just a teenager, and I hadn’t been able to do a damn thing.

The image of her covered in blood, her hands shaking, her clothes stained, wouldn’t leave my mind. The day we had no choice but to succumb to the monsters that surrounded us.

“You’ll get sick walking around barefoot,” a deep voice said behind me, making me jump. My hand flew to my chest as my heart pounded.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Nikolaï added, keeping a respectful distance.

He stood tall and proud, like a Greek statue, his hands tucked into his pockets. My eyes trailed down to his forearms, where his rolled-up sleeves exposed veins that stood out against his skin. The air between us thickened.

I swallowed hard, forcing my gaze back to his face. His sharp blue eyes scanned me before dropping to my bare feet. Without thinking, I crossed them over each other—a nervous habit I could never seem to control.

“I… I like feeling the earth under my feet. It soothes me,” I replied, embarrassed, looking away.

His polished shoes appeared in front of me, and I felt the warmth of his body surrounding me. My breath hitched when he lifted a hand, brushing a stray strand of hair from my cheek.

“This dress suits you, Selina. You looked stunning,” he murmured, his breath caressing my forehead.

I tilted my head up, his fingers grazing my jawline, and for the first time since we met, I realized just how much taller he was than me. I barely reached his shoulders, forcing me to crane my neck even further to meet his gaze. A mistake.

Everything about Nikolaï Ivanov was careful—the way he spoke to me, the way he touched me, the way he looked at me. As if he were afraid I would shatter into a million pieces, that I might disappear. And somehow, that gaze made me feel vulnerable. Weak.

Antonio had wanted to break me. His eyes had always been filled with twisted desires and madness, forcing me to be strong, to fight, to survive.

But this ?

If Nikolaï Ivanov wanted to break me, I felt like he could do it effortlessly.

And that terrified me.

“Thank you,” I murmured, stepping back, crossing my arms. Avoiding his gaze, I turned and resumed walking, feeling him follow.

“I’m sorry about what happened to your… products,” I said, hesitating over the word. “It’s our fault. Your brothers are right, and you know it. We should leave. I’ll call Antonio and tell him my departure had nothing to do with you—”

I stopped abruptly as I felt a gentle tug on my braid.

I glanced over my shoulder, frowning as I saw Nikolaï holding the end of my plait between his thumb and forefinger.

“What are you doing ?” I asked, more curious than anything.

His gaze darkened slightly, but he didn’t let go, “I liked the texture of your hair. And its color,” he said, his voice serious.

I was caught completely off guard. What was I supposed to say ? Thank you ?

He finally released my braid and tucked his hands back into his pockets.

“Listen, Selina, as I said before—you’re not going anywhere until I see you healed. You, your son, and your sister will stay here, where it’s safe. As for the stolen cargo, don’t worry. Grigori and Roman are leaving for Missouri tonight to deal with the issue. Sasha and I will stay here to make sure you’re safe. Later, we may join them in California.”

I blinked, trying to process everything. “California?”

“Yes. That’s where we actually live. Sochi is more of a retreat for us, but I think we’re safer here. Not many people know thelocation of this estate,” he said, looking around with a faint smile. It made him look younger. More attractive.

Attractive ?

Oh God, I was really losing my mind.

“I think you’re mistaken, Mr. Ivanov. I—”