Page 121 of Alexei

“Aurora.” Someone called out my name.

My steps faltered and I glanced over my shoulder. Isabella rushed after me, Vasili right on her heels. I wasn’t in the mood for either one of them and I took a step to rush out of there when her voice stopped me. “Please wait,” she cried out, attracting unwanted attention. I swore she did it on purpose.

I cursed my proper upbringing, whirled around slightly annoyed and waited, tapping my foot impatiently. Vasili shot me a threatening look, his huge body stalking behind his wife. Damn it, Alexei was usually next to me, shooting his big brother killer glances right back.

“Thanks for waiting,” Isabella breathed. It wasn’t as if I had a choice, not unless I wanted every single pair of eyes to be staring at me.

“What do you want?” I asked, a tad bit sharper than I intended. Her husband promptly growled and my eyes snapped to him. “And for the love of God, would you stop growling at me?”

Our eyes locked, his pulse thundered in his throat, our wills battling in a silent stare down. Isabella chuckled and her right palm came to her husband’s arm, squeezing gently.

“He’s protective,” she justified him.

“You don’t say,” I retorted dryly.

“I can see why Alexei fell in love with you.” Hearing Isabella’s words, I forgot all about Vasili.

“H-he said that?” I whispered, swallowing a lump in my throat.

Isabella chuckled. “Does Alexei strike you as a man that would say anything?”

No, he certainly didn’t. His experiences have scarred him, in lots of ways.

“What hotel are you guys staying at?” I asked.

No matter where it led, I’d be with him.

ChapterForty-One

AURORA

Iknocked on the door of Alexei’s penthouse.

One. Two. Three. Four times.

He told me he could never give me what I needed. Yet, without him it was even worse.

If the only thing he could offer me was no face-to-face fucking and no kissing, I’d take it. Like a pathetic, weak woman, I’d take any crumbs. Because without him, I felt empty. From the moment I walked away from him, every cell in my body rebelled and demanded I go back to him.

I held steady. Barely.

I kept busy. Barely.

He was all I could think about. Each breath and heartbeat was for him. Nights in my bed were too cold. Dreams too vivid. Alexei in my dreams held me close, whispered words of love and a future together. I woke up each morning with an aching heart and the pain got worse with each breath. Until I finally found reprieve in my sleep where he waited for me.

Holding my breath, I waited while nervous energy hummed in my veins. He was so close to me this whole time. The entire floor of this building belonged to Alexei. Guess who the building owner was? Kristoff Baldwin. Awkward, right? Especially since I ran into the man in the fucking elevator. The longest elevator ride ever.

No answer.

I raised my hand to knock again, just as the door opened and I came face-to-face with Alexei’s arctic gaze that no longer chilled me to my bones. My heart sped up, then stilled as warmth washed over me.

“Thank you for saving my brother,” I blurted out.

Surprise flashed in his eyes, then he nodded, neither one of us moving. The feelings in my chest grew heavier. There were so many things to say, I didn’t know where to start.

I miss you,I wanted to say. Yet, it didn’t seem adequate.I need you; I crave you; I love you. None of the words passed my lips. I didn’t know what held them back, because they screamed in my head.

Alexei stepped aside, opening the door wide. Again no words. But it was as unnerving as before. It was who he was. It was who I loved.