Page 85 of Blood & Snow

"I understand,Khishchnik."

The word was once a threat and now is more of a term of endearment.

The predator who once stalked me has become the wall of fire around me to protect me.

He doesn't have to explain the situation he's in other than that he was ordered, but he downs his vodka and sets the glass aside, then grips my hips and pours it out.

"The men I'm hunting, they have been slowly infiltrating our organization. The things they've done have made me look weak."

His eyes darken as he says, "And I'm anything but weak. You know that."

"Of course, I know," I tell him, letting my hands rest on his chest.

His heart is pounding and I realize how vulnerable he must feel.

He's sharing secrets with me that we both know will be the end of me if Leonid knows I know.

I'm not like those floozies at the party who bat their eyelashes and shake their asses for attention.

I'm perceptive and determined.

I'm sure that makes me valuable to Xander, but to Leonid it makes me a threat.

"Well I was ordered to kill them all, as you know, byNovy God. And I'm almost there."

His grip tightens on my hips.

"And I need your help now more than ever, Nadya."

Confused, I scrunch my nose and readjust my position on his lap to sink down farther.

The dress bunches around my hips and he inches it up until his thumbs can brush across bare flesh that, too, is stained with blood from tonight's cleaning.

"I'm here to help you…" I whisper, but I'm still terrified of what happens when this hit list is finished and he doesn't need a cleaner anymore.

His boss is a lethal man.

I don't want to have to run the rest of my life.

"I need more than a cleaner."

This time when his eyes meet mine I see determination in them.

"I need your help planning the final few hits. They know I'm coming for them,Ptichka. I've hunted them one by one, and now after Sokolov's son's body will be found floating down river, there will be no mistaking what happened. I need to root the final men out and finish this, and I can't do it alone."

I don't like what he's asking me at all.

Cleaning dead bodies is one thing.

I'd go to the gulag for life as it is, but helping him plan an actual murder—more than one?

"Xan—"

"Shh," he says, pressing a finger to my lips.

"Don't say no, little bird."

His eyes search my face and his fingers curl around the back of my neck.