Page 84 of Darkest Desire

“Great, ok? It was great.”

Nico laughs as he pulls me into his arms. The sound is like warm water when you’re taking a bath. It sounds like home.

“I’m glad I could please you,” he teases. “Just tell me whenever you’re ready for round two.”

“Oh no. You’re not getting me right away again. I have to make you wait for it.”

“You’re being mean.”

I poke him in the chest. “You’re the mean one.”

“If that’s the case, then why are you snuggling against me?”

I pause and realize I’m doing exactly that. “You’re so full of yourself,” I say, pushing away from him.

“Come back here,” he growls in a lighthearted way. I laugh as he wraps his arms back around me. “Let me hold you. I don’t want to lose you, Sasha. Stop running from me.”

Laying in Nico’s arms makes it easy to never want to leave him again.

But I know my life – and my feelings – are not that simple.

Natalya

I’m shaken when I enter my house. Nico almost killed me and he took my sister back with him. I failed her. Again.

When Mikhail returns home, I run into his arms and break down in tears.

“Baby? What’s wrong?” He holds me closer, right where I know I belong.

“Sasha is back in the city,” I say, wiping at my eyes. “I tried to save her, Mikhail but Nico found us.”

“Are you ok?”

“I’m not hurt. But… he did try to kill me.”

“What? That motherfucker.”

“Sasha stopped it. He just took her away before I could do anything. You have to get her back for me, Mikhail. Please. It’s killing me knowing she’s in danger with Nico. Please. Save her.”

“Nico’s house is swarming with guards. It’s impossible to get to her. But I will kill him for trying to hurt you. That I can promise.”

I shiver at his words. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m doing what I’ve needed to do for a long time. Just trust me to handle this. The less you know, the better.”

I grab his hand before he can walk away. “Just promise me Sasha won’t get hurt in your quest for revenge against Nico.”

He hesitates and that tells me everything I need to know. “I have to kill Nico. You just told me he tried to kill you.”

“Nico’s death isn’t worth it if Sasha winds up hurt. You understand that, right?”

Mikhail cups my face harder than he ever has before. “I will not lose you to him. He does not get the right to hurt you. I am going to kill him.” With those chilling words, Mikhail walks down the hallway. I flinch when I hear his office door slam shut. Whenever he’s in his office, he’s working, meaning he’s planning something. A way to kill Nico.

I wanted my husband to help me save my sister and now I’m worried I just made it worse.

If Sasha gets hurt because of Mikhail’s wrath, I won’t be able to look at myself in the mirror ever again.

Did I just sign my own sister’s death warrant?