Page 16 of His Darkest Obsession

The gunman's body hits the floor with a wet thud.

Anatoly spins around, his blue eyes even and calm despite the madness that we're caught up in.

"We need to go. Now."

Without waiting for me, his hand closes around mine.

Every nerve ending in my body lights up at once. The marks my teeth left on his palm feel unmistakable, and I swear his heart seems to speed up to match mine in the moment. His grip is firm but careful.

Was his hand always this big?

The thought crosses my mind unexpectedly and heat dances up my face. He brushes his thumb over my knuckles, as if to reassure me that I'll be safe as long as I'm next to him. I nod without thinking, every movement practically involuntary at this point.

As insane as it sounds, all I want right now is for this moment to never be over.

He tugs me closer, and I step readily into his space.

The rational part of my brain screams that I shouldn't feel this way about him. That this is dangerous. Thathe'sdangerous.

But my body just wants more.

"Wait!" I plant my feet. "My sister! She can't come home to this. If they're trying to kill me, they'll?—"

"Text her," he cuts me off without looking back. "Now."

My free hand shakes as I pull out my phone.

Hey kiddo, need you to stay with a friend tonight. Will explain later. Love you.

"Done?"

“Yeah.”

He snatches the phone from my grip and pockets it before I can protest that he has no right to do that. Then, his hand finds mine again, and I feel warmth moving through me.

We're going to make it.Wehaveto make it.

Hand in hand, we run down the stairs.

When we reach the second-floor landing, movement catches my eye. A man is charging up the stairs, gun already raised.

"Look out!"

Anatoly's gun rises. Two shots thunder through the stairwell.

The man tumbles backward. Dead.

We burst through the building's front doors just as a black car screeches to a stop at the curb.

The passenger door opens, and a man who looks like Anatoly shouts at us. "Davai!"

Anatoly rips open the rear passenger door and shoves me inside hard enough that I skid across the leather. My hip crashes into something solid on the other side as he slams the door shut.

The sound of gunfire fills the air.

People scream. Car horns blare. Chaos erupts as people dive for cover.

Anatoly's gun fires again.