Page 62 of King of Malice

Dimitri leans closer. “Milaya, you can trust him, I promise.”

“Triston will take her,” Killian answers. “He scares women way less than I do and besides, he’s less skilled with a pistol.”

A man bends down, smiling at me with an easy grace that makes me relax. He’s so handsome, he looks like a GQ model. “Hi, Ava. Triston Smith, pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

How can he sound like that with a dead body a few feet away? Despite that thought, I start to relax but then realize his effect and give him a side eye. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re almost too handsome?”

A laugh bursts from Killian’s lips. From somewhere in the grass a man moans. One of the hunters? It stops Killian’s laugh, but Tris gives me another easy smile. “Yes. All of my brothers and most of my ex-girlfriends.”

“Tris,” Dimitri rumbles. “Through the woods. Now, please.”

Triston offers his hand and I take it, unclenching my muscles, though they don’t want to work.

He reaches for me, I’m sure he’s trying to help, but I lock up again with a whimper. “Hush, Ava,” Dimitri says before he bends down and grabs me himself. I unlock instantly, and he lifts me up, my body naturally bending toward his. But before I can get my arms around his neck, he tosses me to Triston like I weigh nothing at all.

Triston catches me and crushes me to his chest as he sprints toward the woods.

But we’ve barely made it into the line of trees when the sound of more shots fills the air.

We’re down in a second, Triston’s body covering mine. Was he hit?

I scream, an ear-piercing noise that I can’t control. It’s the fear bubbling out. I know he doesn’t want to hurt me, might be hurt himself, but I’m too raw. I can’t control the reaction.

“Are you all right?” he rumbles, his hands coming to my ears to cover them from the noise.

Those words help penetrate the bubble of fear that controlled my mind. “I…men…” I can’t get any more words out as I draw in a jagged breath.

But he only leans his head closer to mine. “I’ll get you out of here. Don’t worry.”

I clutch at his shirt, shrinking into him.

It only takes another thirty seconds before I hear the crash of footsteps again. “Ava?”

“Dimitri,” I gasp.

Triston lifts his head and then I catch sight of Dimitri charging toward us. “Is she hurt?”

“N-n-no,” I push out. “Just scared.”

Triston places a gentle hand on my face. “I wouldn’t let anything happen to you, promise.”

I don’t have a chance to tell him that his body on top of mine, was what had me so frightened. Dimitri pushes him off of me and bends over to check, his hands running up and down my limbs as he checks for injuries. I relax into the ground, a long deep breath leaving my lungs. “Are you hurt?” I ask him.

“I’m fine, sweetheart.” He runs his hands over my ribs, my stomach, before he picks me up, cradling me against his body.

I close my eyes and wrap myself around him. “How did you ever make it to me?”

“He was fueled by love,” Killian calls from behind him. I expected his tone to hold mockery, but he sounds absolutely sincere.

Dimitri kisses my forehead. “He’s not wrong.”

I close my eyes at the feel of his warm lips against me. “What happens next?”

“The new nanny is with Anna?”

“That’s right.”

“In that case, I think we stay right here and wait for my father to come.”