Chapter 50

Nikolai

I felt like a fucking creep lurking around the outside of Hannah’s small house. I made sure to park my car about a half mile away on a residential side street that wasn’t nice enough for people to care that a stranger’s car was parked on their street but wasn’t so shitty that my car would get jacked.
I slowly walked the perimeter, finding Hannah’s window quickly. She had texted me where her room was, so I didn’t go staring into her mother’s or her sister’s window on accident. I tapped lightly, not wanting to make more noise than necessary, since it wasn’t that late. In fact, there was still a faint light coming from what I think was her sister’s room.
I heard the scrape of Hannah lifting the storm window, her smiling face popping into view.
“Hey,” she whispered.
I couldn’t help but smile, her long, dark hair was in another messy bun and she was wearing a tight tank top that fell forward slightly as she peered down, giving me a nice look at the rounded curves of her breasts. Her skin shimmered in the moonlight, and I found myself desperate to touch her.
“Hey, move out of the way,” I whispered back. I grabbed the bottom of the frame and boosted myself up and through the window as soundlessly as possible. I stood and took in her simple room, her nightstand moved to the side to allow me to enter through the window, breathing deeply and feeling instantly relaxed now that I was surrounded by her scent. I reached for her, holding her tightly against my body as I recalled her brush with my world. I never wanted her exposed to that shit and it ate me up that she had to see a guy almost abduct Katya before watching Drago knock him out and drag him away.
“I’m sorry, Hannah. I’m so sorry you had to deal with all that today,” I whispered into her neck, inhaling the scent her freshly showered skin. Her arms tightened around my waist as if reacting to the memory of what happened in the parking lot, and it stoked my rage even higher. I would be drawing blood on the Italians right now if I didn’t know that my father started all this shit. It was actually his blood I should be drawing. And it would be. Soon.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Hannah whispered back into my chest. “I still can’t believe it happened.” She shivered in residual shock. I was relieved she didn’t say she was okay because I knew that would have been a lie. You couldn’t be okay after seeing what she’d seen today. I needed her to always be honest with me, even if sometimes I couldn’t give her the same courtesy.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
She sighed and pulled back to look at me. “Yes and no. I mean, yes, I want to process it because it was so fucking scary, but I also don’t want to think about it because it was so fucking scary. How does Katya live like that? How does she live knowing something like that might happen?” She cocked her head, her brow puckered. “How do you?”
I swallowed, not completely comfortable with where the conversation was heading. “You just get used to it, Hannah. I don’t know how Katya deals with it, but for me, it was always a part of my life. The violence, the need to be constantly aware of my surroundings. It’s just second nature now.”
Hannah shook her head and rubbed my chest, as if consoling me. Jesus, this girl. “Yeah, that was one thing that surprised me. Katya knew immediately that man was a threat. I guess she’s developed some of the same instincts you have. The world you come from, Nikolai…” She shook her head in a way that had panic closing my throat.
“Is it too much, Hannah? Do you want me to leave you alone?” I asked the question without inflection, but my heart was beating like a bass drum. I would leave her alone if she asked. Shit, I should probably leave her alone regardless.
Hannah took a deep breath and her fingers tapped on my chest, as if in thought. Each tap against my flesh sent my heart rate higher. She shook her head and whispered, “No, I don’t want you to leave. Maybe I should, but…I don’t.”
I released a sigh of relief. “Would you feel better if I had Drago put a man on you?”
“Drago?”
“Yeah, the guy who showed up.”
“The scary guy with the scar?”
I chuckled. That was an accurate description of Drago. “Yeah, him.”
Hannah frowned. “Do you really think I need that? I mean, the guy was clearly after Katya. I’m not part of the mob. These people don’t want anything to do with me, right?”
I tipped my head back, trying to figure out a way to navigate her questions without scaring her. “Honestly, Hannah, I don’t know. No, these guys aren’t after you. However, I don’t like the idea of you becoming collateral damage either. I’ll talk to Drago.”
Her expression tensed. “So, I am in danger?”
I ran my fingers through my hair. “Not directly, but you are with me, so, I’m not going to lie, that makes things more precarious. There is a major situation going on right now, but I’m hoping it will be sorted out soon and the danger level will decrease significantly.”
Hannah nodded her head, but her features stayed pinched with apprehension. “Nikolai, you really make this hard. All of my common sense is telling me to push you out the window and lock it behind you.” She reached her hands up to cradle my face. “But I don’t want to do that. I want you to stay.”
“God, Hannah, I should leave you the fuck alone.” Even as I said it, it was like my feet were nailed to the floor. I wanted to be here with her.
“I know I sound crazy, but I don’t want you to leave me alone.”
I pulled her hair from its loose bun and threaded my fingers through the damp strands, tightening my hands slightly so I could pull her head up. I looked for damage—ghosts—in those indigo eyes but found nothing but affection and gratitude. That was incredible. Hannah was grateful I was here with her, offering her comfort and commiseration when I was the one who put her in the path of her most recent trauma.
I was the one who was grateful.
“What do you need?” I was not a natural at comforting anybody, especially not someone who was becoming as important to me as Hannah.
Hannah smiled at me indulgently, as if she wasn’t surprised that this was foreign territory to me. “Just being here, holding me, making me feel safe. That’s what I need.”
I leaned down and kissed her face, her cheeks, her eyelids, her soft lips. I was searching my mind for ways to convey my sorrow about her experience, make her feel protected. I felt a ball of discomfort in my chest when considering how attached I’d become to her. It was definitely in unchartered territory. I just knew I needed to be here with her, touch her, make sure she was not only safe, but wasn’t scarred too badly by what she’d seen.
“So, other than the kidnapping, how was your chat with Katya?” I deadpanned.