Page 127 of Caged

“I can help you with it, if you’d like?” I say, batting my lashes.

I’ll never get enough of this man.

“No time. Alexei has been banging on the door for five minutes already, any longer he will be kicking the door from its hinges, trust me.”

“I need to check on Daniil anyway. It’s time to make plans with him and work out our next moves.” I sit myself up.

“Oh, just you and Daniil are making these plans?” His voice is stern.

“You have to get home to Elena, it’s not safe for me.”

“Why do you think Mikhail is coming to collect us? I will make it safe. Both you and Daniil will be coming back to my house.”

I shake my head, the panic starting to rise.

“I-I can’t. Not until I fix my mess.”

He grabs both of my hands in his.

“We do this. Together. Remember?”

“You’d risk everything for me? Niki, I…”

“A wise woman once told me you make sacrifices for the people you love.”

I choke on a sob and he pulls me into an embrace.

“I will choose you, again and again, Mila. We make this work. We solve this together, as a family.”

He pulls back and tips my chin up, placing a soft kiss on my forehead.

“There is one thing you need to remember about me, baby.”

“Hmm, what’s that?”

“I love like I fuck. Hard. Now get your ass ready. We’re going home.”

He taps my ass and I let out a giggle.

Home sounds good.

Perfect even.

FIFTY-FOUR

NIKOLAI

“Explain to me again how in the fuck you got away from him?” Mikhail leans back on the white leather seat and stares hard at me over his mask.

I let my gaze wander to the window of the plane as the clouds pass by. Where are we now? Over Canada? Back in the States?

I’m not in a hurry to answer him. He has more secrets than he’s shared with even me.

That hurts. He knows what I lost that night when Katerina died. And, yet, he still chose to think I didn’t need to know about Zoya.

“Tatiana sent in her men.” My palms rest on my sore thigh. It itches deep inside. I know it’s a sign of healing, but it’s an irritation.

“Tell me more about her. How many? How does she lead?” He grips the armrest and squeezes until it squeaks.

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