Page 101 of Alik

I look at the chair again, leaning forward as the tension in my chest unwinds. “You got it for me…”

When I meet his gaze again, his eyes are slightly constricted like he’s confused that I could think any other way. “Of course.” He scratches the back of his neck. “Olive, I…”

His lips stay parted, frozen with the unspoken words.

You what, Alik?

Please, say it.

It’s killing me to say it back.

I stare at him during the seconds that tick by, my heart pulling toward him, my heels rocking with anticipation.

I love you.

A bubble of tension seems to wind around us, pulling us closer, locking our eyes, oursouls. I changed my mind. He doesn’t have to say it. With his eyes on me like they are right now, nothing in the world could ever tear us apart, could ever make me feel his love any less. I close my eyes and arch my neck when he goes to kiss me.

And then, with a rap on the door, the bubble pops.

I jump and grip his arms while he turns to face the door as the pounding continues.

“Alik, It’s Sergey. I found the bitch. Open up.”

Alik tenses beneath my touch while I freeze.

“Come on, man. I’ve been waiting outside your apartment all night. I know you’re in there. Ditch the tail and let’s go.”

Alik doesn’t move.

I don’t move.

But my heart… It doesn’t know whether to stop beating or to beat faster. It’s as confused as I am.

The man outside speaks with the same accent I heard the night my killers came for me. I recognize it. More than that, I recognize hisvoice.

He was there that night. He tried to kill me.

We didn’t lock the door when we came in, so it opens for the man when he turns the knob and bursts inside. His image plays from when he walked past me by the vending machine, so confident, so deadly.

He doesn’t seem to even notice me when he kicks the door shut and faces Alik who’s tensed in front of me.

The man, Sergey, breathes heavily with what looks like excitement, his eyes wide. “She’s staying at her parents’ lake house. Fox and I found all her shit there. She was gone when we showed up, but we’re confident she’ll be back, so come on, we need you.” He jerks his head to signal toward the door then turns halfway but stops when our eyes meet.

His face scrunches with confusion before he looks to Alik for answers. Alik, his friend. Hispartner.

The Bratva.

That’s who Alik has been protecting me from. His own people.

My feet shuffle backward, suddenly not feeling so safe near the two men.

“You?” Sergey says, his gaze trained on Alik. “You killed Pavel?”

“I’m sorry,” Alik takes a step toward his friend while shaking his head. “That was never my intention. I didn’t know Nikita sent you to hurt Olive. I assumed you were the Irish.”

“What?” Sergey asks, incredulous. “It was your job to kill the cunt.” He waves an angry hand at me. “We were cleaning up your mess, and you fucking shot at us?” His voice raises as his face reddens, his wild eyes ping ponging between Alik and me.

I take a few more steps back while my ears ring.

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