Page 168 of Crave

“He can’t be dead, Niki. We all need him. Her most of all.” I point towards Lara’s door.

It’s like the world is crumbling around me. I take a deep breath.

“Enzo is on it. We can’t plan his funeral yet. Mikhail is a clever fucker. We can’t rule him out so easy. We’ve seen him survive the unsurvivable once before.” Nikolai clenches his jaw as he stares at his sister.

I remember vividly.

I saw what happened to him. I knew the man before and the man he turned into after the fire.

“But how many times can you cheat death, Niki?”

He shakes his head and shrugs.

“I could ask you that every day, Alexei.”

He has a point.

We just have to hope Mikhail is like me and he hasn’t already used up his last one.

CHAPTER 84

LARA

Song- Ocean, Martin Garrix, Khalid

I’m eating.I’m not throwing it back up.

I’m in my safe space, away from the world.

I just found out my brother is missing. Or worse, dead.

I’m not sure I’ve fully processed that. I can’t until I know the truth.

But, I’m glad Alexei told me. That he didn’t treat me like I couldn’t cope.

Because I can. I am strong. Well, I’m trying to be.

Maybe this was the wake up call I needed to become better, to finally regain control of my life.

We’ve been at the cabin for three weeks now. Mainly just snuggling up and watching crap TV. And resting.

We both needed that, even Alexei, after his ordeal.

And it’s the first time I’ve seen him remorseful over taking a life. I knew all along deep down Alexei is a kind soul to those who deserve it. But I think even this new emotion is taking him by surprise.

“Your brain sounds busy, pchelka. Anything I can help with?” he asks, running his fingers through my hair idly.

I nestle closer to him, feeling the warmth of his body as I squeeze my arms around him.

“Just thinking about Mikhail, about you being stuck in a jail, and how peaceful it is here.”

“We can live here. I have all I’ll ever need.”

His response brings a warm smile to my face.

“You’d go stir crazy here, not being able to run free.”

“I’m never running far again. But yes, people need us back home.”

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