Page 22 of Claim

Time seems to stretch out endlessly during the descent, and as I peek over the edge, the ground is startlingly close. Just a few more moves and I’ll be free. Even if I let go now, I won’t die. A small smile tugs at my lips. That was badass.

Deciding the coast is clear, I push back from the wall, crashing onto the grass, the impact jarring my whole body.

“Ouch,” I hiss.

I lean back on my hands, looking up at the stars in the night sky.

My heart pounds against my ribs as the sound of rustling leaves to my left is followed by a heavy footstep.

My mouth drops open as I see his outline. He’s fucking enormous. I squint trying to get a better view. I can’t see his face. Is it covered?

I’m rooted to the spot, and I can only shuffle back on my ass before I jump to my feet, but even then they don’t budge. His shadow looms larger and larger, my body frozen in place as he closes in. I can see his eyes, deep pools of brown that seem to hold secrets.

Evil yet captivating.

The black balaclava conceals his mouth, so he presses his index finger to the fabric, a silent request for quiet.

What fresh hell have I just landed in?

CHAPTER 9

MIKHAIL

Song- Welcome To The Chaos, Ice Nine Kills

With my fingerpressed against my lips, I frown, each step echoing in the silent space as I draw closer. My plan was to climb the drainpipe and snatch her from her room. She beat me to it. Which makes me think she isn’t as innocent as I naively thought. She is Sergy’s daughter, after all.

She fell right into my trap and now she’s like a statue. Just waiting to be grabbed. It’s like I’m under a spell, unable to tear my eyes from her as I scrutinize every detail. The platinum blonde curls around her face seemed to glow against the backdrop of her obsidian hair. Her pale blue eyes, like shards of ice, seemed to cut through the darkness, locking onto mine.

A single scream from her would be like a siren’s call to Ivan’s army, and we’ll be caught in the crossfire. And I think she knows that.

She’s trying to assess what kind of threat I am. She’s bright and absolutely drop dead gorgeous. I’ve never taken muchnotice of the intel we have on her over the years. That wasn’t my priority. She was safe. That was my promise kept.

It’s a good thing. Because if I had taken notice of her, I would have become addicted.

Those blue eyes stare into my soul. I can feel it in my chest, this tightening. Clenching my fist, to try to knock myself back into the real world.

Maybe it was watching her scale out of a four story building in nothing but sneakers and her wits. Or the little proud smile she had when she got to the end. It shows the guts she has.

She just ran from the most dangerous man in Russia. Straight into the path of another.

Except I am a different kind of monster compared to my father. I save women from him, not harm them.

Her fingers twitch by her side, her piercing blue eyes that once stared into mine, glance to my right.

She’s about to bolt. A smile tugs on my lips. Not that she can see my amusement. It’s one of the benefits of this mask. I clear my throat and her eyes go wide.

She flinches, taking a small step back, her body reacting instinctively, as if a force beyond her control is pushing her away. To her credit, she hasn’t run from me yet. Grown men have fled quicker than her. But they know who they are dealing with. My gut is telling me she is going to be a ball of fire in my life.

I glance between her face and her left foot twitching against the leaves.

“I dare you to run. Let’s see who enjoys it more when I catch you.”

Do I want to scare her? A little. I need her to submit as easily as possible to save ourselves. I’m not ready for an all out war yet.

I need my brothers. My army. My fingers press against the mask, feeling the uneven texture of my scars, and my anger riseslike a tide. The asshole that did this to me is behind those walls. I’m so close to my revenge, it’s tempting to brush past her to seek him out.

My anger blinds me for a moment. Seeing me turn, she pivots and sprints towards the tree line, triggering the security lights that cast a harsh glare across the field.

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