Page 52 of Beautiful Agony

Of what still might happen if we're not careful enough.

Demyon's jaw clenches as he processes everything. "I'll get the men together, make sure we're fully staffed." He glancesbetween Vadim and me. "And I'll see if any of them might've been tempted to switch sides. We can't be too careful. Not now."

"Good," Vadim says. "Check the newer recruits first."

As Demyon strides away, Vadim turns to me. His strong arms wrap around me, pulling me tight against his chest. The familiar scent of his cologne mingles with the scent of adrenaline lingering on his skin, and I breathe it in deeply, letting it ground me.

"Are you alright,zvyozdochka?" His voice rumbles through his chest against my cheek.

I press closer, my fingers curling into the soft fabric of his shirt. "I think so," I whisper honestly. The events of the day crash over me—the letter, the bullet, the shooting, Dad calling for Mom...

My body starts trembling. "She was aiming right at my head, Vadim. If those windows hadn't been bulletproof..."

His arms tighten around me protectively. One hand slides up to cradle the back of my head, fingers threading through my hair. "Don't think about the what-ifs. The important thing is that you're safe. You and our baby."

I nod against his chest, but my hands are still shaking. "Dad kept calling for Mom. He was so scared, and all he wanted was her, and I couldn't..." My voice breaks.

"It's okay. You're okay," he soothes, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. "You did everything you could. You protected him. That's what matters."

His steady heartbeat under my ear helps calm my racing pulse. I focus on matching my breathing to his, letting his strength flow into me through our embrace.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asks again, and this time his hand drifts down to rest protectively over my stomach.

"I'm alright now," I whisper, looking up into his storm-gray eyes. "Really."

His mouth claims mine with fierce intensity, and I melt into the kiss. There's a desperate edge to the way his lips move against mine, how his fingers dig into my hips and pull me closer. I recognize this need—it's the same raw hunger that consumed us after my kidnapping.

The primal urge to feel alive, to prove we survived.

My hands slide up his chest to grip his shoulders as his tongue sweeps into my mouth. The familiar taste of him mixed with lingering adrenaline makes my head spin. His heart pounds against my palm, matching the frantic rhythm of my own.

We got lucky today. So incredibly lucky. If Vadim hadn't insisted on the bulletproof windows... if Sayanaa's aim had been slightly different... if we'd been in any other vehicle...

A soft clearing of throat breaks through our desperate embrace. We spring apart, and I spot Lenka standing there with an apologetic but knowing look.

"Both Mr. Huang and his son have been settled in their rooms," Lenka says, her expression carefully neutral. "Megan is with your father now."

"Thank you, Lenka." I take a steadying breath. "Which room did you put Freddy in?"

"The east wing, second floor." She replies.

I nod, grateful for her thoughtfulness. "I need to go talk to him."

Vadim's hand tightens on my waist. "Not alone."

"I'll be fine." I turn to face him, placing my palm against his chest. "He may be an asshole, but he's still my brother. And after what happened in the car..." I trail off, remembering Freddy's terrified screams. "He needs to understand what's really going on."

"Zvyozdochka..." His jaw clenches. "He tried to hit you earlier?—"

"You'll be able to hear me scream if he tries anything," I say, attempting to lighten the mood. "The acoustics in this place are incredible."

He doesn't smile. If anything, his expression darkens further.

"I'm kidding," I say softly, rising on my tiptoes to press a quick kiss to his lips. "I'll be alright. Promise."

His thumb traces my cheekbone, storm-gray eyes searching mine. Finally, he sighs. "Ten minutes. Then I'm coming to check on you."

"Fifteen," I counter, earning the ghost of a smile.

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