Page 19 of Unveiled

I swallowed hard, caught in the intensity of his gaze, in the storm behind those glacial blue eyes. It seemed in those few seconds that passed between us he was weighing his options. I stared, half-frozen in place.

“Let’s get you cleaned up.” He bent, coming nearer to me than he ever had before, and scooped me into his arms effortlessly.

I opened my mouth to protest but was so taken off guard nothing came out. This was Semyon. So near. So strong and unyielding. Protective.

His grip was steady and firm but surprisingly gentle as he carried me like a baby, his chest firm and warm beneathmy cheek. When had he grown into this? Semyon wasn’t the scrawny boy who trailed after his older brother, shadowed by grief and duty.

He was a man now. A real man, older than me, bound to duty and family… and now holding me like I mattered.

“Semyon—” I began, but the words died on my lips. His face was closer than it had ever been, and the intimacy of the moment completely rattled me.

“What happened, Anya?” he asked in a dangerous whisper.

“I fell,” I said, not meeting his eyes.

“Off what?” His voice was a low growl. He sounded angry. Why was Semyon angry? I was hurt, I was crying, I was bleeding, and I thought my leg might be broken—and he was mad?

“Off my bike,” I told him honestly. “I just went for a ride down by the train tracks, and I was going fast, and my bike hit a rock. I don’t really know what happened, but it went out from under me, and I just…” I sniffed, turning my head away. He shook his head gently.

“It’s all right now.” He looked at me awkwardly, like he didn’t know what to do with me, as he brought me into the apartment. With a gentleman-like determination in his eyes, he sat me down at the kitchen table and propped my leg up, lifting my ankle tenderly in his large hands.

“Not broken,” he said quietly. “Sprained, probably. You’ll need to wrap this.”

“Where did Eli go?” I didn’t want my brother here. I didn’twant him to intrude on us. This moment felt private, special. Sacred.

“He had to run an errand,” Semyon said cryptically. Now I was the one narrowing my eyes.

“My mother asked that you not involve him, Semyon.”

Semyon’s eyes flashed to mine before he schooled his features. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about!”

He shook his head. “I had nothing to do with this, Anya. If you only knew?—”

“Knew that you’re Bratva? Do you think I’m so dumb that I don’t know?”

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “No, of course you know that. I mean, if only you knew how hard I was trying to get your brother out of trouble—” He stopped, his mouth snapping shut like he had said too much. What?

“Now, back to your injuries. I’m only going to ask one more time.” His blue eyes held mine captive, and my heart ached under the intensity. “Are you telling me the truth?”

I swallowed, and for one crazy, wild moment, I imagined telling him that somebody had hurt me. That I was bullied. No one had ever looked at me like this before, and it satisfied a strange desire in me that I didn’t understand.

I wanted to see how he’d respond.

“I’m telling you the truth. I fell.”

“If you’re lying to me, Anya—” My heart thumped madly. But he didn’tfinish the sentence.

“I’m not,” I said quietly.

It was then that I noticed how his jaw had firmed and how the stubble on his chin had grown darker. Up close, I could see the shift in the color of his eyes—brilliant at times, lighter at others, framed in dark, thick lashes that would’ve been almost feminine on any other man.

I had never noticed any of those things before.

I did now.

“I’m not lying,” I whispered vehemently. “Are you?”

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