Page 27 of His Hold

“Following me was your first mistake,” he says, voice flat. “Thinking I wouldn’t find you was your second.”

I brace myself and curl my fingers into the dirt. Waiting for him to end it.

But the shot never comes.

Instead, he just stands there. Whatever he’s waiting for, I don’t have the strength to figure it out. Then the world tips sideways, and my vision goes dark. I hear his voice one last time before everything fades.

“Congratulations, Katya. You just earned yourself a private meeting.”

Then, nothing.

Chapter 8

Nikolai

There’s a blizzard coming and it's the kind that blankets everything until the world turns cold and shapeless. I smell it in the air long before the first flakes start to fall.

The wind’s already turning savage by the time I drag her up the mountain. Snowflakes hitting like shards of glass, sticking to my jacket and melting into cold lines down my neck. Like a constant sting, it gnaws at every exposed patch of skin, even through the thick leather of my gloves, and I can feel my fingers going numb.

She’s barely conscious, slumped against my shoulder as I haul her through the forest. Her weight drags me down the snow with each step, but I don’t stop despite the wind howling like something feral.

I caught her. That’s what matters. I can’t believe she’s been following me. Watching me like I don’t already have her scent memorized in my fucking psyche.

Every other idiot who’s ever tried to spy on me, I’ve disposed of with a single shot. But this one? Why the hell am I still keeping her alive?

It’s a shame she’s so damn predictable. Making herself visible just enough to draw my attention, thinking it’s all part of her game. But it’s not a game if you’re the only one playing. It’s a death wish. And tonight, she walked right into it.

The cabin’s an old hunting lodge I fixed up last year. It was all broken windows and rusted hinges when I found it. It took weeks of work to make it habitable.

It’s a dump by any decent man’s standards, but I’m not decent, and it’s better than freezing to death. It’s got a stove, a cot, and just enough supplies to last me through a few nights off-grid when I need to disappear, usually from assholes far more dangerous than her.

I keep it for situations exactly like this—well, not exactly like this. Because I’ve never had a woman up here before. Even if I wanted to accomplish my wildest fantasies of fucking in the woods, this is the last place I’d think of.

But it’s safe. And right now, safe is what she needs if she’s going to stay alive long enough to give me answers.

I kick the door open and carry her inside, dumping her onto the sagging couch.

Inside, the cabin is small, furnished with the bare essentials. A creaky bed and a weathered table. As the door slams shut behind us, I take a second to lock the door, digging out the makeshift latch I installed. The last thing I need is someone stumbling upon us.

The wind howls outside, shaking the old boards like it’s trying to tear the place apart. We’re trapped here. Even if I wanted to drag her back down the mountain, we wouldn’t make it. Not until the storm passes.

I set about starting a fire, throwing logs into the stone hearth and lighting them with a half-empty box of matches. The sparks catch, and heat bleeds into the frigid air. It’s a weak fire, struggling against the cold, but it’s better than nothing.

I also had some supplies stashed here—canned food, bottled water, medical kits. Enough to last a week, if needed. I rip open a protein bar and shove half of it into my mouth, chewing mechanically as I glance over at her.

She’s still out, sprawled awkwardly on the couch. Her ankle’s swollen, bruised, the skin tight and ugly. I could leave her to suffer, make her talk through the pain. But she won’t be any good to me half-broken.

I dig through the supply box, pulling out a roll of bandages and a cold pack. Working fast, I prop her leg up, pressing the pack against her ankle. Her skin twitches under my touch, her brows knitting even as she sleeps.

My hands are too cold, so I postpone treating her till I’m warmer. I shove my hands near the flames, rubbing at my knuckles until the stiffness eases.

My phone’s dead. I knew it would be. There is no signal this high up, and the storm’s only making it worse. If Rurik’s on his way, he’s a dead man. Nobody’s making it up the mountain in this. This isn’t the original meeting place, but I have no choice now. This abandoned cabin is the safest spot for miles.

I glance over at her again. There’s something infuriating about her lying there so still, like she’s already given up. But the girl who’s been following me for days wouldn’t just collapse so easily. She’s stubborn. Stupid, but stubborn.

Reaching for the roll of bandages again, I prop her leg up, pressing the pack against her ankle. She jolts at the feeling and groans. Her eyelids flutter before snapping open, her eyes locking onto me with immediate panic.

“What—” she tries to sit up, but her body won’t cooperate. “Where the hell am I?”

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