Page 25 of Heritage of Fire

“Mrs. Balakin?—”

Nik stiffens when Lev calls me that. Guess I’m not the only one uncomfortable with my new title. His hazel eyes finally leave mine, and a weight lifts off my chest.

“She wanted to take a walk, sir. I was escorting her. She also wants to go to the grocery store. I was about to get a car ready.”

“I see. Proceed with the car. I need to speak with Luna for a minute.”

I grimace at Nik’s tone.

Lev moves toward where several black SUVs sit lined up. He glances back and offers a tense smile.

“Luna, let’s go.”

Nik motions toward the warehouse’s front doors, and I follow him into the building. When we pass Frank standing guard by the stairs, he gives us a nod.

“Frank.” Nik nods back, then steps aside, waiting for me to climb the stairs first. The silence between us is getting more and more uncomfortable.

When we make it into the apartment, he turns to me and pulls something out of his back pocket. A champagne-colored smartphone.

“This is what I could get last minute from Anya; she runs our tech. A few numbers have been preprogrammed for you.”

His eyes flick down to where I’m reaching for the device, and they linger on my bare left hand. He shakes his head, removing a glazed look from his face.

“Anyway, I wanted to get this to you so you don’t feel trapped. But it seems like you were doing fine.” He moves, suddenly, to the kitchen, pulling out a water from a discreet beverage fridge below the island.

Huh. Didn’t findthatin all my snooping.

We both stand there, the soundproof apartment amplifying the awkward silence.

“D-do you need anything from the store?”

Nik stiffens again, his finger tracing a crooked line of black through the granite countertop. When he glances up at me, he looks annoyed. As if he’d been hoping to avoid having to talk to me anymore. But we can’t just ignore each other forever. Hemustrealize this.

“No,” he finally answers.

“Okay,” I turn around, ready to go back downstairs.

“Luna,” Nik grits out. “Don’t forget this.”

He reaches down to pick up the credit card I left on the counter last night. Striding forward, he glares at me—the card extended in his hand.

“Oh, right. Thanks.” I take it from him, and I know I’ve stared too long when he jerks away and heads back to the kitchen.

While I walk down the stairs, I can think of only one thing.

He was wearing his ring.

Chapter 12

Nik

Irip open a new container of protein powder and curse when the scoop isn’t on top.

Why was Levtouchingher?

It should be illegal for companies to make you dig around in their product for minutes searching for a scoop that might as well be gold.

Did she enjoy talking with him? Was she being timid like she is with me?

---