Page 50 of Terror at the Gates

“Because, this should have never happened.”

“You’re not going to wax poetic about how I’m your responsibility, are you?” I asked. “Because if so, you can save it for another time.”

“I wasn’t,” he said.

“Thank fuck,” I said, sitting up. I felt just as shitty as I expected. I hung my head in my hands until the initial ache subsided.

Zahariev was already out of the car, waiting with my bag and jacket draped over his arm.

“Bye, Felix,” I said. “See you next time.”

“Good night, Miss Leviathan,” he said with a nod in the rearview mirror.

I slid to Zahariev’s side and started to climb out of the SUV when he offered his hand.

“I’m okay,” I said, getting out on my own and shutting the door. “You don’t have to hover.”

I wasn’t frustrated with him, even though I probablysounded irritated. I just didn’t like feeling helpless.

“I’m not trying to hover,” he said. “I just don’t want you to fall.”

“I’m not going to fall,” I said, though as luck would have it, I found just the right spot on the pavement to catch my foot and stumbled. I managed to steady myself but lost my dignity.

I looked at Zahariev, who was standing with his arms crossed, brow raised.

“Don’t say a fucking thing,” I warned.

To his credit, he didn’t and instead followed me up the stairs to my apartment. I paused there and turned to him. I started to speak, to tell him I was sorry for what I’d said, but the door opened.

“Lilith,” Coco said, my name leaving her lips breathlessly. She pulled me into a hug. “I was so worried.”

“I’m okay,” I said.

She hugged me tighter. Zahariev slipped past us and into our apartment. He headed into my room and left my things on the bed.

Coco pulled away as Zahariev exited.

“Thank you, Mr. Zareth.”

“Always,” he said.

It took me a moment to put two and two together, but I finally realized the reason Zahariev had found me was because Coco had raised the alarm.

His gaze slid to me. Suddenly, I wanted the other Zahariev, the one who smiled at me and played with my hair. This one had buried all that beneath a mask of indifference. I would remember that the next time I told him not to hover.

“Get some rest,” he said.

I watched him leave. As he crossed the parking lot to his waiting SUV, Coco spoke.

“I’m sorry, Lilith. I didn’t know where you were, and you weren’t answering your phone—”

“I know. It’s okay,” I said, meeting her gaze. I wasn’t mad that she’d called Zahariev. I hadn’t even been mad when she’d gone to him about Abram. I’d just dreaded his reaction. “I’m sorry I worried you.”

“Don’t apologize,” she said. “I am just glad you are safe.”

I smiled and pulled her into another hug. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she said. Her arms bit into my back as she held me tighter.

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