Page 35 of Hostage of the Russian
“In a minute, sweetheart. I’ve missed you so much.” His voice carried just enough emotion to fool anyone listening, but she could hear the underlying threat. “We have so much to catch up on.”
Panic clawed at her chest, making it impossible to breathe properly. The familiar helplessness of being trapped in Danny’s orbit washed over her, threatening to drag her back to that dark place where she’d spent most of her childhood. Her vision started to blur around the edges.
“I think that’s enough catching up for now.”
Kostya’s voice cut through her spiraling thoughts like a lifeline. His hand settled on her shoulder, warm and steady, and Danny immediately released her as if he’d been burned.
“Kostya,” Danny’s smile was all teeth and false bonhomie. “What a pleasure to finally meet the man who swept my daughter off her feet.”
“The pleasure is mutual.” Kostya’s tone was polite, but there was steel underneath it. “Though I’m afraid I need to steal my wife away. There are some people I’d like her to meet.”
“Of course, of course. Business before pleasure, right?” Danny’s laugh grated against Azriel’s nerves. “We’ll have plenty of time to talk later.”
Kostya’s hand moved to the small of her back, guiding her away from Danny with a possessiveness that should have irritated her but instead felt like salvation. She could feel her father’s eyes following them as they moved through the crowd, but she didn’t dare look back.
“Smile,” Kostya murmured near her ear. “You look like you’re about to be sick.”
She tried to arrange her features into something resembling composure, but her hands were shaking so badly she had to clasp them together to hide it. “I need some air.”
“Not yet. A few more minutes, then we can leave.”
“I can’t.” The words came out strangled. “Please, I need to get out of here.”
Something in her voice must have convinced him because he changed direction immediately, leading her toward a side door that opened onto a private terrace. The cool night air hit her face like a blessing, and she gulped it down greedily.
“What the hell was that about?” Kostya demanded once they were alone.
Azriel wrapped her arms around herself, trying to stop the trembling that had started in her hands and was now spreading through her entire body. “Nothing. I’m fine.”
“You’re lying.” His voice was sharp with frustration. “You looked like you were about to have a panic attack in there. What did he do to you?”
“I said I’m fine.” But even as she said it, she could feel the walls closing in again. Her breathing was becoming shallow and rapid, and dark spots danced at the edges of her vision.
“Azriel.” Kostya’s tone changed, becoming gentler. “Look at me.”
She couldn’t. If she looked at him, if she saw even a hint of pity or disgust in his eyes, she would completely fall apart. “I just need a minute.”
“Hey.” His hands settled on her shoulders, warm and surprisingly gentle. “You’re safe. He can’t hurt you here.”
The kindness in his voice was her undoing. A sob escaped her throat before she could stop it, and then the tears she’d been holding back since the moment she’d seen Danny came flooding out. Years of suppressed terror and pain poured out of her in ugly, wrenching sobs that she couldn’t control.
Kostya didn’t say anything else. He simply pulled her against his chest, one hand cradling the back of her head while the other rubbed soothing circles on her back. His body was solid and warm, a barrier between her and the rest of the world.
“I’m sorry,” she gasped against his shirt. “I’m so sorry, I don’t usually...”
“Shh.” His lips brushed against her hair. “You don’t have to apologize for being human.”
The gentle rumble of his voice against her ear slowly began to calm her racing heart. She could smell his cologne, expensive yet not overwhelming, mixed with something that wasuniquely him. Gradually, her breathing began to slow, and the trembling in her limbs subsided.
“Better?” he asked softly.
She nodded against his chest, suddenly aware of how close they were standing. His arms were still around her, holding her like something precious, and when she finally looked up at him, the expression in his dark eyes made her breath catch for an entirely different reason.
“Azriel.” Her name was barely a whisper on his lips.
The air between them shifted, charged with a tension that had nothing to do with fear and everything to do with the want that had been building between them for weeks. His thumb traced along her cheekbone, wiping away the last of her tears with a tenderness that made her heart ache.
“Tell me to stop,” he murmured, his face so close she could feel his breath against her lips.
