Page 157 of SINS & Riley
The fabric rips. The frame buckles.
Suddenly I’m dangling off the edge—fingers gouging into cold metal, muscles screaming fire, legs thrashing at nothing but air.
And then, I fall.
I hit the ground so hard the world blanks out. Air explodes from my chest, pain radiating everywhere. Sharper this time, like my body’s been split in two.
Please let the baby be okay.
Strong arms hook under me, hauling me up. The grip is iron, unshakable, and my throat cracks on a whisper. “Zver?”
“No.”
I force my eyes open against the sun, vision swimming in and out.
It’s Boris.
He gets me into the car, engine roaring as he peels away from the curb.
“Seatbelt.”
I blink, dazed, slow to react. “What?”
His eyes never leave the road, but his hand presses softly against my belly. “Seat. Belt.”
Stunned, I fumble for the strap and click it into place. He’s not just here to protect me. He’s here to protect the baby, too.
“Did you see Zver?” Boris asks as he cuts down an unfamiliar road. His words slice sharp, almost desperate.
“No.” The word rasps out, heavy. Why would I have seen Zver? Was he looking for me too?
He glances over, and that’s when his gaze locks on the blood smeared down my leg. “Hospital?”
“No. I’m fine.” I grind the lie out, jaw tight. Every part of my body hurts, but I'm not stopping for a damn hospital right now. “It’s just for show.”
The look he shoots me says he doesn’t believe a damn word.
And maybe he’s right.
Because beneath the act, pain screams through me.
“If Zver’s looking for me, we have to go back.”
“No.”
What’s with him? I’m two seconds from yanking the wheel.
“Boris, we have to?—”
“There’s a protocol. You are on the next plane out.” His hands strangle the wheel, knuckles bone-white as he jerks us hard left into an alley.
I grip the belt tight. Then it happens.
A shriek slices the air. The dash explodes in a red light.
“What’s that?”
Boris’s grip tightens. He slams the gas. “Proximity alarm.”
