unable to see him. I knew I had just a few seconds. Fuck. Fuck! I couldn’t reach the latch. Oh, hell, no, I wasn’t going to be stuck here. Straining and twisting my body, I managed to flick my fingers across the door handle. No luck. Oh, please. Oh, dear God, please.
I tried a second time.
Then a third.
Success.
The soft click gave me a smile. I took a deep breath and kicked hard against the console, tumbling out of the car. The second I tried to scoot back I felt his presence. Whimpering, I peered up at him. He was even more gloriously handsome in the horrific light, his blond hair shimmering and the glow around him making him look like a god.
Why did he have to be so damn muscular and sexy? Why was I so attracted to such a monster?
He hunkered down, glancing around him before speaking. “You shouldn’t have done that, little brat. However, I’ll give you credit for your accomplishment. Now you’re going to learn what disobeying the rules truly means.”
There was no anger in his voice, just a matter-of-fact statement.
Almost in a loving manner, he helped me up, taking the time to remove the rope from around my wrists, yet his grip on my arm remained tight. He was so muscular and strong that there was no way I was going anywhere.
He shoved me into the car once again, scanning the area before climbing in. Then he parked the vehicle around the building in the darkness. I was petrified.
“You can get out now,” he instructed, waiting until I opened the door.
I didn’t try to run. I wasn’t even certain I could move much at all. Exhaling, I shifted toward him, glancing every few seconds toward the street.
Remaining quiet, he moved to the back of the car, opening the trunk. I hadn’t seen the number of bags he’d already placed inside. What I could tell was at least one of them held weapons. Just like the one he was wearing underneath his shirt. Swallowing, I took mental note of everything when he grabbed three bags, tossing them over his shoulder then slamming the lid.
He never let go of me as we headed for the very end of the building, the last unit up against a group of trees. The motel was so old that there were still old-fashioned keys. After he unlocked the door, he pushed me inside, taking his time before turning on the light. I backed away, fearful of what he would do.
Nikolai immediately closed the drapes and locked the door, scanning the interior of the room as if he half expected the bastards following us to be inside. Then he dumped the bags, tossing the keys on the dresser. I did my best not to stare at them, but I could swear he was able to tell what I was thinking, his gaze following mine.
“If you make another attempt to escape, I will hunt you down.” His words were simple, dark, and to the point. “I can’t afford to have any additional bullshit, Chloe. I think you know what we’re up against.”
“They want you dead.”
“And you, but I’m not going to allow that to happen. That much I promise you.”
Promise. As if his promises meant anything to me.
I would never be able to get away from him.
Him. The dangerous Bratva leader.
A murderer.
The man would tire of me. Then I’d be killed. Wasn’t that what happened?
He stood staring at me for several seconds. In his eyes was a combination of disappointment and hard-edged lust. There was no mistaking the way he undressed me with his eyes. His chest rising and falling, he was obviously debating what he was going to do to me.
For some reason, the little fighter in me took over. I couldn’t stand by and wait for the minute he decided to kill me. I was a tough girl. I’d been through a hell of a lot in my life and this savage brute wasn’t going to steal it from me.
So I lunged forward, pummeling my fists against him. The hits were hard and fast, yet they didn’t seem to faze him on any level. He let me try to beat the shit out of him without doing anything. That infuriated the hell out of me.
I twisted my body until I was almost able to knee him in the crotch. That got his attention. Snarling, he snagged both my wrists, yanking my arms behind my back.
“Let go of me,” I hissed.
“That’s not going