Chapter 13
I’m so scared that I don’t expect to fall asleep, but as soon as I sink into Maksim’s bed and his familiar scent of cedar and orange fills my nostrils, the tension leaks out of my body. I melt into his pillow.
I’m just going to close my eyes for a moment.
But when I open my eyes again, sunlight is pouring through the window. I blink several times, adjusting to the brightness. The sun feels warm and inviting, like a gentle embrace after the scary night. But even with the comforting light, a lingering unease remains in the back of my mind.
I sit up and look around the masculine bedroom with fresh eyes. The first time I was here, it was too dark to make out anything but shapes, and last night I was too out of it to give a shit about what anything looked like.
A pit of guilt opens up in my stomach as I remember lying to Maksim. Those guys who took me weren’t looking for a ransom. They were working for my ex. They had to be. And last night, they finally almost got me. Almost.
I shiver as I think of what would’ve happened if I hadn’t escaped. He’s an unhinged motherfucker, and I’m better off far away from him.
With effort, I force myself out of bed, feeling every muscle in my body ache in protest. It’s a struggle just to limp to the bathroom. There, I rummage through Maksim’s sink drawer, hoping to find a spare toothbrush. But there is none. I hesitate, then pick up his toothbrush and run it under water before adding paste and brushing my teeth.
Afterward, I get into the shower and turn the water on hot. Despite the heat, my nipples pucker when I pour Maksim’s body wash into my palm. His scent invades the room, and I inhale deeply, reveling in the familiar aroma that surrounds me. My core clenches needily, my body already conditioned to become aroused at the mere smell of him.
“Not now, you little hussy,” I whisper as I wash my body, my hand lingering on my sensitive nipples and throbbing clit. But I shake it off and rinse my body. After leaving the shower, I towel-dry my body and make my way back to the bedroom.
My eyes land on the only other door in the room, hoping it leads to the closet. Lucky for me, it does, and I can’t resist taking a peek inside. In there, I walk around, in awe at the sight of his perfectly organized clothes, neatly hanged and folded.
Further in, there’s a glass shelf filled with rows and rows of different colored ties. Next to that is a space dedicated to cuff links, followed by his collection of expensive designer wristwatches. His shoes aren’t far away. The entire closet is like a mini boutique.
“Wow,” I gasp. I knew he was loaded, but this really drives it home.
Shaking my head in disbelief, I choose a black shirt from its hanger and press it to my nose, closing my eyes and letting out a low moan. Why does he have to smell so damn good?
“Cecilia?”
I jump like I’ve been caught stealing. When I turn around, Maksim isn’t in the closet with me like I expected, but out in the bedroom. I can only see his legs and feet from here. Hopefully, that means he didn’t see what I was doing…
“Hold on!” I call out, quickly pulling the shirt over my head. It drapes down to just above my knees, and I snatch up a pair of boxers and slip them on as well. Deeming myself decent, I leave the closet.
When he sees me, Maksim’s lips visibly part and his pupils dilate. I give him a cheeky smile and do a slow spin. “What do you think? Sexy, right?”
“You certainly wear it better than me,” he says huskily, before clearing his throat. “Come, let me change your bandage, then you can eat.”
I follow him dutifully, then watch in silence as he cleans my wound. “This is nice.” I don’t mean to say it, but it just slips out.
Maksim glances up with a raised brow, “You like getting hurt?”
“No, dufus. No one’s ever done this for me before. Whenever I get hurt or sick, I have to handle everything on my own. It’s nice to be… looked after for a change.” My cheeks heat up with embarrassment as soon as the words leave my mouth. Damn it, I need to keep my mouth shut.
The corners of his lips quirk up in a small smile. “Then you’re in for a pleasant surprise.”
“What? Why?”
“Bree is on her way, and I have no doubt she’ll dote on you.”
“You told her what happened?” I ask, shocked.
“I gave her a rough summary. I’m going to be out all day and possibly into the night. I don’t want you to be alone.” He finishes with my bandage and starts to get up, but I grab his arm.
“Where are you going?” Why is he leaving me again?
His gaze searches mine, “The bastards who did this to you are still out there. I’m going to catch them.”
I gulp, my mind swirling with conflicting emotions. “Can’t you just leave them be? It was a freak accident; it’s not like they’ll come back for me.” It’s another blatant lie, but my heart pounds with urgency. I don’t know if it’s fear of him discovering the truth about my past or if I just don’t want him to leave my side, but I can’t bear the thought of him going.
Taking a deep breath, Maksim leans over me and tenderly runs his hand through my hair. “I’m not going to leave your safety to chance, Myshka. I will protect you, even If I have to chase those men to the end of oblivion.”
“But I can protect myself. I proved it last night. Shouldn’t my safety be left up to me?”
“Barely, Myshka. I watched that video. It was luck that helped you make it out of that situation alive.” His hand leaves my hair, and I immediately feel bereft. “Don’t get me wrong, you’re a tough cookie. But you’re not ready. Not yet.”
All I can do is watch him tidy up the first aid box, then follow him into the bathroom where he stashes it under the sink.
“Okay, that’s true. But the only reason I escaped at all was because you’ve been teaching me self-defense. Do you see now why I wanted to join your lessons with Bree so badly?”
He scowls, already knowing what I’m going to say next. “You’re still injured.”
“I could’ve been killed,” I remind him. “There’s no time to waste. Security guards are all well and good, but I need to be able to protect myself.”
His honey brown eyes blaze into mine, then they soften. “I know, Myshka. We’ll continue your lessons with Bree tomorrow.”
I smile up at him, practically bouncing on my toes with excitement, “Can we move on from knives to guns?”
“Cecilia–”
“You know it’s the best move. If I had a gun last night and knew how to use it, things would’ve gone way better.”
He sighs. “I’ll think about it.”
But just like I can tell the difference in Roy’s grunts, I’m starting to understand Maksim. That look on his face says he’s agreed but just doesn’t want to admit it yet. My littlemarshmallow. My smile widens, and I walk into his arms. “Thank you,” I murmur. He grunts in reply, and I chuckle.
“About Roy—” I start, but he pushes me away before I can continue.
“Don’t push your luck, Myshka.”
With those words, a hardness overtakes him. I do as I’m told, and don’t say another word as he leaves the room. Almost as soon as he’s gone, my heart shrivels, and I look around the room with a sense of emptiness, already missing him.
I miss him.
My eyes almost pop out of their sockets at the thought.
I don’t miss him. I’m just lonely. No way I miss him. He’s just a means to an end, a way for me to protect myself—just like Bree. But Bree is no longer just a means to an end, is she?
No. By now, she’s a friend. A true friend.
Shit, could I really be developing feelings for Maksim? No, no. Impossible. It’s just my frayed mind grabbing onto whatever it thinks is safe and warm… and sexy and—stop!
This is nothing. We are nothing.
Right?
Right.