Chapter 8
Chloe
Stubborn.
Infuriating.
Dangerous.
I could think of so many other things to call the man.
I was still reeling from the last twenty-four hours, unable to think clearly.
A significant part of me wanted to do anything in my power to get out of his grasp.
But the other part of me knew without question that my life would be placed in far greater danger even if I managed to get away from him.
After blowing past him and heading for the cabin, a series of shivers finally rushed into my system and I couldn’t stop shaking.
I had every right to be terrified, but I couldn’t come to grips with exactly who I was supposed to be afraid of.
Nikolai had hidden his identity, pretending to be something he wasn’t, a beast hiding in his lair.
Now the hunt was on.
Was I the prey?
I raced up the stairs, heading inside. A crazy little laugh bubbled to the surface.
The cabin was dingy and drab, the previous occupants uncaring about the look of the place, but there were good bones.
And it was much larger than my tiny apartment.
I moved quickly out the front door, grabbing several of the items we’d purchased.
Then I eased the bags back into position, darting a quick look toward the door.
My curiosity had always gotten the better of me.
The duffle bags he’d brought with him grabbed my attention.
My hands shaking, I kept my gaze locked on the front porch as I unzipped the first duffle.
A slight moan threatened to escape. Guns.
Grenades. Timing devices. There was no doubt Nikolai could blow up a good portion of whatever freaking city we were in if he wanted.
After debating stealing one of the handguns, I rolled my eyes and zipped it closed.
I’d never shot a gun in my life. With my luck, I’d inflict more than just scratches on my body.
The second bag was just as intriguing and heavy. When I pulled the zipper, I couldn’t squelch a gasp. Money. Cash.
Lots of cash.
There were bundles of hundred-dollars bills and so many of them that I couldn’t fathom the amount.
I sifted my hand to the bottom, taking a deep whiff.
There was nothing like the smell of money.
The third bag held tactical gear including ropes, rappel devices, and at least two harnesses.
There was also tape, grappling hooks, and chains.
The man had thought of everything if he needed to escape and hide out for an extended period of time.
Another shiver crawled down my spine and I had to force myself to grab several of the belongings. Every part of me was numb inside as I headed into the cabin, constantly looking from right to left, already prepared for the assholes to show up.
After making a second run, placing some of the grocery items in the large but ugly as hell kitchen, Nikolai had returned, remaining quiet as he dragged the rest of the items into the house.
I did everything I could to ignore him, thankful the old refrigerator was in good working condition, and surprised to find several packages of frozen meat in the freezer.
I heard nothing from him as I methodically started putting away the cans and boxes.
I hadn’t cared what we’d purchased, tossing items into the cart without paying much attention.
I doubted I would have any kind of appetite.
When I was finished, I realized a single tear had slipped past my lashes. I wiped it away furiously, hating the anxiety and uncertainty. I’d always been the one in control, no matter the circumstances. Right now, I was nothing but his prisoner.
His pet.
I couldn’t tolerate the term. Maybe that was Russian. Maybe he was a sadist. Oh, what did I care? I wasn’t getting out of this alive.
When I turned around, the savage stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorjamb in a casual manner. He swept his gaze from my scuffed shoes to my face, taking his damn sweet time.
Another tear trickled down my cheek.
I refused to react, staring at him defiantly.
When he walked closer, almost immediately goosebumps popped along every inch of skin.
The brutal Russian had such an incredible effect on me that I was breathless, my heart racing.
A flurry of spots floated in front of my eyes as he approached, my reaction leaving me lightheaded. I never knew what to expect from him.
After he closed the distance, my throat tightened.
I wanted to tell him to get the hell away from me, but I also wanted to wrap my arms around him, hoping to feel safe.
I’d spent so long shutting myself off from the majority of feelings that I remained confused by my reaction.
By all rights, I should hate him until the day I died, but I couldn’t.
I hungered deep inside.
My body craved his touch, his kiss.
The feel of his cock deep inside thrusting like the barbarian he was.
God help me, I was tingling all over from the way he looked at me alone.
I wanted to yank my shirt from my body in some crazy attempt to hide the fact my nipples were as hard as diamonds.
That was pointless. I could tell he’d already figured out how aroused I was.
Even the scent shared between us encompassed raw lust.
Nikolai’s breathing was heavy, his chest rising and falling.
When he reached out, I had to fight to keep from flinching.
Then he swept his finger through the falling tear, slowly bringing his hand to his mouth.
I was in some kind of crazy awe as he slid his finger into his mouth, his voluptuous lips the only thing I could concentrate on.
I was in some kind of a daze as I watched him, concentrating on the slight sound he was making as he sucked on his finger.
I realized I’d gripped the counter, digging my fingers into the cheap Formica, wanting desperately to race away from him. But I was frozen, as if all time stood still.
When he finally eased his finger out of his mouth, I breathed a sigh of relief. Then he picked me up in his arms and I knew at that moment he was going to devour me.
But as the man had already done more than once, he simply moved me to one of the counters, tossing the empty bags and boxes into the floor and placing me on top.
“What are you doing?” I asked, although I wasn’t even certain I’d whispered the words.
He ignored me at first, shoving his hand into one of the remaining bags and grabbing the bottle of alcohol he’d purchased.
Then he grabbed the roll of paper towels, his eyes never leaving mine as he ripped the package open.
Every move he made was methodical, pulling off several of the towels and running them under the kitchen faucet.
After he turned to face me, he shook his head.
“You’re as stubborn as they come, Chloe.”
They were the only words spoken before he gently rubbed the wet towels against the deepest scratches. For some reason, I was shocked just how tender his actions were, the brutal man’s touch more like a soft caress. When he grabbed the bottle of alcohol, he took a deep breath.
“Thank you,” I managed.
“This is going to sting a little.” He cracked open the bottle, giving me a hard look before continuing, pouring a generous amount down the length of my leg.
“Ouch!” I was shocked that another series of tears formed in my eyes, the flash of pain more than I would have anticipated.
He waited for a few seconds then pressed the towel against my leg. “You need to take care of this. Don’t fight me on it, Chloe. The last thing you want to do is to have it get infected. I’ve seen what can happen. Trust me. Not something you want to go through.”
“Okay.” Why did the words ‘yes, sir’ almost pop from my mouth? Respect was earned, not forced. And at this point, all the respect he’d gained from his intense prowess as a professor had ceased to exist.
But this was… unexpected.
His breathing remained scattered, the veins on the side of his neck pulsing. There was no denying our attraction, the pull far too strong. He took another look then tossed the towels into one of the bags. “I’m going to make a fire. It’ll be dark soon. We’ll need to eat.”
The statement was so perfunctory, but I could feel his intense draw, could tell what he was thinking. “There’s some meat in the freezer.”
“Whatever you want.”
“What I want is to go home.”
Huffing, he eased me onto the floor, sliding his hands down to my hips. When he kept his hold, the pressure of his fingers sending shooting stars in front of my eyes, I resisted the temptation, swallowing several times then managing to look away.
He seemed to crowd closer, shifting his hips back and forth.
There was no doubt he was rock hard, his hunger as significant as mine.
I couldn’t believe the heat radiating from his body into mine, the tender moment shared igniting the embers all over again.
But the fighter inside of me refused to give in.
I pressed my palms against his chest, biting back a moan threatening to give me away.
There was a silent moment shared, but another block of tension crept in and he pulled away, breaking the intense connection.
“We’ll figure it out. Select a bedroom. Let me know if you need anything.” He gave me a nod, his expression blank. After the heated intimacy, the girly side of me would have thought he’d acknowledge our connection.
Oh, who was I kidding? The man wasn’t a romantic. He was a killer.
“Do you mind if I take a shower?”
Nikolai barely reacted, although he wasn’t quick to answer. “Do as you wish.”
As I wish. Jesus, the man could be cold as ice in a few seconds.
With that, he started to walk out of the room.
I’d never felt such a frigid wave, as if the windows and doors had been yanked open. I slumped against the counter, clawing the cheap surface as I watched him walk out of the room. What in the hell was I supposed to do?