Page 23 of Inside of You, Vol. One
“You must come back with me so that I can protect you.” He kisses the top of your head. “If something happened to you. . .my heart would stop beating. My life. . .would have no more meaning. In this short time. . .you have become my everything.”
Your heart warms.
Kazimir moves his arms and picks you up as if you weigh nothing. Stepping over scattered bullet casings, pools of blood, and dead bodies, he carries you away.
Chapter 6
A Hot Promise
You sit in the back of a 5-passenger Mercedes Benz with Kazimir.
His cousin, Misha and two other men sit in the row in front of you, gripping guns and constantly gazing out the window. You get the feeling that if the Scorpion jumped out to attack, they would be ready.
The whole time Kazimir holds your hand. “How are you,Novoluniye?”
You tell him that you’re fine.
Kazimir’s face still holds worry. “Before traveling to Russia, we will stay the night in a hotel suite.”
You nod.
“After what you have been through, you will need silence and privacy.” Kazimir squeezes your hand. This simple touch sets fireworks off in your stomach. You feel like you are going to burst. “Therefore, I have rented out the whole hotel for us.”
Stunned, you tell him thank you.
You gaze out of the window. The streets are crowded with people, honking cars, and the sound of music. The Benz that you are riding in moves slowly through the crowd.
As Kazimir said, you yearn for the quiet and just a moment alone with him.
You turn back around and catch Misha watching you with a fierce intensity, so much that you feel like you’re going to be swallowed up by his eyes.
Kazimir growls, “Stop looking at her like that.”
Misha frowns and turns to him. “I was only assessing whether she had any wounds.”
“Assess another woman with those eyes. Not myNovoluniye.”
Sighing, Misha turns back around. “You are quite the possessive lion today.”
“Withher, I will not share.” Kazimir leans forward as if he plans to yank Misha to him and rip his head off. “Do you understand?”
“I do. You never share.”
Kazimir pulls you into him with those huge arms, holding you close and giving you a sense of safety. The scent of power and danger radiates off him.
Wrapped in his warm embrace, you know the world can’t harm you.
He stares into your eyes and keeps his voice low. “Is this what love feels like?”
You smile and nod.
“When I hold you. . .” Kazimir kisses your forehead with those soft, full lips. “Nothing else matters- the Brotherhood, my family, not even my quest for the throne. The only thing I care about, I see, is you.”
Your heart warms.
“I am sorry for what happened to you. I brought that danger to your doorstep. I hate that it happened. I will never forgive myself,Novoluniye.”
You see the truth of this in his sad gaze.
