Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 39046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 195(@200wpm)___ 156(@250wpm)___ 130(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 195(@200wpm)___ 156(@250wpm)___ 130(@300wpm)
“I was here… I think,” I said, wondering if I could remember. But all I remembered was getting shot. Everything after that was just gone.
“You were,” he confirmed. “But I didn’t know what room you were in. Didn’t know what hall or what part of the fucking hospital.” He gritted his teeth and tugged on the chain around my neck, lifting me just the tiniest bit. I grunted in pain, but he didn’t release me. “And you’re not off the hook for that stupid fucking stunt you pulled,” he growled, lowering his face to mine. His mask was completely gone now, and his eyes were cold yet somehow full of fire as he stared into my own. “When you get out of here, Malik, you’re going to pay for every bit of suffering I went through from the moment Anatoly’s call came through my line until you woke up a few minutes ago.”
I swallowed thickly, hating that his words had my dick hardening all while trepidation slid through my veins. “I’m injured,” I tried.
His lips curled up at the corner, but it wasn’t a kind smile. No, his smile was full of malice and the promise of sweet torture. “You think I don’t know how to punish you without injuring you further, Malik?” He pressed his mouth to mine in a kiss so hot and aggressive, my lips bled, and I leaked precum beneath my hospital gown. When he pulled back, his blue eyes were bright with mania, and his lips were stained red with my blood. “I’ve been living in fucking hell since I got that goddamn phone call, Malik.”
“I’m sorry,” I rasped. And I was sorry. I never meant to make him panic like that. Or lose control of himself to this point. “I just… Anatoly has a family. A daughter and a wife. And he’s your best friend.”
“And you’re mine,” Rurik snarled, tightening his grip on the chain until it choked me. I gripped his wrists, pain flaring through my shoulder as I did so. “Doesn’t that fucking mean something to you, Malik? I can survive losing my best friend. I cannot survive fucking losing you.”
With that, he released me, and I dropped back onto the mattress, gasping. My shoulder and chest were burning. Rurik stalked away from me, pacing to the window and staring out over the dark world outside, his hands in his pockets again as if he hadn’t just choked the absolute shit out of me. I mean, fuck, I was going to have bruises in the shape of his chain.
“I’m sorry,” I said again. I wasn’t used to apologizing. Wasn’t used to feeling guilty. But even though Rurik and I hadn’t always seen eye to eye, he’d given me freedom in my mind. When he was in control of me and I let him, my mind was free of all the millions of thoughts that constantly plagued me and left me feeling on edge. He left me feeling calm.
I couldn’t lose that. I couldn’t lose him.
He turned to face me, that mask of his carefully put back in place. An almost pleasant smile tilted his lips, and honestly, it scared the shit out of me. No one should be able to flip their emotions like that. No one.
“I know you are, baby,” he murmured, his voice like silk. I swallowed thickly. “And once we get out of this fucking hospital, I’ll make sure you don’t make the same mistake twice.”
Fuck.
21
Malik
Islowly peeled open my eyes, the drugs the hospital had me on making me feel a bit loopy. So when I saw Hyram and Chet standing at the foot of my hospital bed talking quietly amongst themselves, for a moment, I thought I was just seeing shit. But when Rurik gently squeezed my palm, I knew I was definitely awake.
“What are you two doing here?” I rasped. I coughed after, groaning in pain. Now that the anesthesia from surgery had worn off, I was in even more pain, despite being doped up.
Fuck, I never wanted to get shot again.
Hyram and Chet both turned to look at me. Rurik released my hand, and a moment later, he was pressing a straw between my lips. I greedily swallowed down some of the water, and when I turned my head, Rurik took the hint and set the cup of water back down.
“Heard you got shot,” Hyram said, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “Rurik thought you could use a couple of guards.” His gaze flickered to the hospital room door. ‘Seems to me that you’re protected well enough though. There are two Russian soldiers in front of your door, and they’re checking IDs and hospital credentials before anyone can enter your room. There are soldiers at every entrance to this hall, too.”
“Christ,” I growled, turning to look at Rurik, who was typing away at his phone. “Bit overkill, don’t you think?”