“No, you’re not.”
I turn to face him, and the concern written on his face almost undoes me. There’s something about him right now, something that makes my defenses want to crumble all around me.
“I said I’m fine,” I repeat, but my voice loses its edge on the last word.
“You’re in shock.” He takes a step closer, and I notice how careful he’s being not to crowd me. “It’s normal after what just happened.”
“Normal?” I let out a laugh that sounds more like a sob. “Nothing about this is normal, Maksim. I almost died tonight because of you.”
The words are meant to hurt, to push him away, but instead of anger, I see pain flash across his face. Real pain, not the manipulation I’ve come to expect from dangerous men.
“You’re right,” he concedes, even though we both know this is my fault, not his. “And I’m sorry.”
“Sorry doesn’t fix this.”
“No, it doesn’t.” He inches even closer, and this time, I don’t back away. “But let me try to help you anyway.”
Before I can protest, his arms come around me in a gentle embrace that steals the breath from my lungs. I want to resist. I want to push him away and maintain the distance I’ve worked so hard to create. Instead, my body betrays me by sagging against his chest like I’ve been waiting for this moment all night.
“I’ve got you,” he mumbles against my hair, and the simple words break something loose inside me.
The tears come without warning, hot and fast down my cheeks. I cry for the fear, for the violence, for the impossible situation I’ve found myself in. Maksim doesn’t say anything; he just holds me while I fall apart in his arms.
“I hate this,” I whisper against his shirt. “I hate feeling so helpless.”
“You’re not helpless. You’re alive, and that’s all that matters right now.”
“But for how long?” I pull back enough to look at him, and the tears make everything blurry. “How long before they try again? How long before someone succeeds?”
His hands come up to cup my face, and his thumbs brush away the moisture on my cheeks. “As long as I’m breathing, nothing will happen to you. I promise.”
“Promises are easy to make.”
“Not for me.”
There’s something in his voice that makes me believe him, despite everything logic tells me about trusting criminals. Maybe it’s the way he’s looking at me, like I’m something precious that needs protecting. Maybe it’s the way his hands shake as they hold my face.
“Tell me about your world,” I suddenly prompt. “The real truth this time. All of it.”
“Alyssa—”
“No more protecting me from information. If I’m going to be dragged into this, I need to know what I’m dealing with.”
He studies my face for a long moment before offering one curt nod. “What do you want to know?”
“Everything. Start with your family’s business.”
Maksim releases my face but keeps one hand on my arm, like he’s afraid I’ll bolt if he lets go. “We’re involved in shipping, mostly. Import and export through the docks. Some of it is legitimate, some of it isn’t.”
“What kind of illegitimate?”
“Weapons, mostly. Nothing too exotic, but enough to keep certain people happy. We also provide security services for people who can’t go to the police.”
“You mean you hurt people for money.”
“Sometimes. When they deserve it.”
The honesty should horrify me, but instead, I appreciate that he’s finally being direct. “What else?”
