The lobby smelled faintly of rain and wet asphalt. The bar fight still lingered in my veins, the echo of Mikhail’s fists and the sharp crack that made my stomach twist. I could still see the man sprawled on the floor, blood welling from the back of his skull. I shivered, though I wasn’t sure if it was the cold or something else.Mikhail followed me out of the bar without a word. His coat brushed against my arm as he walked behind me, each step deliberate, measured, a predator contained by his own control. I could feel the tension coiled inside him, waiting, dangerous, but for me. The way he held himself near me, I could almost forget the violence he’d just unleashed. Almost.We walked silently to the car. Rain poured from the sky in sheets, the thunder rolling above us like the world itself was bruised. He opened the passenger door for me without hesitation. Even soaked, even furious, he was careful. Protecting me the way he did was effortless, instinctive, terrifying. I slid in, grip
Last Updated : 2025-11-27 Read more