Page 75 of Bought By Santa

The ring of his phone shatters the moment, a sharp intrusion. Nick pulls away, his dark eyes clouding over with anger at being disturbed. He snatches up the device from the floor, his body tensing as he listens to the urgent voice on the other end.

“Are you sure? He’s dead?” he asks. His face paling beneath the harsh lighting of the room. His fingers dig into the phone, knuckles white, a stark contrast to the usual confidence that radiates off him like heat from a flame.

I try to listen, but I can’t hear anything but his voice. “Nick, what’s wrong?” My voice is barely above a whisper, but it cuts through the tension, reaching for him.

“I’m on my way,” he snaps before ending the call.

He doesn’t look at me as he reaches for his clothes, quickly dressing. “What happened?” I ask, my heart pounding in my chest.

“Jack’s been hurt,” he snaps, and the words are a physical blow, knocking the air from my lungs. “There was… it turned bad. I have to go to him.”

I nod, understanding the gravity of a Knight wounded. No, it’s more than that. Jack’s his brother. “Is he…” I can’t finish the question.

“Alive, yes. But it’s serious. I need to fix this.” His voice is ice over steel, the domineering man I know reasserting himself over the worry that had cracked his façade.

“Okay.” It’s all I can manage, a simple acknowledgment of the storm about to break over us. There’s no room for hesitation, not when family, when blood, is on the line. Especially for a man like Nicklas, who’d burn the world down before he’d let harm come to those he claims as his own.

I quickly get off the bed, wrapping the sheet around my naked body. Then I run back to the bedroom, grabbing the closest clothes I find in the closet. It’s a dark gray and sleeveless pantsuit. Although I’d love a shower, there’s no time. So I settle for washing my face and squirting toothpaste into my mouth with one hand, while getting dressed with the other.

As I look for a hair tie in one of the bathroom drawers, I come across the pregnancy tests and spare plugs. For a second I consider grabbing one of the plugs to keep Nick’s seed inside me, but then I decide against it. For one, by now, most have probably already seeped out. And for two, I don’t want the day his brother got put in the hospital to be the day we conceive.

Besides, not wearing one since he fucked me on the table in his meeting room last night has felt almost freeing.

After gathering my hair on top of my head in a messy bun, I find a pair of ankle boots. I’m in the middle of zipping them up when Nick joins me. “You’re not coming,” he growls.

“The hell?” I exclaim, shaking my head. “I’m coming, Nick. I want to be there for you.”

“It’s not safe,” he insists, the dominant edge we both crave slipping into his tone despite the situation. But this time, it doesn’t stir desire; it stirs defiance.

“Neither was letting you buy me, but I did it—and I’d do it again,” I counter, my voice stronger than I feel. His touch has awakened parts of me I didn’t know existed, and now I can’t just turn off the intensity of what pulses between us.

“Damn it, Carolina,” he growls, pacing away. Each step he takes is filled with a predator’s grace, but also with a desperation I can’t bear to ignore.

“Nicklas,” I say, following him. “You carved my name into your skin. You bound me to you. Now let me prove that I’m worthy of that. I can handle anything if it means supporting you.”

He stops, the tension rolling off him in waves. I see it then—the way he struggles to balance his need to protect me with the respect he has for the woman I am becoming, the woman he is shaping me into.

“Please.” My plea is quiet but fervent.

“Fuck,” he swears again, pinching the bridge of his nose. He turns back to me, the decision clear in his eyes even before he speaks. His hands are surprisingly gentle as they cup my face, a stark contrast to the possessive, all-consuming lover from moments ago. “We’ll go together. But you stay close to me, understand? If anything happens—”

“Nothing will,” I interrupt with a conviction I partially borrow from him. “Because together, we’re unstoppable.”

As we prepare to leave, I am aware of every inch of my body, each place he’s touched still tingling with remembrance. It’s a reminder that no matter what the outside world throws at us, inside, we’ve created something untouchable.

Chapter 26

The Santa

Ifind myself pacing back and forth in front of the hospital, waiting for news about Jack. I could go inside, but I keep telling myself it’s best if I wait and talk to Sergei first.

The anxiety coiling in my chest tighter than a noose around my neck. Even from out here, the sterile scent of this damn hospital invades my senses, amplifying my unease. The Rolex on my wrist is driving me nuts, I swear I can hear the incessanttick, tick, tick.

“For fuck’s sake!” I roar, tearing it off and throwing it against the wall.

I can feel Carolina’s gaze on me, but I can’t bring myself to look at her just yet. My fears, my vulnerabilities, are on full display, and I can’t afford to show weakness. Not now. Not in front of her.

Finally, the doors slide open, and booted footsteps echo. I turn my head, my heart lodged in my throat, and my eyes lock with Sergei’s. “Nicklas!” Sergei exclaims, his voice rough with urgency and pain. “It was an ambush.”

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