Page 142 of Sinful Promise

“Emily,malishka… Are you in there?” My voice cracks as I try not to picture what I might find on the other side of the door.

We were meant to have a lifetime together.

“Danil?”

Her voice is so faint that I can’t tell if I imagined it.

“Emily?”

“Danil!” Her voice is hoarse, probably from dehydration, but she’s alive.

My baby girl is alive.

“Oh, thank god.” My legs almost give out beneath me. “I’m going to get you out, Em, okay?”

“Okay.” She sounds so small and fragile, so different from the Emily I know, that it makes my heart ache.

I might only get one chance before Igor’s men realize I’ve gotten out, so I need to make it count.

Taking a step back, I quickly glance over my shoulder to make sure that I’m still alone before bracing my body. Lifting my right foot, I take one last deep breath, before sending all of my weight through my foot which slams into the door.

The sound of my foot colliding with the metal door reverberates throughout the basement floor, and I wince as the hinges break and the door goes crashing to the floor.

I might just have set off a ticking time bomb on mine and Emily’s lives, so I need to make this quick.

The light from the corridor floods the room and when my eyes land on Emily huddled in the corner, all the air leaves my lungs.

“Malishka.”

She lifts her head and when her green eyes meet mine, her entire face crumples as tears start to pour down her cheeks.

“Danil.”

“It’s okay,malishka, I’m here,” I soothe as I rush into the room and crouch down beside her.

“I-I thought you w-were dead,” she sobs.

“I’m here,” I repeat as I reach out to stroke her face.

Her hands are tied behind her back, but there’s one thing I need to do before I can untie her. I take her face in my hands. “I’m not going anywhere.”

I lower my face to hers, and I kiss her.

My touch only makes her cry even more, as if she can’t quite believe I’m here.

I can taste her tears as they slide down her face, but I don’t stop kissing her. At least not until a huge crash comes from overhead, and I quickly break apart the kiss to glance over my shoulder.

Emily’s eyes widen. “What was that?”

“I don’t know.” I reach for my gun just to make sure it’s still there before turning back to face Emily. “But we need to move now.”

She nods.

I gently stroke my fingers down her cheeks to wipe away her tears.

She eyes the dried blood on my forehead. “Are you okay?”

“Bit of a headache, but no permanent damage done,” I tease, and she laughs, though it doesn’t meet her eyes.

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