Page 124 of The Last Hope

“The boys ?” I asked, still pressed against his chest.

“They’re asleep in Grigori’s office. We set up inflatable mattresses. Elif hasn’t left their side,” he said, kissing just behind my ear.

I nodded. Everyone was safe. Well… almost.

“Sienna ?” he asked softly.

I sighed and stepped back slightly, “when he strangled her…” I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply. Just speaking the words, just picturing the scene…

Nikolai’s grip on me tightened “…her vocal cords were damaged. She’ll be able to speak normally in a few days. She needed sixteen stitches in her palm. Her head’s fine—just a mild concussion. But…”

I shut my eyes as tears welled up, “she could have died, Nikolai.”

He cupped my face, resting his forehead against mine.

“I know, Selina. She protected the children with her life. I’ll never forget that image of her.” a tear slipped down my cheek, and Nikolai kissed it away.

“But she’s here,” he murmured. “Our family is safe. You’re safe.”

I opened my eyes, losing myself in the depth of his gaze. And for the first time, when I thought about Antonio, it wasn’t fear I felt.

It was rage. Dark, searing rage. For the first time in my life, I wished for someone’s death.

Not when he tortured me for eight years. Not even when he violated me. Never.

But now ?

Now, I wanted him six feet under ground.

Nikolai gently led me into the kitchen, where Velma and Sena stood with Grigori and Roman, who was devouring a sandwich like a starving man.

“You should eat too, Shelina. It’s going to be a long day,” Roman said around a mouthful, making me smile despite myself.

“Swallow before you speak, you idiot,” Grigori grumbled, smacking the back of his head.

“Come, Miss Selina, eat,” Velma urged, placing a plate in front of me with a smaller sandwich.

But as I reached for it, my breath caught at the sight of Sena’s bruised face. Looking closer, I noticed the bandage peeking from beneath Velma’s sleeve.

“Oh my God. You’re hurt too,” I whispered, stepping closer and cupping Sena’s face to examine her injuries.

“We’re fine, Miss Selina,” Sena said gently, lowering my hands. “Thanks to Miss Sienna, we’re all fine.”

She pressed her lips together, and I frowned, “she feels guilty for not waking sooner. It was your sister’s scream that roused the entire house,” Velma explained, slipping an arm around her.

“I think it woke the whole damn neighborhood. Those bastards went straight to your floor,” Grigori added, arms crossed, leaning against the counter.

Like Nikolai, he had changed into a dark suit, but exhaustion still etched all our faces.

“You reacted quickly,moybrat,” Roman noted after swallowing his final bite—honestly, the way this man ate was something else.

“It was Selina who woke me. Without her, we’d probably be riddled with bullets,” Nikolai said, slipping behind me to lift me onto a barstool in front of the sandwich.

He never missed a beat.

“The Floros sisters, huh ? Walking danger detectors,” Roman chuckled—just in time to get smacked again by Grigori.

A detector that had worked for me. But not for my sister.

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