Page 69 of The Last Hope

“Oh my God, that must have been horrible for Elif,” I whispered, feeling a pang of sorrow for the woman who had welcomed us with open arms, despite the dangers we brought into her family.

“More than horrible. Their mother died when Tarik was six. Elif raised him—he was her baby,” he said, his now-blackened eyes locking onto mine.

I inhaled deeply, trying to push away the tightness in my throat, turning my gaze away in an attempt to hide the moisture forming in my eyes. But his warm palm against my cheek stopped me, his thumb tracing my cheekbone and gliding beneath my eye.

“You get dark circles when you’re stressed,” he murmured.

“I’ve always had dark circles,” I replied with a small smile, but he shook his head.

“No, they disappeared after you arrived,” he countered, and I realized he was right. I hadn’t looked this healthy in years.

The sound of a car door opening made me jump, and Roman appeared. “It’s clear. The place is secure,” he said, gesturing toward the darkness behind him, where I assumed the safe house was located. “But it’s small and… primitive,” he added, grimacing as he glanced at me hesitantly.

“A blanket will be more than enough,” I assured him with a small smile, while Nikolaï got out and held out his hand to help me.

“I said primitive, not rundown,” Roman chuckled, draping a blanket over my shoulders. “It gets chilly in the mountains,” he added before disappearing between the trees.

I clutched the soft fabric around me, feeling an unfamiliar warmth bloom in my chest at his gesture—he had thought of me, even when I had long since stopped taking care of myself.

“He likes you. Despite his childish attitude, he doesn’t trust people easily. But you seem to have a knack for drawing people in, Miss Floros,” Nikolaï murmured, wrapping his arm around my waist.

I smiled softly and followed him into the dark forest, the scent of pine and earth welcoming us—an aroma I hadn’t breathed in for years.

After several minutes of walking in the darkness—during which I nearly tripped a dozen times if not for Nikolaï holding me up—we finally arrived at a small cabin, its porch dimly lit.

“And here is our hotel for the night,” Roman announced, dramatically bowing as he held the door open.

I thanked him and stepped inside, closely followed by Nikolaï—so closely that he nearly crashed into me when I suddenly stopped to avoid Grigori, who was carrying an armful of blankets, completely blocking his view. He dropped them onto a large mattress on the floor, and my eyes shifted to the pull-out sofa against the wall beside it.

“We’re sleeping on the floor?” I asked, tilting my head up to Nikolaï, who scanned the room with a frown.

“Stop making that face,moy brat. There’s a small room next door with a cozy little bed and its own tiny bathroom,” Grigori said as he sat on one of the couches, already pulling off his shoes.

I wouldn’t admit it out loud, but relief flooded through me. Sleeping in the same room with four men wasn’t exactly anidea that thrilled me. I felt Nikolaï relax behind me, then gently pushed me forward. I let him, and he opened the door to our right, revealing a modest room with a single bed, a small shower, and a sink built into the space.

“You’ll have to make do,Solnychko,” Nikolaï said, moving toward the only window to ensure it was securely locked before turning back to me.

“This is more than enough,” I replied, sitting on the edge of the bed and loosening my splint, which had been bothering me since that morning.

He knelt before me, helping me remove it, then gently massaged my palm, careful not to touch my still-healing fingers.

“Does it hurt?”

“It’s bearable,” I murmured, watching his face—the way his brows knit together in concentration, the way his lips pressed into a tight line as if holding back words that could change everything.

“Where are your painkillers?” he asked, lifting his gaze to mine.

I froze, just like always. My face warmed, and I opened and closed my mouth like an idiot. His eyes dropped to my lips.

I saw him inhale deeply before his thumb suddenly brushed over them, stealing my breath.

“Selina,” he murmured, leaning in, “so beautiful and so strong.” His nose glided along my cheek, and his lips left a trail of light kisses along my jaw, sending a shiver down my spine.

I gripped his shirt, my whole body trembling. “I’m not strong,” I whispered, feeling more vulnerable than ever. “I’m scared… so scared.”

He pulled back, his gaze locking onto mine as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear, “let me tell you something a greatwoman once said to me,” he murmured, studying my face. “Fear isn’t a bad thing—as long as it doesn’t control you.”

“Elif?” I guessed, recognizing her strength in those words.

---