Page 89 of The Last Hope

Thank God, he was still wearing his boxer briefs.

“Selina.”

My eyes snapped back to his.

“Don’t be afraid, Selina,” he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the curve of my neck, making me shiver.

He lowered my wrists and grabbed the hem of my sweatshirt. His eyes never left mine as he began to lift it.

I didn’t move.

I didn’t stop him.

I watched him.

I let him.

He pulled the sweatshirt over my head and let it fall beside his own clothes, leaving me in my tank top.

Slowly, he stepped around me until he was facing me again, still holding my gaze as he knelt before me.

“Nikolai…”

“Shhh,” he hushed gently.

He carefully slid my pajama bottoms down as my breathing grew uneven.

I stepped back slightly so he could remove them completely, leaving me in just my tank top and underwear.

As he began to rise, he suddenly stopped.

His fingers brushed against my right calf, and his brows knit together. He leaned in, looking closer, and I held my breath.

His dark gaze lifted to mine, filled with silent questions, but he didn’t speak.

He didn’t ask.

Instead, he stood slowly, his hand never leaving my skin, tracing from the back of my knee to my thigh, to my hip.

I closed my eyes at the gentle touch.

“Come, Selina.”

I opened my eyes to see his outstretched hand.

I glanced from his hand to the bathtub, then back to his eyes.

I swallowed hard.

Then, hesitantly, I slipped my fingers into his.

He gripped them firmly, gently pulling me forward—toward the nightmare that had haunted me for years.

Chapter twenty-five

Selina

He entered first and sat down before pulling me in after him. I took a deep breath before stepping in—the hot water made me moan in relief after the freezing night. I slowly lowered myself, and he pulled me against him.

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