Page 90 of The Last Hope

I tried to focus on his presence, to ignore the water, to block out the memories. I wouldn’t let Antonio ruin my life any longer. I wanted to be Selina again—the girl who had dreamed of becoming a nurse, of living in a small country house with her sister, of tending a vegetable garden on weekends.

“You’re handling this like a champion,Solnychko. I’m proud of you,” he said, gathering my hair over one shoulder before kissing my neck.

“I don’t want to be afraid anymore, Niko,” I whispered, gripping the edges of the bathtub.

His lips glided from my neck to my cheek as his arm tightened around my waist.

“She’s going to pay, Selina. I swear, I’ll make her regret it,” he said, his gaze lingering on the bruise Agata had left on my face.

“She was just as panicked as we were, Nikolai. It’s not—”

“Don’t you dare say it’s nothing. I promised you nothing would happen to you within these walls, Selina. I didn’t keep my pro—”

I turned my face toward him and kissed him.

At first, he didn’t move, letting me take the lead, but when I gently tugged on his lower lip, he cupped my cheek, sliding his tongue into my mouth.

He kissed me slowly, carefully, as if he were afraid of hurting me, of breaking me. His hand slipped under my tank top, and despite the warmth of the water, I shivered.

He pulled back when I pressed my hand gently against his solid, heated chest to catch my breath.

“Ty moy ray, ty moyo nebo, ty moye solntse” he murmured, kissing my cheek.

“What does that mean ?” I asked, breathless.

His gaze locked onto mine.

“You are my paradise. You are my sky. You are my sun,” he said, smiling softly as he rubbed his nose against my temple.

I felt tears rising.

“Don’t cry,Solnychko.”

I sniffled, tilting my head up to stop the tears from falling, but his face appeared in my vision again as he leaned over me.

“So ? How was your first day as a nanny ?”

I groaned, burying my face in my hands as I felt him laugh against my back.

“You should fire me—I’m a terrible nanny,” I mumbled, shaking my head.

He wrapped his arms around me, holding me tight against him and pressing his face against my neck.

“Never. I will never want you to leave,” he murmured, kissing my skin, making me close my eyes.

“Selina ?”

I jumped at the sound of my sister’s voice, though thankfully, it came from behind the bedroom door.

Nikolai stood, carefully releasing me, then stepped out of the water, grabbing a towel. He dried himself quickly before wrapping it around his waist over his boxer briefs.

“Relax, I’ll take a shower in the next room after asking your sister to bring you some clean clothes,” he said, kissing my forehead before leaving.

I sighed, resting my head against the edge of the tub and closing my eyes.

But despite the warmth of the water, the coldness Nikolai had left behind lingered.

I heard him talking to Sienna before footsteps approached.

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