Page 162 of Tarnished Tyrant (Zhukova Bratva 1)

"I do need to go," he says, glaring daggers down at Roger's body. "But only because, if that man moves a muscle, I'll kill him. Unless you want to be witness to that, we should get out of here."

"You can leave. I’m staying."

"You’re staying with him?"

"God, no! He showed up tonight. I haven’t seen him since—”Since you broke my heart.“I'm staying here. This is where I live. Where I work." I gesture to the fadedTony's Watering Holesign above the door. "I can't go with you."

Some emotion I can't read crosses Nikolai's face, and I realize it's the first time I've let myself look up at him. His gray eyes are locked on mine, silver in the moonlight, and his jaw is working. He's bothered.

Is it because of Roger?

Or is it because of me?

"Why are you here?" I ask again, despite my better instincts.

"Just get in the car, Belle.”

"Not until you tell me why you're—"

"Elise called me," he snaps. "She called me a few hours ago and said you were sick. She's scared."

Too many thoughts swirl through my brain. It's hard to grab onto any one of them.

"Elise called you? She—A few hours ago?" I frown. "And you're already here?"

Nikolai glances at Roger and then backs away like he's worried he won't be able to control himself if he gets within arm’s reach. I can feel rage rolling off of him in waves.

When Roger wakes up, Nikolai really will kill him.

I sigh. "Fine. But… but you have to leave. You can take me home, but then you have to go."

"I can do whatever I want, Belle," he says.

When I look up at him, I wonder if I look as broken as I feel. "Please, Nikolai. You have to go."

He glances over me once. It feels like an assessment. Like he's checking me for damage.

Then he starts walking to his car. "Come on."

There are moments in life when you know you're making a life-altering mistake, but you do it anyway. Where you’re helpless to do anything but take the moment’s hand and let it lead you over the edge of the cliff.

So far, every single one of mine has been with Nikolai.

Sliding into his passenger seat now, the smell of him thick around me, I know I’m doing it again. But God, it feels so good to fall.

For a minute there, it’s almost like you’re flying.

39

NIKOLAI

I walk Belle up the rusty metal stairs to her apartment.

“Well, this is me,” she says, hesitating outside the door. “Um… thanks for—”

“If you think you’re getting rid of me that easily, you’re even sicker than I realized.”

I snatch the key out of her hand and open the door myself. “Hey!” she protests. “You can’t just barge into my house.”

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