Page 103 of Fractured Ties

Or so she was learning.

Yeah, she just wanted to be close to him.

Hug him.

Something.

“Maya, please don’t argue with me. I had a long day, and a worse night. I only want to be here with you, and—”

That was all she needed to hear.

Maya lurched forward and slammed into Kolya without thinking about it. Her arms wrapped around him as much as they could—which wasn’t even enough to circle his entire frame, but fuck her if she didn’t try. Kolya let out a quiet sound when her body impacted with his, and it took him a beat or two in time before he reacted to her sudden move.

But when he did …

God, when he did, it was wonderful. He rested one large arm across the back of her shoulders and his other hand came to tangle in her hair. She felt his head dip down so that he could press a kiss to the top of her forehead that lingered and sent shivers cascading over every part of her that it could reach.

She stayed right there.

Just like that.

Holding on so damn tight to him.

He didn’t make her move, either.

Quietly, Kolya murmured against the top of her head, “Everything will be fine.”

“Will it?”

Her words were muffled against his bare chest, but he still seemed to hear it all the same.

“Da. There’s nothing to be worried about. I’ll handle it.”

“He threatened me, you know. Your father, I mean. Maybe not in so many words, but what he didn’t say … it felt just as important as the things he did. And nothing he said was very well-intended.”

She felt him stiffen, but still, he said, “It’ll be fine.”

“I don’t think it will be.”

Something inside just told her … this would not end well.

“Maya—”

“How can you keep me safe—really safe? And it’s not just about me; it’s you, too. It’s you, too, Kolya.”

In a blink, he’d pulled away from her. He dropped to his knees right there, though his hands grabbed tight to either side of her face and stared up at her. Although, he didn’t have to look up very far like this.

She was so fucking short.

Him, way too tall.

“I will always keep you safe,” he murmured. “I don’t have a choice. I did not wait this long to find you just to let you go. It’s not about me, Maya. Nothing—not even myself—will ever be as important to me as you are. Not now.”

His words were not exactly I love you.

They were, however, the closest thing to it without actually saying the words and maybe … she thought … even better than it, too. For now, anyway.

Just this was enough to terrify her and overwhelm her all at the same time. If this was his idea of baby steps when it came to falling in love with a woman, then his strides were quite wide.