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The moment the truck was in park, she opened her door, not waiting for Colton to come around to help her out. Her uncle immediately made his way toward her, and she’d just put her backpack on when he pulled her into a tight bear hug.
“Can’t. Breathe,” she wheezed out, laughing in between inhalations of air when he eased away, putting his hands on her shoulders.
“You okay, girlie?”
Some of the nerves and fear seeped away as she heard the nickname he gave her years ago, spoken in his gruff Russian accent. Smiling as she kissed his cheek, she tried to make sure the remaining fear was buried deeply enough that he couldn’t see it in her eyes.
“I’m fine, Sergei. I haven’t been hurt, and I’m just ready to end this now.”
He smiled back, approval shining from his blue eyes. “That’s my brave girl. Show those murderous bastards that you can’t be intimidated or silenced.”
Colton walked around the front of the trucks with their bags in his hands and her uncle turned toward him. His friends greeted her warmly, and then they joined her uncle in gazing at Colton with narrowed, critical eyes.
“You the man who thinks he can protect my girl?” Sergei said, his eyes not the least bit friendly.
Putting the bags down, Colton offered him his hand. “I’m Colt, sir, and it’s good to meet you, although I wish it was under different circumstances—and I don’t think I can protect her. I know I can.”
Sergei didn’t immediately shake his hand, and Katia held her breath as he drew the moment out. After what felt like an eternity, Colton’s hand and the steady eye contact with him never wavering, her uncle finally huffed a breath as he shook it.
“You better, boy, or you’re the one whose life is going to be in danger. You’re the one who got her into this mess.”
She shook her head with a roll of her eyes. “Now Sergei, you know that isn’t true.”
“Well, it’s close enough. Him, his family, it’s all the same.”
Opening her mouth, she started to protest but Colton spoke before she could. “You’re right, it does fall on my family’s shoulders. You have my word that I won’t let anything happen to her. I won’t let it.”
Sergei studied him closely and then finally nodded, glancing back at her. “Well, let’s all get inside. No need to be out in the open and make her a sitting duck.”
Colton picked up the bags and walked with her uncle’s friends. She started to follow, but Sergei held her back for a moment before strolling with her after them.
“You like him, don’t you? He likes you, too. I can see it in your eyes, especially when you look at each other.”
She hesitated, watching Colton’s big form as he walked to the hotel door, somehow managing to juggle the bags and hold the door open for Sergei’s friends at the same time. He glanced back at her, waiting for her to catch up, and she knew it was because he didn’t want her out of his sight—even when she was with her uncle.
“Yeah, I like him, but I don’t know if the feeling’s mutual.”
“Trust me, it definitely is.” He ran his eyes over Colton, lingering on his cowboy hat and boots. “A cowboy, huh? You couldn’t have found yourself a nice Russian boy?”
She laughed, but she didn’t feel very much humor over the situation. “It won’t go that far, Sergei. It can’t.”
Frowning, he looked over at her, and she knew he wanted to say more. But they thankfully caught up with Colton, effectively keeping her uncle from saying anything else on the subject.
For now, anyway.
She led Colton to her room, knowing he wasn’t going to let her stay in there by herself. Her heart fluttered at the thought of the single king bed, but logically she knew he’d probably take the couch.
Didn’t stop her from imagining what might happen if he did, though.
Opening the door, she held it for him then followed him in, setting her backpack on her bed and watching as he looked around. She’d made the room as much her own as she could, but it was still clearly a hotel room.
For a split second, she felt embarrassed that he was seeing for himself where she lived. What twenty-six-year-old lived in a hotel instead of having her own place? But she quickly brushed it away.
She worked hard for what she had, and she was damned proud of what she was doing with her life. She’d never felt ashamed of what she had to do to pay for school and still survive, and she wasn’t going to let herself start now.
“Should I go ahead and get to work at the front desk? Give them the chance to know I’m here.”
He frowned as he shook his head, and she narrowed her gaze. His eyes went that strange kaleidoscope green and yellow and his pupils flickered again, elongating briefly before returning to normal, and this time she knew she wasn’t seeing things.
