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Looking away, I moved off him and over to the other seat, tugging my skirt back down. He let me go, and it was more than the icy blast of the air conditioner that chilled me through. I’d opened myself up by taking a risk, and the worst part was that even as he said a future together was impossible, it was clear he wanted it to be possible. That hurt the worst.
We busied ourselves with cleaning up and redressing before Viktor threw the truck into drive and pulled back onto the highway. My blouse was beyond gone, the buttons ripped off. I’d been ravished by the Russian—exactly what I’d been hoping for.
I scrambled into the backseat, avoiding Viktor’s watchful glances. I wasn’t going to break. Not here. Opening my suitcase, I grabbed a short sleeve shirt and changed quickly.
“Look, Bri—”
“Don’t.” I held up a hand, fluffing my hair and grabbing a compact to redo my lipstick. “Just don’t.”
“It’s not what I want.” There it was—the confirmation for my suspicions.
I finally looked at him in the rearview mirror, arching a brow. “Care to offer me something more detailed? Like an explanation as to what the hell is stopping you if that statement is true?”
“My work. I’m bound to certain standards that aren’t kosher here in the States.”
I blinked. I hadn’t been expecting that. Then I thought back to the men in the bar, with their brutal energy and even scarier appearances. “Yourconstructionbusiness? That’s what makes it unsafe for me to be here—with you?”
Viktor laughed harshly. “Exactly. I just don’t see how I could get around the rules and expectations to make this work, babe. And it would put you under a lot of scrutiny and negative press while I figured it out. But, you have to believe me—it’s not what I want.”
“If that’s supposed to make me feel better, it doesn’t.” I was more confused than ever. The pit in my stomach, the same one that had formed when Toli brought me to the restaurant, twisted.
Before I knew it, Viktor was weaving through the lanes at the airport. Just like that, I was being sent home. “This is what I get for putting myself out there. For trying to soar,” I bit out as Tor pulled up to park. Pushing the door open, I stepped out before the truck had completely stopped.
Viktor slammed the break with a colorful litany of curses, but I had already tugged my suitcase out and was marching toward the sliding doors. I had to get inside, somewhere—anywhere! Tears pricked at my eyes, and it was going to take a tremendous effort to rein them in.
“Briana!” The shout rang out through the maze of people, booming over the cackle of their conversations.
I didn’t look back; I hurried into the airport. Someone barked an order about leaving vehicles unattended. There was an angry outburst, but I was already stepping into the climate-controlled interior of the airport lounge. The elevator was directly in front of me and I beelined for it. Before I’d taken two steps, a heavy hand gripped my wrist, and with a jerk, Viktor pulled me into his hard mass. “Stop,” he snapped, strong-arming me in a march to the far reaches of the room. “Just fucking stop, Bri.”
I began to shake my head. “I can’t—I can’t do this.”
“Briana, don’t. Don’t run away,” Viktor hissed, raking his other hand through his hair.
“No! I put myself out there, Viktor. I should never have listened to you. I know better than to take risks like this,” I bit out, pushing him back.
He opened his mouth to respond. Time slowed. A figure in a hoodie blurred past. Metal flashed. Everything sped up again as Viktor grunted, pain skimming his features. I stumbled as he pushed me back. The hooded figure sprinted away, moving toward the busy flow of travelers. Viktor immediately followed, barreling into the smaller individual before they’d even moved two yards.
Ripping the hood from the assailant’s head, Viktor let out a hideous sound, and I saw recognition flash through his features.
I stood frozen, my brain slowly realizing what I’d witnessed. Viktor was bleeding profusely from a cut on his arm! The individual had tried tostabhim! Fear choked my throat, and I was about to call out for help, but Viktor had his arm around the hooded man’s neck.
“Briana, come!” he barked.
Numbly, I followed, dragging my suitcase. No one stopped us. A sweeping glance showed oblivious travelers who weren’t paying attention to the scuffle in the corner. It was surreal. Viktor dragged his companion hurriedly into the men’s room, and when I pushed through the door, I watched him drag the limp body into a stall before closing the door.
“Time to go,” Viktor said a few moments later, sliding out from under the locked stall door.
“Your arm,” I breathed, pointing.
“No time,” he clipped.
And then he was pushing me backward through the door as he gave a short nod to another man coming in to use the facilities. Keeping one hand on my arm, he pulled his phone out and dialed. As the call tried to connect, he bent down and whispered, “Run, Bri. We need to get back to the truck in case there are more of the fuckers.”
I felt like a fish, my mouth opening and closing.
Then Viktor was speaking into his phone. “Zaika—no, shut up and listen! A Metak bastard just tried to gut me—”
We were barreling back to the truck, and Viktor huffed a response. I felt curious eyes on me, but shock was blurring my mind. Viktor was acting like being knifed in a public place was a regular occurrence! I whipped my gaze to a security guard. That was someone I should tell, right?
