Blood & Torment (Pins and Needles: Moscow Book 2) by Elizabeth Knox (best short books to read TXT) 📕

“What? What’s the matter?” I halt, looking over her now that we’re in better lighting. Her pants are ripped down the center and blood has covered her right leg. “Fuck, what happened to you!?”

“Why does that matter right now?” Mila snaps.

Mila looks between Trista and me. “I was in the club and this guy, he came up to me. I thought he wanted to dance, you know? So we danced and then he got all crazy and cornered me near the bathroom. I got away, ran three blocks, and stayed put here.”

Fucking idiots. “You’ll tell me the name of the club later. For now, I’ll get you to someone who can help.” I begin walking again and so does Trista. We open the door behind the driver’s seat and Trista goes in first, and then I slide Mila onto the seat. Trista has her keep her leg elevated and looks around my car desperately.

“Do you have any cloth, towels, anything?” Trista questions.

I shake my head and rip my shirt off, tossing it to her. “It’ll have to do. You keep the bleeding down until we can get to Antonina’s.”

“Who?” Trista questions, but I shut the door and get behind the driver’s seat. Before I respond to her, I make sure to take off in the direction of Antonina’s house.

I glance back once we hit the street, only for a split second. “She works with Kronid. My boss is a good friend to her, invested in her doctor’s offices. She’s good people.”

“And we’re going to her house instead of the emergency room?” Trista’s from America. They do things differently there.

I nod and look at her in the rearview mirror. “It’s better this way. Antonina will keep things quiet. Others won’t.”

“He’s right. It’s better this way,” Mila speaks up, and I imagine she’s probably looking at Trista. “But, I’m gonna jump right in and say I had no idea you had a girlfriend, and she’s so fucking pretty. I thought you’d fall for an ugly Russian woman, but this American? She’s edgy. I like it!”

Trista cracks up laughing and Mila joins in. I won’t join in as well, but I do crack a smile and press on the gas. The sooner Mila’s to Antonina’s house, the sooner she’ll get better, and the only thing I want for my sister is for her to get better and rest up as soon as possible.

Chapter Twelve

Trista

We got to Antonina’s and while things were a bit odd, Michail passed over a good chunk of change before she’d even treat Mila. We were lucky enough to be told her cut wasn’t too bad and while she’d have a scar, she was lucky. Before we got settled back at my place, we stopped at a 24-hour store to get Michail a new shirt. I figured he’d appreciate it, but I’m not complaining about seeing his shirtless body.

Seeing the way Michail acted around his sister earlier tonight changed something for me. For once, I felt like maybe I wouldn’t be making a bad choice in letting him in. So, in a split-second decision, I push my fears aside and stand up to press my lips to Michail’s. We’re in the living room of my apartment and everything is so . . . peaceful.

When I left Pins and Needles today, I never expected the night to turn out like this. It’s anything but a normal night for me. In fact, it’s so different I almost think it’s fake. I end up coming home to find someone broke in, then cut my foot on a piece of glass while trying to clean everything up, and now I’m standing in my living room, which was a pure mess a couple hours ago. But I’m not just standing here. No, I’m kissing the man I’ve thought about kissing for so long.

Michail deepens the kiss pulling me toward him. One hand goes to cup the back of my head, while the other wraps around my waist, pulling me even closer to him. I wrap my arms over his shoulders, needing to be closer. With swift movements, Michail moves us until I have my back pressed against the wall. He breaks his mouth from mine, and I whimper in protest.

“Kukakla, I want you, but I won’t rush you,” Michail rasps heavily, his lips brushing mine with each word. The walls I’ve kept around myself begin to fall even more, almost like a domino effect.

I want him too. I’m nervous, but I know without a doubt I can trust him with my body now after seeing the way he reacted to his sister. He gives me a sense of safety I don’t think I’ve ever felt when someone’s touched me.

In fact, the way he makes me feel safe is so much more intense than the safety I feel with Ruslan and Sascha. Then again, Michail isn’t my adoptive-older brother, and I sure as fuck don’t want him to be either.

Michail starts to pull away, but I hold on tight.

“No, don’t stop. I don’t want you to stop, Michail,” I utter, lifting my gaze to meet his. “I don’t know why, but for whatever reason, with you, I feel safer than I’ve ever felt. I don’t want to lose that feeling yet. Even if you only want me for one night.”

Michail slides both his hands down to palm my rear and lifts me until I have to wrap my legs around his waist. “This isn’t going to be a one-nighter, kukakla. It never was and it never will,” he declares with a masculine growl, only causing my center to practically burst into flames. With easy strides, he carries me through the apartment and into my room.

I can’t believe I almost forgot about the condition it was in when I got home. I don’t want to think about anything else but what this man makes me feel. Michail lays me on the bed and lifts himself off me