Chapter 65 Chapter 65
Chapter 65
Nina’s POV
We pulled through the gates just as the sun started dipping lower. The G-Wagon crunched over gravel, then rolled smooth onto the driveway. Nikolai killed the engine. Sat there a second. Breathing steady. Like he was gathering himself before moving.
I got out first. Grabbed the pharmacy bag. He followed slower. Arm held a little stiff now that the adrenaline from the range had worn off. Blood had soaked darker through the bandage. Fresh red against white gauze.
Inside the house it was quiet. Cool air hit my skin. Smelled like garlic and herbs—Nana already in the kitchen. Nikolai headed straight for the stairs without a word. I followed him up. Into his room this time. Door shut behind us with a soft click.
He peeled off the leather jacket. Dropped it on the chair. Then reached for the hem of his black Armani shirt. The fabric stuck a little where blood had dried. He winced once pulling it over his head.
I stepped closer. “Let me.”
He paused. Looked down at me. Then let his arms drop. Shirt halfway off. Muscles tight across his chest. Tattoos curling dark over his ribs, up his shoulder, disappearing under the bandage. I tugged the shirt the rest of the way. Careful around the wound. Fabric slid free.
He smiled. Slow. Dangerous. “Easy, kitten. I know you want me.”
I rolled my eyes. Hard. “Keep dreaming.”
But my cheeks heated anyway. Couldn’t help it. His chest was right there. Broad. Scarred in places. Warm skin. The smell of him—sweat, gunpowder, leather—hit me full force.
I turned away quick. Dumped the pharmacy stuff on the small table by the window. Antiseptic. Gauze. Tape. Gloves. Spread everything out neat. Like I was setting up for surgery. Which, in a way, I was.
He sat on the edge of the bed. Legs spread. Arms resting loose on his thighs. Watched me the whole time. Eyes steady. Unfazed.
I pulled on the gloves. Snapped them once. Took a breath. Then reached for the bandage.
Untied the knot slow. Peeled the old gauze away. The wound looked angry. Red edges. Some fresh bleeding where the stitches had pulled. Knife cut. Deep. Not stitched perfect—probably done in a hurry.
I didn’t ask how it happened. Didn’t want to know right then.
He didn’t flinch when I dabbed methylated spirit on a cotton pad. The sharp smell filled the room. I pressed it to the wound. Gentle circles. Watched the liquid run pink down his arm.
He stayed still. Jaw locked. But no sound. Not even a hiss.
I looked up. “You’re not making any noise.”
He smiled again. Small. “You really enjoy this, right?”
I smiled back. Couldn’t help it. “Yeah. I do.”
My fingers worked careful. Cleaning. Drying. Applying ointment. He watched my face the whole time. Not the wound. Me.
I sighed. Quiet. “I might not get to finish med school if you guys keep holding me hostage.”
He went serious. No smile now. “Trust me. This is for your own good.”
I met his eyes. Held them. “Still not gonna tell me about the tattoos?”
He smirked. Leaned in just a fraction. Eyes dropped to my lips. Then lower. Slow drag over my chest. My nipples tightened under the thin tank top. No bra. He noticed. Came back to my eyes.
“Will you let me kiss you right now?”
His voice dropped low. Rough.
I swallowed. Shook my head. “No.”
Kept working. Poured a little extra spirit on the next pad. Pressed harder than I needed to.
He chuckled. Low. “Chill, kitten. I noticed what you did there.”
I shrugged. “Eagle eyes much?”
His eyes darkened. Pupils wide. He leaned back. Let me finish. But the air between us felt thicker now. Heavy. Charged.
I wrapped fresh gauze. Tight but not too tight. Taped it secure. Pulled the gloves off. Tossed them in the small trash bin by the bed.
“All done,” I said after almost half an hour.
He looked at the bandage. Flexed his arm once. Tested it. Nodded. “Good work, kitten.”
Then he stood. Slow. Towered over me. Leaned down. Pressed his lips to my forehead. Soft. Lingering. Warm.
“We might have to put you on payroll as our medic.”
He said it like a joke. But his voice stayed low. Serious under it.
Then he walked out. Shirtless. Back muscles shifting. Tattoos moving like shadows. Door clicked shut behind him.
I stood there. Breathing hard. Forehead still tingled where his mouth had been.
I gathered the trash. Used wrappers. Bloody gauze. Carried it downstairs to the kitchen bin. Nana stood at the stove. Stirring something that smelled like heaven.
She glanced over. “You okay, child?”
I smiled. Real one this time. “Yeah. Got to practice my medical skills. Even drove today. Wasn’t a bad day.”
She nodded. Eyes soft. “Go shower. Lunch soon.”
I hugged her quick. Arms around her waist. She smelled like flour and home. Then I pulled back.
“Nana… can things get delivered here? Like… packages?”
She turned fully. Wiped her hands on her apron. Looked at me long. “Be careful, sweetheart. Don’t do anything crazy. If you need something, tell me first. Okay?”
I nodded. “Okay.”
She squeezed my hand once. Let go.
Upstairs I shut my bedroom door. Locked it. Stripped fast. Tank top. Leggings. Panties. Everything on the floor.
Stepped under the shower. Hot water hit my skin. Steam rose quick.
My hands moved on their own. One slid between my legs. Fingers found my clit. Already swollen. Slick. The other cupped my breast. Pinched the nipple hard.
I leaned against the tile. Eyes closed. Thought of Nikolai. His mouth on my ear at the range. “Good.” The wet kiss. His bare chest. The way he looked at my tits. The forehead kiss. The way he called me kitten like it was his.
Fingers circled faster. Slipped inside. Two. Then three. Stretched myself. Imagined it was him. Thick. Rough. Filling me.
Breath came short. Water pounded my back. I bit my lip to stay quiet. But a small moan slipped out anyway.
I came hard. Legs shook. Vision blurred. Whole body clenched and released. Waves rolling through me until I slid down the wall. Sat on the shower floor. Panting.
Water kept falling. Warm. Steady.
I stayed there until it turned lukewarm. Until my skin pruned.
Finally stood. Turned off the tap. Wrapped a towel around me. Didn’t bother drying my hair.
Crawled into bed naked. Sheets cool against hot skin. Pulled the blanket up. Eyes heavy.
Sleep pulled me under fast. Deep. Dreamless.
When I woke the room was darker. Afternoon light slanted low through the curtains.
I blinked. Rolled over.
Then froze.
A laptop sat on the nightstand beside me.
My heart slammed once. Hard.
I stared at it. Shocked as fuck.