If The Seas Catch Fire(104)

I’ll let him go to sleep. Then I’ll make it quick. And he’ll never know—

Dom shifted a bit beside Sergei and burrowed his face a little closer to his neck. “You’re still awake.”

“So are you.”

“You think I can sleep right now? Somebody wants me dead.”

I knew that before you did.

Sergei shivered.

“Relax.” Dom reached up and stroked Sergei’s hair. “These guys mess with you, I’ll break their necks. I won’t let ‘em f*ck with you.”

Sergei closed his eyes. “Dom…”

“I promise.” He kissed the side of his neck. “Nobody’s gonna—”

“It’s not me I’m worried about.” Sergei started to roll over, and Dom moved back to make room. When Sergei settled onto his back, Dom stayed on his side, head propped up on his arm. The white light from outside made him look pale and picked out deep shadows in his face.

“Dom, I’m not afraid of these guys.”

Dom found Sergei’s hand in the darkness and squeezed it. “You probably should be.”

Sergei laughed dryly. “I can handle you. Trust me, I can take care of myself.”

“I don’t think you understand what I’m up against.”

Sergei squeezed his eyes shut, and he was surprised at how much they stung. Yeah, he understood what Dom was up against. Dom didn’t, or he wouldn’t be here. He wouldn’t be lying beside Sergei, his skin damp and his touch tender, savoring the afterglow even as he tried to warn Sergei away from danger that was closer than he realized. If Dom knew, he wouldn’t have kissed Sergei like that. He wouldn’t have come here, and stripped off his clothes and his gun, and made himself vulnerable in every way, giving himself to Sergei with no fear, no distrust, no reason to wonder why the air smelled not only of sex, but of gun oil.

Fuck. Sergei exhaled. He couldn’t f*cking do this.

He pulled away from Dom and swung his feet over the edge of the bed and got up.

“Where are you going?” Dom asked.

“Just need…” To get away from you before I do something I can’t undo. “Need a little air.” He pulled on a pair of boxers and left the room. Heart thumping, he stepped out into the tiny backyard and took in a deep breath. It was hot as f*ck out here tonight, but Sergei was shivering hard.

Not thirty seconds later, Dom stepped out behind him. Sergei mouthed some profanity in his native tongue.

Just give me a few minutes.

Wordlessly, Dom wrapped his arms around Sergei’s waist.

For God’s sake, don’t you know what I am?

Sergei’s throat tightened, and in spite of himself, he put his hands over the top of Dom’s.

I don’t want to hurt you, but you’re killing me.

“You okay?” Dom asked.

“Not really.”

“I’m sorry.” Dom kissed the side of Sergei’s neck. “I brought all this right to your doorstep.”

Sergei winced. His conscience was going to eat him alive. He’d had a million opportunities to do it and be done with it tonight, and now he was just stringing Dom along, listening to him apologize as if he had half a clue what was really happening.

Finally, he pulled himself out of Dom’s arms and faced him. “Listen, you’re in a lot more danger right now than you think.”

Dom stiffened. “What do you mean?”

“I mean…” Sergei glanced around them. Then he brushed past Dom. “Let’s go back inside. I’m not talking about this out here.”

He didn’t have to look back to know Dom was hot on his heels, and he led him into the kitchen. There, he flicked on the fluorescent light.

“What’s going on?” Dom asked.

Sergei leaned against the counter, his back turned. “It’s complicated.”

“I’ve got time.”

Not as much as you think, because I have to…

There has to be another way.

But there isn’t.

Exhaling sharply, Sergei raked a hand through his hair. “You’re right that there’s a contract on your head.” He didn’t look at Dom, but he felt him freeze. Like there was a shockwave coming off him or something.

“Of course I—how do you know?”

Arms folded tight across his chest, Sergei stared out the kitchen window. Or at least, let Dom think that’s what he was doing—he stayed focused a hundred percent on Dom’s reflection, watching every move in case he lost his shit and came at him or something.

“A hit’s been ordered.” Sergei swallowed, his heart pounding even faster and the shivering getting out of control. “And it’s an inside job.”

Dom shifted his weight. He studied Sergei, and Sergei swore he could feel the scrutiny prickling the back of his neck.

“The order came from Felice Maisano.” Sergei moistened his lips. “Straight from him.”

“Yeah, I know.” Dom was quiet for a longest time. Easily a minute or more, which felt like for-f*cking-ever. “How the hell do you know any of this?”

Sergei closed his eyes. His knees were shaking now, and he prayed Dom couldn’t see it. And f*ck—he’d left his gun in the other room. If this escalated, he—