Oh shit.

His eyes lock with mine, and then it feels like I’m being hunted, and it makes my entire body tense until I start to tremble.

Fingers wrap around the back of my neck, and instinctively I move closer to Demitri. His thumb brushes against my skin as if he’s trying to set me at ease.

The man comes to a stop in front of me, and then his eyes slowly move from me to Demitri and back again.

“Alexei Koslov,” he murmurs, his voice filled with the promise of death. And then he smiles, and I can’t stop myself from taking a step back. Demitri’s hand on my neck is all that keeps me from running to find a place I can hide, because Alexei’s smile makes him look even more dangerous. Like a cat that’s playing with a poor mouse before biting the head off.

Alexei’s eyes sweep over me, and then he turns his attention to Demitri, and I can finally take a full breath.

Holy shit.

Alexei tilts his head, and then he grins at Demitri. “She’s in one piece. I’m impressed.”

What the hell? Did he expect to find me in pieces?

Frowning, I glance between the two men.

Demitri lets out a chuckle. “It was touch and go the first couple of days.”

Alexei turns his attention back to me, and I tense up again. “My condolences. I had a lot of respect for your father.”

I can barely manage a nod.

For a moment, Alexei just stares at me, then he says, “Relax, little one. I’m the nice one.”

Nervously, my tongue darts out to wet my dry lips, then I ask, “You’re the nice one?”

Alexei gestures to Demitri. “Between the two of us, Demitri’s the dangerous one. If you can survive him, you can survive anything.”

My eyes dart up to Demitri, and then his thumb brushes against the side of my neck again. “Don’t worry. We’re on your side, remember?”

I really needed the reminder because I forgot that crucial fact for a moment.

“Demitri,” Alexei says. “Security room.”

Alexei walks toward the stairs leading down to the basement as Demitri steps closer to me. He presses a kiss to the side of my head. “Don’t worry about Alexei. He won’t hurt you.”

I nod and then watch as Demitri follows Alexei. Once the men are out of sight, my legs actually feel weak. I walk to the couch, and plopping down, I take deep breaths.

Crap, that was intense.

Alexei’s the nice one?

Seriously?

I doubt that.

I glance to where the men disappeared and bite my bottom lip.

Will I get out of this alive?

I’m not going to lie, coming face to face with Alexei Koslov was intimidating as hell… and scary.

Thinking back to that first day, I have to admit I was just as terrified of Demitri. Obviously, it changed during the last couple of days. It did a one-eighty turn because I’m not scared of Demitri anymore. Not in the fear-for-my-life kind of way.