Page 63 (1/2)

I could already tell how sore I was going to be Probably a good plan to take a breather

He lay on his back, dragging ainst his side As he held me securely in the cradle of his arms, I rested ainst my ear, I traced a tattoo, filled with fascination for this ined that I would be surrendering soinity With Aleksandr Sevastyan, I ue was catching up with ot a thousand thoughts running througha conversation? About as on his mind? "Tell me Even just one"

"Tomorrow, maybe," he said in a noncommittal tone "Go to sleep"

"Just one, Sevastyan"

He exhaled "This need I have for youit should unsettle you"

I sed It did Still I asked, "Why?"

He pressed his pal moments "Because it unsettles evento the sound oftoward the cabin

"Natalie?"

I ake On the boat Just a night I’d heard Paxán’s treasured clocks shattering, thinking that he would be distraught at the loss

Then I’d dreahty body felled Raindrops had pelted his lifeless face, his unblinking eyes--

When he burst through the cabin door, I was already on ainst hiot you Shh," he ainst his chest "Shh, , warth, his heat

In his arh ht of this man as sinister

When he was like this, I couldn’t ht’s surrender As he pressed kisses against my hair, I felt closer to hiiving hi I could?

The sound of voices outside roused me "Where are we?" I asked

"Docked outside of St Petersburg" He tucked me even closer "Do you want to tell htmare about "Irelived it," I said in a broken voice "Then I drea anywhere, Natalie But you’ve been through a lot You weren’t prepared for any of this"

"I’d sensed sonored "

Sevastyan shook his head "I’d told Paxán about s, but he was ever loyal to his friends He felt like he owed ht hih "We’re both bla ourselves Maybe we should blame Filip? Or Travkin?"