86. For your sake

ERICA

“The name is Nikolai.”

I swallowed as his fingers left my chin and slowly travelled down my neck, to my throat and lower. A cold chill went through me at his touch and my stomach rolled in disgust. Without thinking, I lifted my hand and slapped him hard on the face. “Don’t touch me!”

His head turned from the hit and then he started to laugh. I watched with dawning realisation that I should’ve curbed back my impulse, this man was crazy. When he turned to face me, the look in his eyes didn’t bode well. I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for retaliation. But it never came.

“Don’t hurt her. Be a man and fight me.” I heard Gabe yell, and I knew he was doing it to save me, even though he was in no condition to fight back.

Nikolai stood up and said, “I don’t plan to. Antonio very humbly asked me to not harm a hair on your head. And I won’t do it. I thought I could do that much for years of our friendship.”

Nikolai stepped to my side to face Gabriel and I was about to release a breath w