NIKOLAI
A loud bang on my hotel room door tore me from sleep.
My body snapped awake instantly, my instincts kicking in before my brain could catch up. The dark room around me blurred as I reached for the knife I always kept under my pillow. Across the room, Ivan had already lurched upright with tense muscles and eyes scanning for threats.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
"Blyad," I muttered under my breath, blinking away the haze of sleep as my grip on the knife tightened. The pounding at the door was relentless, urgent. Whoever it was, they weren’t waiting.
I immediately slid out of bed and stalked toward the door. Bracing myself for what waited on the other side, I gripped the handle tight. Through the heavy metal, I could hear ragged, uneven breathing.
I yanked it open.
Tyce stood in front of m
