ZOE
The change in his face was immediate. Nikolai went from looking at me with desire to becoming tense, almost on the verge of panic. His gaze shifted over my shoulder, toward the entrance of the parking lot.
"Lai?" I whispered, confused.
He didn't give me time to react. His hand gripped my waist firmly and gently pushed me down.
"Get down, Zoe." His tone was an urgent, low order, almost breathless.
I obeyed instinctively. My knees touched the cold pavement and, not fully understanding what was happening, I saw him step back. He stood tall, tense, while I crawled to the other side of the car, trying to stay out of his line of sight.
My heart pounded in my chest. I tasted the metallic taste of fear mixed with the scent of his coat, which still enveloped me. Then I heard her. A sharp
