Chapter 58
Nikolai's POV
The office air hung heavy, thick with the scent of aged leather from the books and the sharp tang of spilled vodka.
The low lamp cast long shadows across the shelves, turning the room into a cave of secrets. Nina sat on the nook by the window, her blanket pulled tight around her like a shield, but her eyes burned with that defiant spark.
The kind that made the beast in me stir, hungry and restless. I sipped the wine, letting the bitter red coat my tongue, my fingers tracing the rim of the glass in slow, deliberate circles. Each pass was a reminder of control. Of holding back the darkness that wanted to consume her.
She looked at me, her voice soft but edged. "Can I have some?"
I smirked, the expression feeling like a mask over the storm inside. "Too hard
