Demitri POV
I step closer, reaching out to her, my hands gentle as they cup her face. Her skin is cold under my touch, and her gaze shifts to mine, but there’s a hollow look in her eyes.
“Alissia,” I say softly, keeping my voice low, “look at me.”
My thumb strokes her cheek, and she blinks slowly, her eyes just barely focusing on mine. The fragile silence hangs between us, her expression lost and haunted. She’s not entirely here; her mind is still tangled in the chaos of that shot, still reliving the fear.
“It’s okay, Alissia,” I murmur, my hands staying firm, my voice steady. “You’re safe. I’ve got you.”
Blake narrows his eyes at me. “What exactly happened?”
I exhale, frustration and adrenaline making my words feel like lead. “Everything was going smoothly. Then I saw him. Volkov, w
