Chapter <b>168 </b>
<b>Chapter 168 </b>
Nightfall brought a chill that seeped through the warehouse walls. Alexei’s eyes had closed again, his body’s desperate attempt to heat kref stealing his consciousness in waves. Hours passed with nothing but silence beyond their prison.
Keira wrapped her arms around herself, shivering slightly as she watched the square of night sky through the high window<b>. </b>The room had darkened to the point where Alexei’s face was just a pale oval in the gloom. She had turned out the light which hadn’t been <b>great </b>in <b>this </b and turned on the bathroom light. Giving them just enough light to get to the bathroom to use the toilet if needed.
Her stomach growled, reminding her that the meager dinner they’d been provided hadn’t been nearly enough. They now had more water af
least.
A metallic nk outside their door made her jump. She held her breath, listening as footsteps approached, then receded again. The kidnappers were still there, patrolling perhaps, but not interested in checking on their captives.
When Alexei finally stirred again, it was well past midnight.
“How long was I out?” he asked, his voice rough from sleep.
“A few hours.” Keira moved closer to him on the cot. “How’s your head?”
He pressed his fingers gingerly to his temple. “Better. Still hurts, but I’m thinking clearer and my head isn’t pounding now.”
“That’s something at least.”
Silence settled between them again,fortable despite their circumstances. The distant sound of a door opening and closing echoed
through the warehouse, why was everything so much louder at night?
“They’re still here,” Alexei observed.
“Some of them. I’ve heard movement a few times.” She pulled her knees to her chest. “I think they’re taking shifts, because cars havee and gone.”
“Smart.” He sat up straighter, wincing slightly. “We should wait until morning.”
“For what?”
“To try anything. If we’re going to attempt an escape, we need to be at our best. And more people might be around.”
Keira nodded, relieved by his decision. “I was thinking the same thing. By morning you’ll be stronger, and we’ll have a better chance of seeing
what we’re doing.”
“And by then, if <i>no </i>one’s found us…” He let the implication hang in the air.
“They’re looking for us,” she said firmly. “ir, Sutton, Roman, Luca–they won’t stop until they find us.”
“I know.” His hand found hers in the darkness, squeezing gently. “My father, too. Between all of them, there’s a good chance they’re close
already.”
“But we can’t count on it.”
“No.” His thumb traced small circles on her palm. “We need to be ready to help ourselves.”
They fell silent again, nning silently, each lost in their own thoughts. Eventually, Alexei shifted on the <b>narrow </b><b>cot</b>, <b>making </b><b>space- </b>
<b>“</b><b>You </b>should try to sleep too,” he said. “We both need rest.”
“I’m going to use the bathroom first,” she said,
She slipped off the cot and padded across the concrete floor to the small bathroom. Inside, she took care of <b>business </b><b>quickly</b>, then used the sink, staring at her reflection in the cracked mirror. Her face still looked dirty, her makeup long gone.
Making a decision, she stripped off and took a shower, scrubbing away the grime as best she could with just water.
Once done she used some paper towel to dry herself as best she could.
Then she looked at her underwear, grimacing. The thought of putting the same pair back on after all they’d been through <b>made </b>her skin
crawl.
She just couldn’t do it, taking them to the sink, she washed them thoroughly, wringing them out before draping them over the edge to <b>dry </b><b>on </b>some paper towels. It wasn’t like Alexei hadn’t seen women’s underwear before…just not hers. The thought made her cheeks warm <b>despite </b>
their situation.
When she returned to the main room, wearing only her dirty dress because the dress didn’t allow for a bra, Alexei had stretched <b>out </b><b>on </b><b>the </b>cot, his long frame taking up most of the space. He shifted when he heard her approach, making room without a word.
“Better?” he asked as she hesitated beside the cot.
“As good as it gets in this ce.” She gestured vaguely toward the bathroom. “I, uh, washed out my underwear. They’re drying.<b>” </b>
If he was surprised or amused, he didn’t show it. He simply nodded. “Why Miss Warner.”
Keira lowered herself carefully onto the edge of the cot, suddenly hyper–aware of theck of fabric between her and the dress. Alexei <b>reached </b>for her, pulling her down to rest against him. She tensed momentarily, then rxed as he settled her head on his shoulder, his arm wrapping
around her.
“Is this okay?” he asked, his voice low in her ear.
“Yeah,” she breathed, surprised by how okay it actually was. “It’s warmer this way.”
His chuckle vibrated through his chest. “Practical as always.”
Theyy together in silence, their bodies gradually rxing against each other. Despite everything, the danger, the uncertainty, the fear Keira found herself growing drowsy, lulled by Alexei’s steady heartbeat beneath her cheek.
“Why did you walk away at the g?” he asked suddenly, his voice quiet in the darkness.
The question caught her off guard. She lifted her head slightly, trying to see his expression, but his face was shadowed.
“I was scared,” she admitted after a moment.
“Of me?”
“Of this.” She gestured between them, though he probably couldn’t see the movement. “Of feeling something I can’t control.”
His hand moved to her hair, fingers tangling gently in the strands. “And <i>now</i>?”
“Now we’re locked in a warehouse by kidnappers, and I’m lying in your arms in a dirty dress with no underwear on.” She gave <b>a </b><b>short </b><bugh</b>. “Perspective changes things.”
“That’s not an answer.”
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She sighed, letting her head drop back to his shoulder. “I don’t know, Alexei. I’ve spent so long pushing <b>people </b><b>away </b><b>that </b><b>I’m </b>not sure remember how to let someone in. I scare men you see. I can’t always control my mouth, and I seem to get <b>myself </b>in <b>trouble </b>
“You let me in and I see you for who you are,” he pointed out. “You fight me
refreshing that is.”
every turn and don’t take my bullshit. <b>Do </b><b>you </b><b>know </b>how
“That’s different.”
“Is it?” His fingers continued their gentle movement through her hair. “Or is it just that being here, like this, strips away all the bullshit
reasons we tell ourselves why something won’t work?”
Keira was silent, considering his words. Was that it? Had it taken a kidnapping for her to finally admit to herself that what she felt <b>for </b><b>Alexei </b>wasn’t just attraction or annoyance or rivalry, but something deeper?
“Maybe,” she conceded finally. “But eve
if that’s true, it doesn’t change the fact that we’re from different worlds. Your family… <b>and </b>my family don’t belong in the same ying fields.”
“Are all probably working together
thinks anymore?”
now to find us,” he finished for her. “And even if they weren’t, do you really care what anyone else
She didn’t have an answer for that. Instead, she changed the subject. “We should sleep. If we’re going to try something in the morning, we
need to be rested.”
Alexei sighed, but didn’t push. “You’re right. Sleep.”
He shifted his position slightly, making himself morefortable without dislodging her. His arm remained around her, a warm weight that made her feel strangely secure despite their circumstances.
As Keira drifted toward sleep, she found herself wondering what would happen when…if… they got out of here. Would things go back to normal? Would she and Alexei return to their careful distance, their verbal sparring? Or had something fundamental changed between them in this cold, scary ce?
She wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer.
Keira woke slowly, disoriented in the darkness. For a moment, she forgot where she was, her mind reaching for thefort of her own bed before reality crashed back. The warehouse. The kidnapping. Alexei.
She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the dim light from the bathroom. The cot beneath her was hard and ufortable, but Alexei’s body provided unexpected warmth against the warehouse chill.
She found him watching her, his eyes glinting in the shadows, His gaze was intense.
They stared at each other in silence. Seconds stretched into what felt like minutes, the air between them charged with unspoken words. His face was so close to hers that she could feel his breath warm against her cheek.
Keira didn’t move, <i>couldn’t </i>move. Something was happening, something that had started to change between them. Had they not been kidnapped Keira was sure she would have pushed him away maintaining the wall between them.
Alexei’s hand <i>rose </i>slowly, brushing a strand of hair from her face with gentle fingers. His touch lingered against her cheek, questioning.
“Keira,” he whispered, her name a question and answer all at once.
Before she could respond, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was soft, hesitant giving <b>her </b>every <b>chance </b><b>to </b><b>pull </b><b>away </b>
But she didn’t pull away.
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Instead, she found herself kissing him back, her body responding to his as if it had been waiting for this moment. <b>His </b><b>mouth </b>was warms against hers, the kiss deepening as her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt.
The danger surrounding them temporarily forgotten. There was only this…his lips on hers, his hands threading through <b>her </b><b>hair </b>
When they finally broke apart, Keira’s heart was racing. She stared at him, breathless.
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