Tangled Fates

Chapter Fiveღ

 We had been driving for what felt like hours. My hands had eventually relaxed, my fingers wrapped in the fabric of his black shirt. Every time Christian would take a sharp turn my fingers would flinch into the hard muscle of his abdomen.

Christian drove the motorbike as well as he fought, it was as if the bike could read his mind, following his instructions with swift and effortless movements beneath us. The wind was beating down on us, tearing through my coat and stabbing at my skin with its icy fingertips. I shivered against Christians back and would occasionally feel the brush of his long hair against my face as he would check behind me before turning his attention back to the road.

A few more minutes passed before he pulled up to a petrol station. It was a secluded building, the street lights casting shadows over the area and causing me to look around uneasily. I watched as Christian scanned the area, his dark eyes sharp as he took in every crevice of the perimeter.

"We're half an hour away from my friends, we'll go there and get some rest." Christian informed me as he turned off the engine and headed for the petrol pumps.

"Your friends?" I repeated in confusion, "We're not going home?"

"You can't go home." Christian responded immediately

Panic flooded through me like ice cold water. Ever since you were little you were told that home was the safest place you could ever be. My home in Russia had taken a while to get used to, it was incredibly different to London where me and my family initially came from. Russia was harsh and busy, a city where only the people with ambition strived, but it had become home. Our luxurious apartment where me and my parents would spend nights in front of the TV watching one of those old black and white films my Mum loved, The thought of not being able to go home, back to my comfortable bed or to the smell of my parents food, back to the place that held so much memories, truly scared the death out of me.

"Nadia," Christian was suddenly in front of me, his hands carefully placed on my shoulders, "Nadia listen to me."

"What do you mean we can't go home?" I questioned with baited breath, "I have to see my parents, they'll be worrying about me, I need-"

"It's not safe Nadia!" Christian interrupted me, "Listen as soon as I get you somewhere safe, you can call them. It was obvious that they had followed you, which means they probably know where you live."

I tried to nod but it seemed I had lost all control over my body. I couldn't stop shaking as flashbacks of the people had tried to kidnap me washed over me like a tsunami. I felt as though I was being smothered by my fear, all I wanted to do was run away but it was as if I had been rooted through the ground, my fear wrapping around me like black iron tendrils to prevent me from escaping.

"Nadia, you're having a panic attack." Christian's voice sounded as if he were miles away, as if I were underwater and being drowned by my fear.

Warm hands wrapped around me and gently guided me to the floor. One hand rested at the nape of my neck, pushing away my dark strands of hair as he pushed my head between my legs. His other hand came to rest in the middle of my back, his calloused fingers rubbing shapes in the skin beneath the fabric of my top.

"Breathe Nadia." Christian urged me, his voice deep, strong and calm as he guided me back to myself.

I sat in that position for a few minutes until my breathing returned to normal. A wave of nausea washed over me as I attempted to stand back up. I stumbled slightly and Christian moved forward so that my shoulder fell in line with his.

"Just relax." Christian ordered, his hand finding my back once again.

"How do you know how to do this?" I asked curiously, "I doubt the soldiers from St. Starks suffered from any sort of anxiety."