Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94640 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94640 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
“That love makes you lose control. I’d give anything for you, Anya. I’d do anything for you. The thought of losing you—I’d carve my own heart out, then go back to life without you. Without us. And I’ll do anything to prove that to you.”
I stifle a sniffle. Semyon bared open and pleading hits me harder than I could’ve prepared for.
“I don’t love you the way you deserve,” he whispers. “But I swear to god, I’m going to wake up every day and try over and over again until I’ve got it right… until there’s not a doubt in your mind… until you know—”
I fall into him, holding onto the only thing that has ever made sense to me. It feels right and natural and so damn perfect when his arms encircle me, and he holds me tight.
“I love you, Semyon. I’ve always loved you, and sometimes I hated that I did, but I still do.”
“And I love you.”
When he holds me tighter against him, I wonder if he’s the one who fears being left like I always have.
I tilt my head up to meet his eyes. “We’re going to put this in the past with everything else that happened. Thank you for telling me the truth.”
His fingers find mine.
“God,” Eli says with a hoarse laugh. “You guys are going to really rub it in, aren’t you?”
I grab Semyon’s shirt and fist it in my hand, yank him to me, and kiss him—hard, unrelenting.
“Answer enough,” Eli says, cursing under his breath. “You two get a room. Oh, wait. You have a whole house. Guess that’s my cue to go to bed.”
I bury my head on Semyon’s chest. I don’t want to be apart from him, even for a second.
“I’ve got your stuff in Stefan’s room,” Semyon says. He tells Eli how to get there. I’m amused—he wants both of my brothers under close supervision.
The house is quiet as Semyon and I sit alone. The monitors buzz, waiting for a command. I lay my head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
I feel… lighter.
He smells of vodka and woodsmoke.
“Thank you,” I whisper. I want to go on, to elaborate, but my throat feels tight.
“For what?”
“For trying to help her. For forgiving Eli. For… marrying me.”
Semyon chuckles. It’s happening more often now, but it still never fails to make my heart swell from the sound of it. “If you think you’re the only one who benefits from this scenario, little Anya…” When he tips his finger under my chin, I look up at him.
“Thank you,” he says before he gives me a brief, chaste kiss.
I smile at him and echo his question. “For what?”
With a sigh I feel deep in my bones, he shakes his head. “For teaching me that I’m actually capable of loving someone. For forgiving me. For loving me.”
I thread my fingers through his. Our heartbeats sync.
“Are we still at risk?” I ask. I can still hear the man’s words in the bakery.
“Always.”
“And Zoya—”
“Will be protected.” He says it with an air of finality, and I wonder if he isn’t in a little bit of denial over that. But I know how loyal he is. He’ll do everything to protect his sisters.
“And Eli?”
“Has paid his debt.”
I don’t ask any more questions. Sometimes, it’s better not to have all the answers.
“Let’s go to bed, love.”
I go to stand, but he surprises me by sweeping me up in his arms.
“I can walk, Semyon. You don’t have to—”
“Carry my wife to bed?” he says in that voice that makes my body instantly warm. “I do. I need to conserve your energy.”
My head falls to his shoulder. I close my eyes and let it go. Everything. I let him carry me. Let him bring me upstairs and lay me down, strip me of my clothes, then make me climax until my toes curl, and I can’t breathe. Let him claim me. Let him fall asleep beside me in a tangle of limbs and slow breathing until the morning brings a new day.
Epilogue
ANYA
Stefan’s laughter rings through the house, pure and joyful. I lean against the doorway to the living room, watching as Eli lifts him into a rough hug, ruffling his hair like he used to when we were kids.
I’m so glad Stefan was innocent to all that happened. At least one of us can be. For one fleeting second, I can pretend we’re normal, that our family wasn’t fractured and broken. For once, I feel… whole.
Stefan is talking a mile a minute, telling Eli everything that’s happened while he’s been gone. Behind me, Semyon is quietly loading the dishwasher with his trademark efficiency, but I know he’s taking everything in. He doesn’t speak, not now, but he’s there, ever vigilant. My powerful Bratva leader, rinsing juice glasses and stacking dishes.