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“Leave a note. I don’t want him freaking out if he wakes up before we get back.” I said and Riley grabbed a scrap of paper, scribbling something down before he held out his hand.
I hesitated a second before I slid my hand into his, feeling an odd sense of giddiness at such a simple gesture.
“Come on, Kitten.” He murmured, kissing me on the temple before we quietly slipped outside.
We walked in silence through the trees to the shore of the large lake, nothing but the sound of birds and insects around us.
“Why are you so afraid to let us love you?” Riley asked softly as we walked along the shoreline, the water slowly lapping back and forth.
“Because I am afraid to lose you,” I answered, surprised at the truth in the words and my ease at admitting them.
“We aren’t going anywhere, Kat. We are here to stay. We aren’t Yuri.” He said gently and I inhaled sharply at the mention of his name.
“I know. It’s hard for me to accept that. This isn’t an easy world to love in. In my world, love is weakness that can either be used against you, or taken from you.” I stopped to look over the vast lake, surprised at just how big it was.
I could barely see the trees on the other side.
“What about Hamish and Alexsei?” Riley asked as he stood behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.
His closeness and constant touch were a comfort I hadn’t realized I was craving until now. It made me feel safe, warm, and like everything was going to be okay.
It made me feel like a woman, not a boss.
It might sound crazy, but being in my position I was expected to be in charge, switched on, and cold-hearted all the time and that took a toll on me.
Leo and Riley were offering me a safe haven to be able to simply just be a woman and that was something I didn’t know I wanted until it was offered to me.
“What about them?” I said softly and Riley snorted a laugh.
“Will you let them in too?” He said as we watched a pair of swans float through the water.
“Hamish doesn’t want more than a quick fuck.” I said and Riley chuckled.
“Kitten, if you think that man isn’t head over heels for you, then you are truly blind. Besides, don’t think we don’t see that even if he frustrates you, you find him attractive.” He added and I grit my teeth, hating how accurate that was.
“I can be a big girl and deny my base instincts. Just because the man looks good doesn’t mean I should fuck him.” I snarled and Riley gripped me tighter, swaying slightly.
“No one said you had to fuck him. But I would suggest starting with getting to know him a little more.” He said and I tilted my head to look up at him.
“Why are you encouraging me to be with other men?” I wasn’t sure why, but it made me feel like he didn’t truly want me.
“Because I want you to be happy and never feel like you have to make choices that are difficult because of my love for you. I’m not going anywhere, Kitten. Even if you chose to be with hundreds of men I’d stay and share just a piece of your heart.” He said before placing a soft kiss on the tip of my nose.
“And Alexsei admitted he has been in love with you longer than I have. That deserves at least a little bit of consideration in return.” He added and I hummed.
Alexsei was an enigma to me. The man was sexy as hell sure, but I had seen him as Yuri’s friend, my friend until I killed Ivan.
Then he was my enemy. I still felt uneasy about him but knowing what I did now, I had to admit I was intrigued and seeing him in a new light.
“I know Leo feels the same, we talked about it. Having those two in your life as well isn’t going to change how we feel. I just want you to know that.” Riley said before he turned me around in his arms.
“I need you to do something for me.” He said seriously and I nodded, knowing that the more he held me, the more likely I was to give him anything he wanted.
“I need you to trust me when I tell you that I love you and I need you to let me take care of you. Can you do that, Katerina? Can you be my girl?” He asked and I took a deep breath, knowing that this conversation was almost like beating a dead horse now.
“Yes,” I said and he smiled.
“Good. I don’t want to have this conversation again. You’re mine now and I take care of what is mine. Speaking of, am I right in assuming you have finished your period?” He said suddenly and I felt my cheeks heat at the directness.
