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“They don’t tell me anything. I thought we’d already established that.”
I can’t help but smile at her tone. She keeps stroking my cheek while she says, “I know my Aunt Alina was taken and that it nearly killed my Uncle Matvey. I know my dad and uncles spent two years searching for her, and I know whatever happened was really terrible. She has a phoenix tattoo on her wrist, and it’s covering some deep scars, kind of like how my Uncle Matvey’s tattoos cover his burn marks, but I don’t know where hers came from. When I ask her, she just smiles and says it’s a reminder that our pain doesn’t have to define us and that beauty can still come from the ashes.”
Her hand stills as her eyes meet mine. “What does all that have to do with you?”
If anyone else were asking, I’d tell them to fuck off, but this is Natalya, the woman I’ve already fallen so fucking hard for, and I can’t deny her anything, including the truth, even if that means breaking my heart to give it to her.
“I had an older sister. Her name was Isabella, and I loved her very much. She was kidnapped while on vacation in Italy, and then her beaten body was found in the North Sea.”
She brings her other hand to my cheek, cupping my face so gently while bringing her forehead to mine. “I’m so sorry, Dominic. I had no idea.”
“You remind me of her a little bit. You share her stubbornness and refusal to listen to me.”
Natalya gives a soft laugh, and she’s so close I can feel the heat of it against my lips.
“What happened? Did you find the man who took her?”
“Danil found him for me.”
She hesitates before whispering, “What did you do?”
Gently fisting the back of her hair, I pull her back so she can see my face. “I killed him very slowly, principessa, because that’s the kind of man I am. He killed someone I loved, and I made sure he regretted that before he took his last breath, just like I’m going to make the man who shot at you pay for what he tried to do. Someone hurt you, and they will die a painful death for it. It’s as simple as that.”
I want her to see the truth of what I’m saying. I need her to know the kind of man I am, because if she wants to run screaming from me, now’s the fucking time.
“No one hurts what’s mine, principessa.”
Instead of jumping off my lap and running away in horror, she gives me the sexiest smile, reminding me whose daughter she is when she leans in closer and gives my bottom lip a soft suck before whispering against my mouth, “What’s yours, huh?”
“Yes, what’s mine.” I run my tongue along her top lip, the one I’ll never be able to get enough of and say, “I don’t know how in the hell I’m going to keep you, but I’m going to find a way.”
“You better,” she whispers back.
“Your dad’s going to try to shoot me again.”
I say it as a joke, but we both know it’s true. Lev is not going to take this news lightly. He’s going to want to kill me, and I can’t say I blame him. If he knew half the things I want to do to his sweet daughter, he’d make sure the next time he shoots me is a headshot.
“I’ll stand in front of you. You’re not the only one who protects what’s theirs.”
Her words shock the hell out of me. She’s crazy if she ever thinks there will come a day when I will allow her to put herself in danger for me, but I can tell she’s deadly serious. She’d park her tiny five-foot-nothing body right in front of me and risk her life for mine, not because she’s forced to, but because she wants to. It’s the kind of sacrifice that most aren’t willing to make, but I know she means it.
“You are never to put yourself in danger for me, principessa. Never.” I tighten my grip on her hair and kiss her softly. “But it’s so goddamn sweet that you want to.”
I feel her smile against my lips as one of her hands runs up my forearm. Looking down, she gently traces the octopus that covers a large part of my inner arm, like she instinctively knows there’s something personal about this one, something that goes deeper than the rest of the art that covers me.
Her finger traces one long tentacle. “What made you decide to get this?”
“Isabella loved the sea. She always talked about how she wanted to be a marine biologist, but because of who her family is, she never had the freedom to pursue her dreams. Octopuses were her favorite. She was always telling me about how intelligent they are. I got this tattoo after her death. It helps me to remember the happier times I had with her instead of the rage that I still feel every time I think about how she was taken from us.”
“It’s very beautiful.” She lifts her face so our eyes meet again. “I’m so sorry for what happened to her.”
“Her death hurt like nothing else ever has, and I was lost to my pain for a very long time, but I’m slowly learning how to be happy again.” I pull her closer and kiss her again. “I’m happy when I’m with you, principessa.”
Her smile lights up her whole face. “I’m happy when I’m with you, too.”
I’m just about to kiss her again when my phone buzzes. Knowing what’s going on with Dario, there’s no way I can ignore it. I give her one quick kiss anyway before I read the message.
Got him. We’ll be there in five minutes.
