Page 200 of Barinov

“Much,” she breathes, pulling back just enough to look me in the eyes. “Baby, I need a favor.”

“Anything,” I say, my curiosity piqued. I’m already running through a list of possible people she’s about to have me kill, but the look in her eyes tells me this isn’t about blood.

Not yet anyway.

Her eyes drop. “I saw him in the shower.”

The last ounce of softness drains from my face as the rage bubbles back up. “He’s gone,” I whisper, every muscle in my body locking.

“I know he’s gone. I know you—” She stops herself, swallowing hard before continuing. “But every time I close my eyes, he’s there.”

Fuck.

Her fingers fist in my shirt. “I can still hear his voice in my head. Feel his breath against my neck.”

My hands immediately find her cheeks. “He’s gone, baby,” I repeat because it’s all I can fucking force out.

“I know.” Tears well in her eyes. She sucks in a shaky breath. “But I can still smell his roses.”

My stomach twists.

“I can still feel him, Lex,” she whispers.

Her confession nearly knocks the air out of my lungs. Because that’s one thing I can’t shoot. One thing I can’t stab.

I can’t beat a memory to death. No matter how hard I’d fucking try.

“Hey.” I gently force her eyes back to mine. “Look at me, malyshka.”

She does.

“I just wish I could forget,” she whispers. “Him. That house. All of it.”

The words rip something open inside me.

“It’s only been a few hours,” I murmur, resting my forehead against hers. “In time, you will. We’ll make sure of it.”

Cade walks up and wraps her up from behind, resting his chin on the top of her head. “You’ll never be alone again, sweetheart.”

A tear slips down her cheek. “I know,” she sniffles as she leans her head back against Cade’s chest.

“No, baby.” My thumb wipes it away. “We mean it. Every memory. Every nightmare. Every single time that fuck creeps into this beautiful head of yours.”

We both tighten our holds on her.

“You give it to us,” I whisper, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Then to her nose. Then her lips. “Cade and I’ll replace every single one.”

“Every single one?” she asks, her voice shaking slightly.

Cade and I nod.

“Every touch,” I murmur.

I bring her knuckles up to my lips and press a kiss gently over them.

“Every smell.”

Another kiss to her nose.