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In the end, Vladimir and Sergey Ivanov were dead. Vladimir literally lost his head and Sergey was gifted a broken neck. Gideon would have one hell of a headache trying to sort how to keep that calm. In an interesting turn of events no one saw coming, Maksim ended up being an asset and agreed to mediate peace between Gideon and the Bratva.

I went back to the hospital, where I stayed for three weeks. By the time I was allowed to leave, I was so bored I could cry.

“Is that the sun?” I joked as Alex wheeled me out to the car. I could walk, but they had rules.

“You act like you’ve been in prison.” Alex opened the car door for me, and I got in. My pain wasn’t that bad anymore, and all my swelling was gone, so I could see perfectly.

I stared at Alex’s profile as he drove. I was so in love with this man. The last three weeks were focusing on my recovery, and we hadn’t talked too much about our future. It had to be done.

“I love you.”

He looked at me briefly before returning his attention to the road. “Hold that thought.”

Okay, that was an odd thing to say, but I waited. He pulled up to my house and came around to my side to help me out even though I didn’t need it.

We stepped inside, and I sighed in relief. “It’s good to be home.”

“I bet you want to wash up.”

“Actually, I’d like to talk.”

Alex brows furrowed. “Okay, let’s sit at least.”

We went to the living room and sat on the love seat. “I do love you, Alex. I meant it when I told you I knew you didn’t and maybe you never will. Maybe this, us, will run its course and end. But right now, in this moment, I love you and it feels like forever, but I know the last time you said I love you to and offered forever to someone ended horribly. That’s not the right word. Left you devastated.”

“Danny. Please stop talking.”

“No, you gotta hear it. Because even if you don’t ever love anyone else, know that people do love you.”

“But I do.”

“Do what?”

Alex chuckled. “Love someone. I love you, Danny. I just didn’t want to say it in the car where I couldn’t kiss you right after saying it.”

“You…you love me?”

“Apparently.” He cupped my cheek. “Now the kissing part.”

The press of his lips to mine felt like slipping in the final piece to the puzzle and creating a perfect picture.

“I want you naked,” I mumbled against his lips.

“How about we shower and spend the rest of the day in bed?”

I smiled. “You have the best plans, Alex.”

Showering was sadly benign. We simply washed. Alex didn’t want to linger in there; I thought he was afraid I’d slip on the tiles or something.

I went to the bedroom, dried real fast, and waited for him. I was naked on top of the covers. My bruises were fading, but I still looked like a Jackson Pollack painting. I’d have been self-conscious about it, but the second Alex stepped into the room his eyes flared with heat as he stared at me.

He tossed his towel behind him, and it landed…I had no idea where. He gently got onto the bed and lay beside me.

“What do you want to do?” he asked.

“I want you to fuck me, but we aren’t there yet…I need to heal more.”

Alex gently slid his fingers across my chest. “I want that too, but there’s so much we can do, and it’s all amazing. I’d like to suck you, if that’s okay.”