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“The people who put out the hit on Misha knew I was going to be at the fair waiting for Johan. They didn’t want competition in the black-market weapons industry, and they wanted to get rid of me in the process. You pulled me out of my position, so you saved my life,” he replies, his eyes soft and sincere.
I’m so shocked that I hesitate to believe him at first. How could anything I’ve done save someone’s life? I’ve always been so unremarkable and ordinary that I never imagined I could save someone, even by accident.
I stand in front of him with my mouth open, unable to find the words to describe the confusion and bittersweet joy that I feel for him.
A mixture of shock, relief, and guilt washes over me. It's hard to believe that my actions, however small they may have been, could have prevented the death of anyone. I can't help but wonder what other consequences my decisions have had throughout my life, both good and bad.
I never gave much thought to the butterfly effect before now. How much weight do my actions have? Who else have I helped? More importantly, who else have I hurt?
Ruslan's eyes are fixed on mine, awaiting a response to the amazing news.
I clear my throat, struggling to find the words appropriate for something so monumental.
“That's… that's amazing,” I finally manage to say, my voice barely above a whisper.
Ruslan nods, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “I owe you my life, Vera. And I won't forget it.”
I look down at my feet, feeling a sense of tension overwhelming me. I had never expected to be in this situation, pregnant with the child of a Russian bratva boss. I had always thought I was too smart to get involved with someone like Ruslan, someone who was dangerous and unpredictable. But here I am, carrying his child and feeling a sense of obligation towards him.
We saved each other on the night of the shooting. How could this be anything other than fate?
“I'm glad you're okay,” I say, choked by my hesitation as it fights my excitement.
Ruslan chuckles, his eyes flickering with amusement. “I'm more than okay. We can finally have some closure.”
I nod, knowing that Ruslan's quest for vengeance has been consuming him since Misha's death. From the beginning, he struck me as someone who has always been a man of action, someone who doesn't rest until he gets what he wants. And now that he has caught the man responsible for his brother's death, I know he must be feeling a tremendous sense of relief.
“Can we talk?” Ruslan asks suddenly, his tone serious.
I look up at him, surprised by his request. “About what?”
“About us,” he says, his voice firm but quiet.
I feel a flutter in my stomach, knowing that this conversation could change everything. I thought I had the resolve to say no to him, to forge my own path in life without his money or protection. Now, I’m not so sure.
“What do you mean?”
Ruslan steps out of his car, closing the door behind him and leaning against it. “I mean about what happened between us, Vera. About what we mean to each other.”
I swallow hard, feeling my heart race. I had always assumed that Ruslan and I were just two people who had made a mistake, two people who were drawn to each other because of circumstances beyond our control.
But now, it seems like he’s suggesting something more.
I imagined that, if anyone were to have the wrong idea about what we were, it would be me.
Young, naïve, and desperate to be loved.
“I don't know what you want me to say,” I admit, feeling my vulnerability and the instability of my situation gripping me.
Ruslan reaches out and touches my cheek gently, his fingers warm against my skin. “Say that you feel something for me, Vera. Say that you want to be with me.”
I had always been someone who was in control of her emotions, someone who didn't let her heart rule her head. But with Ruslan, everything is different. He turned my entire life upside down, changing the landscape of the world as I know it.
“I can't,” I say, my voice trembling as the chill in the air blows through my jacket.
Ruslan leans in closer, desperate to hold me. “Why not? We both know that we have something that neither of us has felt before. You know that I could give you everything you ever wanted.”
I look at him, feeling my desperation rise up inside of me. “Because I'm scared, Ruslan. I'm scared of what this means, of what we are to each other. I'm scared of the risks and the consequences. Your way of life is dangerous, and I can’t justify raising a child like that.”
