Page 38 of Taming a Ruthless Heart

Because she is mine.

And I am hers.

And no matter what battles we face or what shadows lurk on the horizon, I know that we belong together.

Always and forever.Alexia and I made this promise all those years ago, when we fell in love and believed in happy endings.

We also promised that we wouldn’t let anything or anyone set us apart.

Life proved us wrong then.

Now, it’s giving me a second chance at it.

I won’t let it pass me by.

15

Dave

The morning light filters through the half-drawn curtains, painting streaks of gold across the bed.The quiet outside makes for a stark contrast to the storm raging inside me.I’m awake before the sun fully rises, lying next to Alexia, watching her sleep.For the first time in a long while, I am at peace.But it’s as fragile as a glass poised on the edge of a table—one wrong move and everything shatters.

Despite her soft and rhythmic breathing, there’s an unease to her slumber.I bet that even in her dreams, the monster chases after her.

Igor.

The name alone ignites a deadly fury in me, a fire that scorches my whole being.I glance down at Alexia, at the faint lines of her scars, and my fist clenches over the sheets.

Those marks are the consequences of that motherfucker’s cruelty.My heart skips a beat.These welts, carved into her soul, are also a reminder of my shortcomings.

I wasn’t there when she needed me most.

As I lie here, my mind drifts back to the past, to when we were young and stupid, thinking we could take on the world.I remember her laugh, the way it used to light up everything around her.We were so fucking naive.But also, we were so fucking in love, convinced that nothing could touch us.Then life pulled the rug from under us.Her marrying Igor shattered everything.It tore me apart in ways I never thought possible, and for years, I buried that pain, let it harden me into the man I am now.

Cold.

Ruthless.

Untouchable.

Yet she’s the only one who touches me, even now.Just being near her stirs up feelings I thought I’d buried for good.And it scares the hell out of me, because I’ve learned the hard way what happens when you let your guard down.All you get in return is betrayal, heartbreak, and loss.I’ve lived through it all.

A tightness squeezes my chest as I brush a stray lock of golden hair away from her face.She stirs but doesn’t wake.God, she’s still beautiful after all these years, but there’s something different about her now.The girl I fell in love with is still there, buried under layers of pain, fear, and survival.I see it every time I look at Alexia, and it fucking kills me.

A part of me wants to believe that I can fix this.That I can heal her.I want to be the man who erases the horrors she’s endured, who brings back the laughter I remember, the light in her eyes that Igor extinguished.

But I’m no fool.The damage runs deep.

And I’m not sure I can pull her from the darkness she’s been living in when my own soul turned black a long time ago.No light survives in the underworld I grew up in.I might not be the savior she needs.

But damn if I won’t try to become that.

I glance at the delicate rise and fall of her chest, and despite everything, I want her.Not just in my bed but in my life.I want a future with her.It’s crazy, fucked up even, but I do.That scares me more than anything else—wanting her means I’m vulnerable again.Not only to heartbreak if she doesn’t want me back.Caring for Alexia and Rose makes me vulnerable to my enemies.It’s the same as putting a target on their backs.In my world, enemies will attack you where it hurts more.Wanting Alexia back in my life means I’m risking everything—my heart, my sanity, my fucking life—for the chance to be with her.

I’m not sure I can survive losing her again.

But I am sure I will try to win her back, whatever it takes.

I take a deep breath, pushing the thoughts aside.It’s too early for this shit.With all that’s still left unsaid between us, with the high stakes we’re facing, there’s no room for romance.Igor is coming for Alexia.For Rose.

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