Page 135 of Impenitent Claim

My heart fluttered in my chest. “I haven’t seen it on you.”

Ilya shrugged. “Just because you didn’t see it, didn’t mean it wasn’t there.”

Just like him.

That steady grey gaze watched me with unwavering intensity. He was right here, right now. But he wasn’t moving to close the distance.

“I love you, phantom,” I breathed, finally having the space for those words to fly free.

Ilya reached up, cupping my cheek in his palm. It was large, warm, and protective. It wasright.“And I love you, Isabella, my sweetest siren.”

“There’s no need to treat me with kid gloves,” I promised. “I’m not going to break.”

My mouth crashed against his, cutting off his response. The kiss was hard and hungry. My tongue delved into his mouth, searching for relief as my body buzzed with a silent plea for more. Ilya held me tight, fingers pressing firmly against my body. I embraced the dark and everything he brought me, knowing my nightmares could never touch me again.

Epilogue – Kolya

APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS LATER

Standing in the shadows, I looked at the group of people sitting around the back patio, enjoying the warm spring night. They were a motley crew, mixes of different stories and backgrounds. But together, they were whole. Noticing a small detail, I counted the heads again.Huh.One couple was missing, and I frowned at Kazimir’s absence. They were closest to the beating heart of this unit. Daniella would never be away from her children, cousins, or grandmother, let alone the rest of us strays she’d adopted.

As if sensing me, my cousin—and secret half-brother—lifted his head, tennis ball in his hand. Dimitri scanned the thickening shadows that ran along the outer wall. A tight smile tugged at my lips. He knew. To put him at ease, I whistled low, and the pakhan’s dog came running away from the game of fetch.

I crouched to rub Marena’s neck and shoulders as she washed my face.

Dimitri followed, melting away from the group without drawing the notice of anyone except his bride—our queen.

“What are you doing here? Lurking like a stranger in the dark,” my cousin growled, pulling me into a tight hug.

I embraced him back but shook my head. “No one can know I’m here.”

“So you summoned the dog? It’s only a matter of time before Zoey comes running after Marena.” Dimitri crossed his arms over his chest.

I jerked my chin and began to walk away. If it surprised the pakhan that I’d come over the wall without alerting the guards, Dimitri didn’t say.

“What happened?” my cousin clipped out.

My lips pressed tight. I didn’t want to admit it. But…if that was true, I wouldn’t have come back home. He deserved to know. It was the only way he could protect that sacred unit sitting under the twinkly patio lights and laughing as it was meant to be.

“I made an enemy,” I confessed.

Dimitri let out a low breath that softly whistled through his teeth. “You were discovered?”

I growled in assent. The work I spent over a year on had now come to a grinding halt. What started as Kazimir asking me to end those responsible for the abduction and murder of his bride’s sister turned into a personal crusade for me. I couldn’t rest knowing that there were vile individuals bartering unwilling flesh. My special forces training was put to very good use hunting and ending the scum operating various sex trafficking rings.

But now….Fuck!

“How the hell did they catch wind ofyou?” Dimitri asked sharply.

“I couldn’t eliminate the inner circles without getting close.”

“You flew too close to the sun, my friend.”

“I did.”

Dimitri stopped, tossing and catching the tennis ball in his palm. His hound leaned forward, body vibrating with anticipation. “What’s the damage?”

“Should be minimal, but I need to go off-grid until things cool down.” I let out a short breath. “I came here tonight to warn you.”

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