Page 56 of Born into Darkness

“My brother had to wash my hair, so I won’t say it felt like heaven, but I do feel a thousand times better now that I’m clean.”

I turn, our faces so close I can see specks of blue in his eyes. The basement hadn’t been bright enough for me to see them before. “You’re intimidatingly good looking, Max,” I say, making him laugh.

“Would you feel more comfortable if I got dirty again?”

“Maybe,” I admit

He smiles and shakes his head. “You’re the intimidating one,svetik moy. You stole the breath right from my lungs when I saw you tonight. I didn’t think it was possible for you to get any more beautiful.”

“A bar of soap can work miracles.”

He shakes his head in disagreement. “No, it’s just you. I thought you were beautiful caked in dirt in that grimy basement, and I think you’re beautiful now.” His nose grazes along my neck as he breathes me in again. “I do like the smell of whatever it is you’re wearing, though. God, that smells good. What is it?”

“Vanilla cinnamon body milk,” I tell him. “My mom packed me a bag of all my favorite things so I’d have them once they found me. I’m glad you like it. It’s always been my favorite scent.”

“I love it,” he says. His fingers stay locked on my hip as he holds me close and I rest my head against his shoulder. “Does it feel weird to be around me now that we’re out?”

“Not weird exactly, just different, I guess. I was really nervous on the way here.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know,” I say, trying to avoid answering, but he calls me on it and says, “Please, tell me.”

I rest my hand on his chest, still being careful to avoid the sling and say, “I was afraid that maybe you wouldn’t want to see me, that I’d be a memory you didn’t want to be reminded of, or that you’d feel differently now that we’re free.”

“I was nervous too,” he says, surprising me. “I was worried about the same things you were, so afraid you’d changed your mind and wouldn’t want to see me again.”

“I guess I didn’t do a good enough job of making myself clear then,” I say.

I feel the soft heat of his breath against my temple as he gives a soft laugh. “More like I thought you might change your mind and decide you only felt that way because we were stuck together, and I was the only other person sharing that basement with you.”

“I see,” I say, tipping my chin up so I can see the stubbled line of his masculine jaw. “Well, first off, Val was also there for a good bit, and you never saw me trying to cozy up to him.”

“He’s very happily married,” he reminds me. “Val’s never looked at anyone other than Yelena.”

“That’s not what I mean. I’m just saying I never felt for him what I feel for you, even though he was stuck down there too. And if you’re worried about some kind of crazy Stockholm Syndrome thing like you mentioned in the basement, you can relax. If that were the case, I would’ve been all over Mateo. Which I wasn’t, by the way, not even after you were passed out and he came in to check on you.”

“I’m very happy to hear that. It would’ve broken my heart to hear you were flirting with the enemy.”

“Never,” I whisper, taking advantage of the position and pressing my nose against his neck so I can breathe in the scent of him. He isn’t wearing cologne. It’s just the sweet, clean scent of him, and my whole body responds to it.

He groans and squeezes me tighter, pulling me harder against him, and when my thigh presses against the hard length of him, I suck in a quick breath.

“Max,” I whisper.

He dusts his lips along my temple. “Yes,svetik moy?”

I decide to just be honest and ask, “What is this? I mean between us? What is this to you now that we’re free?”

“The same thing it was when we weren’t free. When it comes to how I feel about you, nothing has changed for me. I fell in love with you in the dark, Talia, and I still love you now that we’re in the light.”

Tears fill my eyes at his words. I cup his face and lift up so I can rest my forehead against his when he leans down to me. “I love you, too,” I whisper, watching his face light up in a smile at hearing me say it.

His good hand cups my cheek, and he runs his thumb along my skin. “Didn’t we make each other a promise? Something about a proper kiss after we were both cleaned up and my hand was numb?”

I pretend to think and then shake my head. “Doesn’t ring a bell.”

“No? I must’ve been hallucinating, because I definitely remember being promised a real kiss.” His long fingers undo my ponytail and slide into my hair as he pulls me so close our lips are almost touching. The heat of his breath hits my skin, making my heart race in my chest. “Will you let me kiss you?”

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