Page 108 of Vendetta Vows

I reach up to touch Ruslan's face, feeling the roughness of his stubble against my palm. The pain is etched into the lines around his eyes, and so are the shadows of guilt that have haunted him for so long.

He's been living with the failure and the guilt for all these years.

No wonder he looked back at me that day when he brought me to my tower, and told me that the one good thing of that awful day was the fact that he saved me.

"Listen to me," I whisper, holding his gaze with mine. "You're not that eighteen-year-old boy anymore. You're not helpless."

His golden eyes watch me with such vulnerability it makes my chest ache.

"I've seen what you can do, Ruslan." I brush my thumb across his cheekbone. "When you showed up at my apartment while that man tried to kill me, you protected me without hesitation."

His breathing steadies somewhat.

"You brought your nieces here right from under their mother's nose because you knew they needed protection. And you've taken on a role you never wanted because you understand what's at stake." My voice grows stronger with every word. "Those aren't the actions of someone who can't protect the people they care about."

His hand slides up to cover mine, pressing it more firmly against his face.

"You were a boy then, forced to watch as cruel people did cruel things," I continue. "But you're not that boy anymore. You're the man who saved me. The man who keeps me safe."

The weight of my own words hits me. I marvel at how completely I trust him, and how secure I feel in his arms despite everything.

But above all else, I marvel at how much I've come to care for him in this short time.

"You won't fail me," I whisper, inching closer until our breaths mingle. "I know that."

His golden eyes search mine, seeking reassurance, seeking truth. I lean in, pressing my lips to his with gentle determination. He remains still for a heartbeat before responding, his mouth moving against mine with a tenderness that makes my heart squeeze.

I slide my body against his, craving his warmth, his strength. My hands find their way to his chest, feeling the steady thump of his heart beneath my palm.

"I believe in you," I breathe against his lips. "Do you understand? I feel safe with you. I trust you."

28

RUSLAN

Her lips touch mine,and something cracks inside me.

Not breaks, cracks.

Like ice giving way beneath your feet when you've ventured too far from shore. That warning sound that tells you you're about to fall through.

I pull Aurora closer, one hand threading through her hair. She feels so small in my hands. So fragile. So fucking precious. Her tears for me are still damp on her cheeks, and I taste them as our kiss deepens. Salt and sorrow and something like hope.

"I've got you," I whisper, not knowing if I'm reassuring her or myself.

She answers by pressing herself against me, her body seeking mine in the darkness. The weight of her, so slight compared to mine, anchors me in a way I haven't felt in nineteen years.

Kansas City. The words ping around my brain, a scrap of evidence I should be gathering, analyzing.

I know what Artyom would say. Dig deeper, find out who she really is. Use this moment of vulnerability to extract more information.

But right now, I don't give a fuck about Kansas City.

All I care about is the soft sigh escaping her lips as I pull her beneath me, the way her hands find my bare shoulders in the darkness. The way she trusts me with her body, even after I've just confessed my darkest failure.

I couldn't protect Leslie, but Aurora is here, alive, warm against me.

And Iwillprotect her.

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