Page 119 of Vendetta Vows

"Either you will be hurt because of him, or he will be destroyed because of you, Aurora." She takes a long trembling breath. "I don't want either to happen. But if you go down this road with him, then you risk them both."

The air feels thin, making it hard to breathe. Leslie's ghost seems to hover around us in this office, in this chair where she died.

"There's nowhere left for me to run," I whisper, finding my voice. "I've been running for seven years."

"I was afraid that you were going to say that." Liliya steps back, sighing.

I stand up, legs trembling but holding firm. "I'm tired of running. I'm tired of being afraid."

Liliya studies me, something shifting in her expression. "Do you believe staying with my son will keep you safe from whatever's chasing you?"

"I believe we can protect each other. I believe that I won't let anyone hurt him, just as he won't let anyone hurt me."

A sad smile crosses her face. "Your bravery is commendable,devushka." She shakes her head slowly. "But in our world, bravery is not enough."

Mikayla's words echo in my mind:To survive in this world, you cannot be a good person. You must become a monster willing to do monstrous things.

"Ruslan deserves happiness. And so do you. But together, you will only find pain." Liliya wrings her fingers. "You may go now. Tell my son I want to talk to him."

I stare at Liliya as the devastating truth sinks in. Every word she's spoken is like a knife sliding deeper into my chest.

She tells me that Ruslan and I deserve happiness. But how can I make her understand that the time with him has been the happiest of my life?

For seven years I've been hiding, running and surviving, but never living. Not really. Not until Ruslan came into my life and suddenly I could breathe again.

He showed me what it feels like to be touched with reverence instead of possession.

He made me feel safe in a way I haven't since that awful night in Kansas City when everything was taken from me.

And now, just when I've started to feel like there's a future, I'm told that I can't have it. I'm told that there can be no happiness for me and Ruslan.

That my presence will only bring him pain.

The unfairness of it all burns through me. After everything I've lost, everything I've endured.

Why can't I have this one thing?

Why can't I have him?

I turn to leave, reaching for the heavy door with fingers that won't stop trembling.

"Aurora," she calls after me, voice suddenly gentle.

I pause and look back, hoping beyond hope that she's about to tell me she's changing her mind as I fight to keep the tears from falling from my face.

Instead, she says: "Leaving him will be for your own good."

I close my eyes, and feel the tears of disappointment streaming down my face as I open the door.

31

RUSLAN

My chest tightenswhen I see Aurora step out, tears gleaming on her face and arms wrapped around herself like she's holding something broken inside.

"Zarechka,what happened?" I move toward her, reaching for her hand.

She shakes her head, fingers trembling as she wipes at her face. "Your mother wants to see you."

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