Page 21 of Vendetta Crown

Aurora reaches out, her gentle fingers tracing the outline of my face.

"Ruslan," she whispers, her eyes darting to my bloodied shoulder. "You're hurt."

I can't focus on my own pain. All I see are the marks on her. The purple bruise defiling her perfect cheek and the bite marks on her shoulder.

They're reminders of my colossal failure.

"Aurora," my voice is rough with emotion. "I should have listened to you. I shouldn't have pushed Mikayla like that. If I'd just listened."

She presses her fingertips against my lips, silencing me. "It doesn't matter now." Her voice trembles, but her eyes hold steady. "You're here. You're alive. We're going to be alright."

I brush my thumb across her unmarked cheek, careful not to touch the bruise. "I thought you were gone. I thought I'd lost you."

"I thought I'd lost you too." Her voice cracks. "They told me you were dead."

"I'm going to make him pay for what he did to you." The promise burns in my throat, dark and absolute. "Kristofer will never touch you again. I'll make sure of it."

Aurora shakes her head slowly.

"Later." Her fingers find the nape of my neck, sending shivers down my spine. "Right now, I just need you here with me. I need to know this is real, that this isn't just a dream."

I wrap my good arm around her waist, pulling her closer. The pain in my shoulder flares, but I don't care. Nothing matters except the warm, solid reality of her in my arms.

"I'm real," I murmur against her hair. "This is real."

I press my lips to her unbruised cheek, soft as a whisper. Then again, and again, each kiss a promise.

She turns her face, catching my mouth with hers. The kiss is gentle at first, then deepens as her fingers curl around the nape of my neck.

Slowly, carefully, she eases me down onto the bed, mindful of my injuries. Her body follows, pressing against mine as her lips never leave my own.

"Aurora," I breathe against her mouth. "Myzarechka."

Aurora deepens the kiss, pressing herself against me with a hunger that takes my breath away. She tastes like fear and relief and something uniquelyher.

Something I was terrified I'd never taste again.

Then I feel wetness on my cheek.

At first, I think it's my own tears betraying me. But when she pulls back slightly, I see them. Tears streaming down her face, catching on her lashes before sliding down her bruised cheek.

"Hey," I whisper, brushing a tear away with the pad of my thumb. "You're okay now. You're okay."

She shakes her head, unable to speak. Her body trembles against mine, and suddenly she's sobbing. Deep, wracking cries that seem torn from somewhere primal inside her.

"I thought—" she gasps between sobs, "I thought you were?—"

She can't finish the sentence. Doesn't need to.

I pull her against me, ignoring the searing pain in my shoulder.

"I'm here," I murmur into her hair. "And I'm not going anywhere else."

Her fingers dig into my good shoulder as she presses her face against my chest. Each sob feels like it's being ripped from her throat.

"He was going to… He tried to." Her words dissolve into incoherent sounds as her body shakes with the force of her crying.

I know what she's trying to say. What that monster almost did. The thought makes murderous rage surge through me, but I push it down. Aurora needs me here to calm her, to be present with her, to hold space for her, and not to lose myself in thoughts of vengeance.

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