Page 54 of Tattooed Heart

I move to the bedroom and sit in the window seat, watching as the sun descends behind the trees surrounding the property. Somewhere out there, Dimitri is fighting for us. And here I am, preparing to do the same in my own way.

My phone buzzes on the nightstand. The text is from an unknown number, but the content immediately identifies the sender.

Safe. Making progress. Be home soon. D.

Brief and careful, giving nothing away that can be traced or used against us if intercepted. But enough to ease the tightness in my chest.

I type back.Waiting for you. We both are. S.

The reply comes almost instantly.Everything I do is for both of you.

I momentarily hold the phone against my heart, allowing myself this small comfort. Then, as Dimitri taught me weeks ago, I delete the conversation. There are no digital footprints and no vulnerabilities.

A soft knock at the door pulls me from my thoughts.

“Come in,” I call, expecting Talia.

Instead, Aleksandr enters, his imposing frame filling the doorway. He holds a small box in his hands.

“I thought you might want this,” he says, crossing the room and placing the box beside me on the window seat. “Dimitri asked me to keep it for him some time ago.”

Curious, I open the lid. Inside, nestled on black velvet, is a delicate gold chain with a small oval locket with intricate engravings around the edge.

“It belonged to our grandmother,” Aleksandr explains. “The only woman in the family who successfully raised three sons in this life. Dimitri wanted you to have it when the time was right.”

I lift the necklace carefully. “It's beautiful.”

“It's also practical,” Aleksandr replies. “Open it.”

I find the tiny catch and press. The locket springs open, revealing what appears to be an ordinary compartment for a photograph on one side. But the other side holds a small key.

“What does it open?” I question.

“A safe in your closet. Behind the third panel from the left. Inside, you'll find what you need if trouble ever finds you when we cannot.”

I close the locket and slip the chain around my neck, feeling the cold metal warm against my skin. “Thank you.”

Aleksandr nods once. “Talia tells me you did well today. That you’re a natural.”

“I'm motivated.”

“Indeed. Motherhood is a powerful force.” He moves toward the door but pauses before leaving. “Dimitri will object to your training. He believes he can keep you safe through his actions alone.”

“He can't be everywhere,” I defend. “And I won't be a liability.”

“No,” Aleksandr agrees. “I don't believe you will be.”

After he leaves, I go to the closet and find the panel he described. It slides away smoothly, revealing a small safe embedded in the wall. The key from the locket fits perfectly into the lock. Inside is a handgun, smaller than the ones I saw Dimitri carry but no less lethal, along with two loaded magazines and a folded note in Dimitri's handwriting.

For the darkest hour. Use it well. Love, D.

He prepared this for me, knowing there might come a time when he couldn't protect me himself. The realization chills yet strengthens me. I close the safe, replace the panel, and return to the window seat, the locket resting gently against my chest.

18

DIMITRI

The gun's grip feels like an extension of my hand as I check the magazine a third time out of habit, not necessity. I already know the bullet count, and I can feel it in my bones the way a pianist knows every key by heart. Around me, my men move with precision, checking equipment, strapping on tactical gear, and speaking in the clipped, low cadence that always precedes action.

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