Page 179 of Stolen Empire
He nods and stands, leaving me alone in the dining room.
I sit there for a while, staring at the empty teacups, as I try to process everything that's happened.
My mother's here.
I have a cousin who's accepted me as blood.
The war with the Radich crew is nearly done.
And Dimitri loves me.
The last thought makes my chest tense, and I push myself to my feet.
I need to find him.
I walk through the house, checking the rooms, until I find the balcony overlooking the courtyard.
Dimitri is standing there, his hands braced on the railing, staring out at the snowy fields beyond.
He looks tired and tense.
I step outside, shivering immediately, and he glances over his shoulder.
When he sees me, his expression softens, and he turns to face me fully.
"How are you?" he asks.
"Overwhelmed," I admit, moving to stand beside him.
"But in a good way."
He nods and looks back out at the fields.
We stand there for a while, and I let myself lean into the moment.
It feels fragile, precious, and I'm afraid to break it.
"I meant it," I say softly, thinking of the moment I introduced him to my mother.
I expect him to ask what I mean or to what I'm referring.
But he simply slides his hand across the railing to wrap around mine.
"I mean it too, Katya."
There's a tenderness to his tone that draws me in.
I lay my head on his shoulder and he moves his arm to wrap around me.
"I love you, and I don't say that word lightly."
I sigh peacefully, breathing in his scent.
He's strong in so many ways, and tender in all the right ones too.
When he first took me I wondered what I was in for, and now I know the truth is I was always safe with him.
"So, what do we do now?"
