Chapter 41: Chapter Forty

Ask a lot but take what is offered. –Russian Proverb

Nikolai

I brushed her dark hair away from her face and kissed her soft cheek, my lips sliding down to her mouth. I craved more of her with every breath I took.

“Yes?”

“Tell me about the clinic.”

I sighed, as the last bit of heaviness washed over me. It was my burden to carry not hers, and telling her only added stress to what she was already dealing with.

“Nik?”

“Yeah?”

“You don’t have to tell me the rest.”

I relaxed, as if my body made a giant sigh against hers. “Maya?”

“Yeah.”

“When you were under… I asked you about the addresses, do you remember?”

It was her turn to tense, and then turn around in my arms a frown marred her pretty face.

“Sorry.” I kissed her forehead.

“Why is it important?”

Burdens, so many burdens I was sharing, I hated myself for it, but maybe it was time to extend the weight and trust the other person wouldn’t let it slip through their fingers.

“You’ll never be safe, as long as those houses exist.

“I want to destroy them… if they’re gone, then I’m hoping you won’t be as big of a threat to your father as he thinks… right now, if he saw you on the street, he’d recognize the fear, even if you tried to hide it.

“You’d flinch, you’d back away into another person walking in the other direction, you’d gasp, your eyes would widen, there are any number of physical responses you would have.

“And he would know, and he would either kill you, or capture you, then do it right in front of me to make an example.

Maya tilted her head thoughtfully. “You said the Italians owed you.”

“I owe them.”

“That’s not what they said.”

“I don’t really think they see it that way, Maya. They’re being kind.”

“The Italians? The ones with the scary guns and weird even more terrifying tattoos and sneers, those people? You have seen that big guy, right? The one with the permanent frown on his face?”

“Nixon?”

“No not the lip ring guy.” She waved me off. “The other one.”

“Tex?”

“No, the other one.” She snapped her fingers. “With the…” She gulped. “Darkness, I know this sounds crazy but he has this… weird aura about him.”

I nodded my head and whispered, “You're talking about Phoenix.”

“Scary,” she shuddered.

And in that moment, it was like all the possibilities of how they really could help me were brought to light.

“His father and yours used to work together.” I didn't want to give too much away—better she never find out about that. “He may be able to help more, but his wife's six months pregnant.” I sighed.

“I'll call him. I think that may be the only choice we have.”

“Other than running away together,” Maya whispered, brushing a kiss across my mouth. “That sounds good too.”

“Someone like me… can't disappear without making CNN.”

She sighed, pulling her mouth away. “I know.”

“But…” I tilted her chin toward me. “We can stay here… for at least a few more moments, let the world go to hell… while I give you a glimpse of heaven.”

“Arrogant bastard.”

“I've never pretended to be otherwise.” I full-on grinned.

Her breath caught. “You're sexy when you smile.”

“It's why I don't do it often—too hard to be taken seriously.” I toyed with a piece of her hair.

“Wow, look at you. Such a good mood, I wonder why.”

“Sex,” I said truthfully. “But first… love.”

“First comes love?”

“Yes, Maya.” I closed my eyes, breathing her in. “With you? First, always comes love.”