Love Thy Enemy (Red Stone Security #13)(56)
He rounded the island and pushed right up into her personal space. She dropped her fork as he cupped her face in his hands, his hold so incredibly gentle it made her want to cry. “I keep seeing you tied up, him hitting you and…” He swallowed hard, the raw vulnerability on his face clawing at her.
Through everything that had happened, he’d been a rock. She’d been a complete sobbing mess once he’d gotten her out of that building. It was like the floodgates had opened and she just couldn’t stop crying. She’d been so damn grateful to lean on him. He’d been next to her through all the police questions, stoic and unshakeable.
She moved off the chair, pulling him into a tight embrace, resting her head against his chest. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m here, safe, and nothing is going to happen to us again. I know I said it already but thank you for coming for me. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for being you. I…love you.” She pulled back as she said the words, so she could see his face as she admitted the truth. “I’m not saying it because of what happened. I’m saying it because it’s the truth. I love you, Viktor.”
He stared down at her, as if he couldn’t believe what she’d said. “I…” He cleared his throat. “You’re moving in with me.”
She blinked at his brusque tone as well as his words. “What?”
“I don’t want you here for just the week. I want you here always.” His big body was trembling under her hold and she realized this was how he was telling her that he loved her.
Or she really hoped that’s what he meant. Because what she felt for him was consuming. She would need to hear the words eventually but for now, happiness bloomed in her chest. “We’ll talk about it at the end of the week.”
He just gave her a sensual look before brushing his mouth over hers in a teasing, stroking kiss that once again was over way too quickly. “Eat your food.”
She did as he said, and once they were done he carried her to his bed where he tucked both of them in and wrapped his arm snug around her middle. She could feel the hard length of him pressed against her back but he made no move to do anything about it.
She was too exhausted anyway and she was grateful that he was simply holding her. She needed his strength.
“I love you too,” he whispered against her hair a few moments later, his big body going rigid as he spoke. “And I’m not letting you go.”
Hearing the words soothed all the ragged edges inside her. She linked her fingers through his, squeezed tight. “I’m not letting you go either,” she murmured as she felt herself start to drift, knowing that she was safe in Viktor’s arms.
Epilogue
Four months later
Dominique sat on the edge of her and Viktor’s bed, watching him standing like a statue in their walk-in closet, staring at his clothes. He was only wearing pants, and she didn’t mind the view. Still, the man normally just picked something in minutes. His clothes were obsessively organized anyway, unlike her side of the closet.
“I’ve never seen you like this,” she murmured more to herself than him.
He’d pretty much steamrolled her into moving in with him four months ago—and the truth was she hadn’t wanted to spend any nights away from him so it hadn’t exactly been a hardship. Incredible sex every night and some mornings with the sweetest, sexiest man she was crazy in love with? Yes, please.
He turned to her and blinked, as if coming back to himself. “This is a big deal.”
“You’ve met Quinn and Athena before.” Her cousin Quinn had been unsure about Viktor at first, but considering he’d literally saved her life, Quinn had been mostly welcoming.
“Thanksgiving is different. And it’s at Athena’s family’s house.”
“Yeah, they’re kind of insane, by the way.” Athena came from a huge Greek family. One of Athena’s cousins, Belle, Grant Caldwell’s wife, was super pregnant and about to pop. “According to Athena everyone has a bet on when Belle will give birth. They seriously have a pool going.”
Viktor scrubbed a hand over his face before he pulled a cashmere sweater from the closet. “I’ve never done a family holiday before. Even with Abram, we never do anything big.” His brother was spending Thanksgiving with Lucy’s family and she knew he was worried too.
Dominique slid off the bed at the surprising note of worry in Viktor’s voice. Pretty much nothing rattled the man, but she shouldn’t be surprised about this. He’d never even had a big birthday party, something she’d found out when she threw him a surprise party a month ago. He’d been stunned, and though he’d kept his serious, typically hard Russian expression in place most of the party, she’d known how pleased he’d been. Even Abram had been impressed with the party—and had finally warmed up to her. He’d even asked Dominique to help him pick out an engagement ring for Lucy, which pretty much told her that he completely trusted her now.
She pulled Viktor into a tight hug, burying her face against his chest before he tugged the sweater on. She could never seem to get enough of him. “Holiday stuff like this is usually fun. There’s lots of food, maybe a little drinking and usually watching some stupid sports game on TV afterward.”