Page 60 of Killer Love

“Sofia…” Luka cups my face with his hands as a rock grows in my throat. “Look at me.”

I close my eyes, squeezing them together to hold back the tears fighting to bleed through.

Everything shakes. Just one slip and I’ll fall to pieces, but I can’t do that right now. Lucian needs me to be strong. I don’t know how I can be, however, when I can’t even remember how to breathe.

Luka draws his thumb beneath my eye, banishing a tear as it slips out. “Look at me, lyubov’ moya,” he whispers.

He gazes at me with the same eyes as our son. The same eyes I fell in love with the day he was born.

Luka fills his lungs, breathing in the stale, almost nonexistent air, and he waits for me to do the same. I inhale a shaking breath and he blows his out through his lips.

“Just like that,” he says. “That’s how we stay alive.”

I nod and take another deep breath, feeling his calloused hands warm my cheeks.

“It’s not over until we can’t do that anymore. I won’t stop fighting for you until my last breath, Sofia. And I promise you… that I will make Gio Zappia suffer until his.”

The lump shrinks in my throat. I don’t think I’ve ever trusted anybody or anything as much as I trust him in this moment.

Luka Lutrova. The Russian mobster. The father of my child.

Our savior.

Luka moves to stand. I reach out to stop him with a shaking hand. He pauses, his sharp eyes wandering my face, and I can’t help myself. I kiss him softly and he instantly pulls me in, cupping my cheeks to hold me there as our lips blend together.

I stand and he rises with me. His hands fall to my hips, drawing me closer to his wide frame.

A cry rings out, traveling over the rumbling engine and my motherly instincts kick in.

“Lucian…” I whisper, pulling my lips from Luka’s. “I should…”

Luka smiles, stealing one more quick kiss from me before taking a short step back and sliding the door open.

I step out, feeling the cold air on my clean face as I dart down the aisle to my seat. Lucian stands up and raises his arms at me, begging to be held.

“Shh,” I soothe into his ear. “I’m here, piccola luce.”

I take him into my arms and pace back and forth in the aisle. Thankfully, Lucian calms with each step I take, despite being surrounded by strangers. I look around, feeling several pairs of eyes on me. Yuri still can’t maintain eye contact with me for very long, but he glares hard at Lucian. Perhaps he just realized he’s a uncle.

Fox keeps a somber expression, seemingly unfazed by everything around him. Something tells me he’s been through far more uncomfortable situations than this.

I step toward him, balancing Lucian in my left arm, and pause above his shoulder. “Thank you,” I tell him. “Whoever you are.”

I extend my hand to him.

Luka steps in close behind me. “Sofia…” he says, his voice uneasy.

Fox’s eyes shift from mine to Luka’s, but he takes my hand. His grip is soft and restrained, just like his eyes. There’s so much hidden beneath the surface. He shows me enough to make me think twice about distrusting him.

“You’re welcome,” he says.

I return to my seat with Lucian and Luka follows us like a shadow, taking the chair beside me with hard, protective eyes.

Chapter 19

Sofia

“Bozhe moi!”

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