Page 38 of Between Power and Passion

He finally stops, letting me catch my breath. I look up at him, still smiling but with a seriousness in my eyes. "Promise me you'll come back safely, and then you'll find out."

He leans down and kisses me gently on the lips. "I love you, Valentina," he murmurs against my mouth. "I always have."

Tears well up in my eyes at his words. I kiss him back with all the emotion I've been holding in. "I love you too, Dmitri," I whisper against his lips.

He pulls back and wipes a tear from my cheek with his thumb. We share one more lingering kiss before he picks up his suitcases and heads for the door.

My heart tightens in my chest, but I follow him outside, unable to let him leave without one more goodbye. As we step out, the cool morning air hits my face, and I see Alexei leaning against the car, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Ah, lovebirds," Alexei teases, crossing his arms. "Can't get enough of each other, can you?"

I feel my cheeks heat up, and I glance down at the ground, trying to hide my blush. Dmitri chuckles beside me and shakes his head.

"Shut up, Alexei," Dmitri says with a hint of amusement.

Alexei pushes off the car and walks over to us. He gives Dmitri a firm pat on the back before turning to me with a more serious expression.

"Don't worry, Valentina," Alexei says softly. "I'll make sure Dmitri comes back even if I don't."

I look up at him, my eyes wide with gratitude and fear. Before I can respond, Dmitri steps forward and places a hand on Alexei's shoulder.

"I leave no man behind," Dmitri says firmly.

Alexei nods, and Dmitri then turns back to me. He leans down and captures my lips in a deep kiss. The world seems to fall away as I lose myself in the moment.

Alexei's playful hoots bring us back to reality, and we pull apart reluctantly. I smile through the tears that threaten to spill over.

Dmitri brushes a strand of hair from my face and speaks softly. "There are guards in the house, Valentina. This is a new hideout, so it's safe."

I nod, swallowing hard as I try to keep my emotions in check. "Okay," I whisper.

He gives me one last lingering look before turning away and walking toward the car. I stand there, watching him get in. The car pulls away slowly at first, then speeds up as it disappears down the road.

I wrap my arms around myself, feeling the weight of his absence already pressing down on me. But I take a deep breath and remind myself of his promise. He will come back. He has to.

As I turn to go back inside the house, I catch sight of one of the guards standing by the door. He nods at me respectfully, and I force a small smile and step back into the house, closing the door behind me.

I’m dreaming about Dmitri, his warm touch and the safety of his embrace. The dream is so vivid that I almost believe it's real. But then, something cold and hard clamps over my mouth, and I wake up in fear.

My eyes fly open to darkness, and I struggle against the iron grip holding me down. My heart pounds in my chest like a drum. I try to scream, but the sound is muffled by the hand pressing against my lips.

"Calm down if you don’t want to die," a harsh voice hisses in my ear. The words send a chill down my spine, and I freeze, every muscle in my body tensing. "You should thank your stars that the boss wants you alive."

The hand loosens just enough for me to breathe, but not enough for me to cry out.

Tears well up in my eyes as I look into the shadowy face above me. "Please," I manage to whisper, my voice trembling with desperation. "Please don’t hurt me."

A cruel laugh echoes in the darkness, and the hand tightens again, cutting off my air. "That should be the least of your worries," the voice snarls.

I feel something hard hit the side of my head with a thud. It seems like my skull is radiating outwards in blinding waves. My vision blurs and darkens around the edges.

The last thing I hear is the voice muttering something before everything goes black.

I come to with a pounding headache and the sensation of cold metal digging into my wrists. My eyes flutter open, but the darkness makes it hard to see. My heart races as I realize I'm tied to a chair, the ropes cutting into my skin. This feeling is all too familiar. Memories of being bound and helpless flood back, and panic sets in.

I try to steady my breath, struggling to make my eyes adjust to the dim light. Shadows dance around me, but one figure stands out—tall and imposing. The scent of cigarette smoke fills the air, and I can barely make out the glowing tip of a cigarette in the darkness.

"Hello, Valentina," a voice says.

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