Page 21 of Between Power and Passion

I feel a small smile tug at the corners of my mouth. "Alex," I repeat, testing out the name. "Can I ask you something?"

He shrugs one shoulder casually. "Shoot."

I take a breath, steeling myself for his reaction. "How was Dmitri left alive if they killed everyone else in his family?"

Alexei's expression shutters momentarily, a flash of something dark flickers in his eyes. I instantly regret asking, worried that I've overstepped. "I'm sorry, you don't have to—"

He cuts me off with a wave of his hand. "No, it's alright." He leans back in his chair. "They took him. He was too able bodied to be killed, so they brought him to the factory to work."

I frown, confused. "A factory? But my father doesn't have any factories..."

Alexei barks out a laugh and shakes his head. "You really are clueless about your father's dealings, aren't you?" His eyes regain their sharpness as he pins me with a pointed stare. "Your father has three whole factories for forced labor. There are close to 900 people working without pay. I was there for five years before Dmitri came."

My stomach drops as the full weight of Alexei's words sink in. A labor factory? Forced work with no pay? I had no idea the depths of cruelty my father was capable of. The man who I have called father is even worse than I could have imagined.

I feel tears prickling at the corners of my eyes.

"He was always fighting them, so they'd starve him for days on end and beat him senseless when he acted out."

Dmitri walks in at that moment and fixes Alexei with a stern look. He comes closer to us and slaps Alexei lightly upside the head.

"That's enough."

Alexei whines, rubbing the back of his head. "But she asked me first!"

"Go make yourself useful, Alex."

Alexei grumbles under his breath as he pushes away from the table and shuffles out.

Dmitri turns to face me. "Don't pay any mind to what he said." He reaches out to brush away a stray tear from my cheek.

I swallow hard, holding his intense gaze. "Was it... was it true?" My voice is barely above a whisper. I’m almost afraid of the answer. "Please… I want to know everything. Don't shut me out."

He holds my gaze for a long moment, then lets out a heavy sigh. "Yes, it was true. I worked in the factory for two years before I managed to escape with Alex and a few others."

A lump forms in my throat as I imagine the horrors he must have endured. My hands tremble as I reach up to cup his face. "Dmitri, I'm so sorry. I had no idea..."

He covers my hands with his own, his calloused palms rough against my skin. "It wasn't your fault, Valentina. You couldn't have known."

"I waited for you that night, you know, the night we were supposed to go the concert. I dressed up and snuck out to meet you like we'd planned." My voice catches on the painful memory. "You were late, and I started to resent you. I thought you were playing with me… my father came to get me himself. He told me you were dead, that there had been a fire at your house."

Dmitri pulls me closer and laces his fingers through mine. "I'm here now."

I lean in and capture his lips with mine. The kiss is desperate, filled with all the longing and heartache of our years apart. When we finally break apart, I'm breathless, and my heart is pounding wildly.

Dmitri rests his forehead against mine. His breath is warm against my skin. "Valentina, listen to me. Anything can happen at any time. I need you to be able to defend yourself or at least run if things go south."

I blink up at him, my mind still reeling from the kiss and the urgency in his voice. "I... I can fight a little," I say, trying to sound confident. "I've had some self-defense training."

He chuckles softly. "You could barely run ten years ago," he teases.

I gasp, shoving his shoulder playfully. "That's not true! I was light on my feet, thank you very much." I stick my tongue out at him, unable to hide my smile at his playful jab.

He chuckles, that deep rumbling laugh that sends warmth blooming in my chest. "We'll see about that." Dmitri stands, offering me his hand. "Come on, let's see what you can do. I'll assess your skills myself."

***

I follow Dmitri into a large gym area, and my eyes widen at the array of training equipment. Heavy bags hang from the ceiling, mats line the floor, and weights of various sizes are neatly organized along the walls.

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