Page 115 of Nikolai (Kansas City Reapers)

I held her close in the warm, steamy water, the gentleripples of the bath providing a soothing contrast to the storm of emotions between us. Her tears mingled with the water as she clung to me, her body trembling with each sob. I could feel her guilt pressing down on her like a weight, and I knew I had to be the anchor she needed right now.

“Listen to me,” I said softly, my fingers trailing through her hair as I held her close. “I know you’re overwhelmed with guilt, but that constant cycle of ‘what ifs’ isn’t going to change anything. You can’t keep torturing yourself over what you could have done differently. It won’t bring her back or fix what’s happened.”

I cupped her face gently in my hands, guiding her to look up at me through her tear-filled eyes. “The past is unchangeable, no matter how much we wish it could be different. What matters now is how you move forward, not how you dwell on the past. You have to find a way to let go of this endless spiral of regret.”

I kissed her forehead tenderly, hoping my touch could offer some solace. “She gave her life for you, and she would want you to honor her memory by finding peace. Grieve if you need to, but don’t let the weight of ‘what ifs’ be the only thing you carry forward. I’m here with you, and we’ll get through this together.”

I wrapped my arms around her, hoping that the warmth of the bath would be a small comfort against the cold ache in her heart. “It’s okay to feel the pain, but don’t let it consume you. We have to face this together, and I’m here for you every step of the way. I’m not going anywhere.”

She nodded her head, words failing her.

So I spoke the words I knew she needed to hear, and I needed to say.

“Maddy, this case is far from over. We both know that. We can’t change that today. What Icando is promise you that I will be here for you every step of the way. You aren’t getting rid of me easily. So, whatever it takes, know that you have the protection of me and the protection of my brothers. We will fight this fight with you.”

“Why? The whole reason you guys left the service and moved here was to find peace. This is the furthest thing from peace,” she said, wiping the tears from her eyes with a shaky hand.

“Because I don’t think I’ll ever know peace again if you aren’t around. If you were ripped from my life, do you think I’d be at peace? We’re going to get these guys. The fucking Dom Krovi. We’re going to nail them to the fucking wall and take every last one of them down. I can promise you that.”

“I don’t deserve you,” she chuckled lightly and without any real humor.

“That’s where you’re wrong, love. You deserve this, and more. I’m the one who doesn’t deserve you.”

Without a word, she kissed me, communicating her feelings without the need for words. The kiss slowed until we were once more simply lying in the warm water, enjoying a moment of solace wrapped in each other’s arms.

The steam rose around us, a delicate fog that seemed to cocoon us from the world outside. I watched as the tension in her shoulders slowly began to dissolve in thatheat, her eyes closing as she let out a sigh of relief, her tears finally ceasing.

As I held her close inside the warmth of the tub, I let my fingertips skim over her skin, the gentle caress meant to comfort and reassure her that she was safe, cherished, and cared for. Each careful touch was an expression of my love, a silent promise that I would be there to hold her up when she couldn’t stand on her own.

The scented bath oil infused the air, creating a serene atmosphere that was meant to ease her troubled mind. I carefully washed her hair, my movements slow and deliberate, massaging her scalp with a tenderness that spoke of my deepest feelings. Each stroke of my fingers through her damp locks was a silent confession of my devotion, a way to convey that I was here not just to help her through this moment, but to be the steady support she needed through all the moments to come.

As I helped her out of the bath after drying myself off, wrapping her in a soft, warm towel, I could see the weariness in her eyes, but also the faint glimmer of gratitude. I dried her with gentle strokes, mindful of her delicate state, and wrapped her in my embrace as I led her to the bed. In these simple, intimate actions, I hoped to show her the depth of my love. It wasn’t in grand declarations, but in these quiet, caring gestures — each one a testament to my promise that I would always be here to offer comfort and solace, to share in her pain and to help her heal.

“I can go sleep in my room,” she muttered sleepily, a yawn turning the last word nearly unintelligible.

“Maddy, as far as I’m concerned, this room is as muchyours as it is mine. Plus, the thought of not being near you is more painful than almost anything I can think of right now.”

“Whoa there buddy, we just admitted to having feelings for each other, and you already want to move in together? Talk about taking things fast.” The sleepy grin on her face told the truth, the little minx.

“Shut up,” I groaned, slipping under the covers beside her and pulling her around to face me. My fingers touched her chin, lifting her face to mine as I stole a kiss from her lips. Tenderness and a quiet calm we both deserved swirled around the room, filling it like a welcome fog.

Nuzzling into my chest, her breathing slowed almost immediately, her chest rising and falling evenly. She was asleep, and I was satisfied.

Satisfied, and completely under the spell that was only her, only Maddy.

Sleep hovered just out of reach, yet dangerously close. As my eyes closed, I succumbed to the exhaustion I felt. But more than anything else, I surrendered to the truth that we had discovered together. The truth of the feelings we shared, and the future that now lay before us.

Maddy was the one. I could feel it in my bones. Deeper than that. It was like she was written into my very marrow, into the DNA that made me who I was. She was forever etched as a part of me.

While I had no idea what the future held for us, or what trouble was yet to come our way, I realized I didn’t care.

With the woman I loved sleeping soundly in my arms,it didn’t matter what would happen in the days to come. No one could predict that.

Only time would tell.

And I was happy to release control for once, and let the future write itself.

Chapter 28

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