Page 125 of Kadra: The Unfeeling

Vi.

The most stubborn woman I know who would rather shove a thousand knives into her heart than show any weakness, just shortened my name and said it so lovingly that my breath hitches and I’m having trouble finding my next breath.

It fucking hurts to look at her.

However, I don’t give a fuck as my body grows tight and my mind screams one thing only, pounding in time with my heart.

Mine. Mine. Mine.

We stand in silence for a few seconds, just … staring at each other.

“No matter what happens here, Kadra Parisi. You have me.” I promise knowing that she needs to hear it. She can’t hide from me. I see her. I see every part of her. Since we left the mansion, she’s been anxious.

“Do you promise?” Those whiskey eyes seem almost sad when she looks at me searching for something.

I bring our joint hands to my chest and let her feel the beating of my heart. “As long as this beats, I’ll be here.”

“And if it ever stops beating?”

“I’ll still find my way back to you,” I vow. I don’t know how i’ll do it but fuck if I’m not going to try.

She cocks her head to the side, deep in thought as she stares at my face all the while my heart is pounding so hard I fear it might stop at any given moment if she keeps looking at me that way. After a long pause, her plump red lips opened. “Vitali.” She breathes out. “I–”’

The words are on the tip of her tongue but for some reason she can’t finish her sentence. I don’t need to hear the words. I feel it. I’ve been feeling her love since I stepped foot in her city.

The love that gave purpose to my soul.

“I know.” I grin feeling as if I just won the goddamn lottery. As if I’ve just been crowned king of the world. As if I just won my place in heaven. Because I did. She gave me that the second her heart decided to give mine a chance.

“Go–” this time she doesn’t get to finish because I swallow her next words with my kiss. Pulling her closer, I grab the back of her neck and take her lips, kissing her madly. Like an addict that’s gone years without a fix.

Nothing has ever felt as good as this.

As us.

Then the moment is interrupted by a message on Kadra’s phone. We break apart, panting and out of breath.

“No.” Heartbreak laces her tone as she looks down at her phone.

“What is it?” I bark, not liking the sound of terror in her voice. When I see what she does, fury and terror blind me for a second, robbing me of everything but the color red. All I see is my son looking at the camera with a blank expression on his face. No fear. No anger. Nothing. Not even sadness. He looks just as empty as I feel at the moment. As if my boy always knew this would happen.

A pain in my chest pushes me back as if I’ve been shot and memories of my brother, Mikhail blend in with every second I spent with my son the past week tormenting me. Ripping me apart piece by piece.

“Fuccccck.” I hiss, unable to breathe properly.

I failed them both.

I failed my son twice.

Death would be more merciful than this guilt choking me.

“How is this possible?” Kadra pulls back, anger and shock written all over her expression. “We left him with Grim.” Her eyes turn dark before she growls. “Do you think Grim–”

She doesn’t get to finish her question when another message pops up. This one a photo of Grim tied to a chair with visible bruises on his face and blood soaking his white shirt. Fuck!

What the fuck went wrong?

I left my son and my best mercenary with an army of Kadra’s men.

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