Page 52 of Crave

With a grunt, he falls first to his knees, then forward, burying it all the way to the hilt.

Rushing to Lara, I pull the tube out of her mouth that he was putting in her.

As gently as possible, I cradle her as she blinks up at me.

“Alexei?” Her voice is hoarse.

“Yes, pchelka?”

“You found me.”

My heart hammers in my chest as I stroke away her hair from her face. As beautiful as ever, even now.

I do everything to suppress the burning rage inside of me as I look at the mark on her face. They will all pay. Painfully.

But for now, I have her in my arms and as I look into her eyes, that is all that matters.

She is the calm to my storm.

“Of course. Nothing could ever stop me.”

It’s like the room around us crackles as she softly brings her cold hand up and rests it on my cheek. Wiping away the stray tear I didn’t even know had fallen.

She’s here, she’s okay, I remind myself.

She is all I see, all I’ve ever seen. I willingly gave up my soul to her a long time ago, because she is my person in this world. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

As I look to her lips, this overwhelming urge consumes me to press mine against hers.

“Sladkiy,” she whispers.

I smile, leaning closer.

She sucks in a breath, her eyes still burning into my own as my heart feels like it’s making an escape through my ribs.

I really, really, want to kiss her.

Fuck it.

One kiss won’t ruin what we have.

CHAPTER 21

LARA

Song- Who We Are, Hozier

Something in his gaze shifts.

The way he’s looking between my eyes and my lips makes me want to scream at him to kiss me.

I am safe, in his arms, exactly where I am meant to be. Tears burn, but I keep my focus on him.

Everything else fades away as he pulls back, focusing on my mouth.

Does he feel this pull too?

I hold my breath. In this moment, nothing else matters.

---