Page 35 of Veil of Shadows

I push off the car, stepping closer. “There’s something you need to know. About the investigation.”

Alyssa narrows her eyes, suspicion flickering across her features. “What do you mean? Is it about the Bratva?”

I nod, feeling the weight of the truth pressing down on me. “Yes. They’re aware of your investigation. It’s more dangerous than you realize.”

Her breath catches, and I see the flicker of fear in her eyes. “What do you mean? Are they coming for me?”

“I won’t let that happen,” I promise, stepping closer, needing her to understand. “I’m here to protect you. I made that decision.”

Alyssa’s brow furrows as she processes my words. “Protect me? Why would you do that? I thought you were loyal to them.”

“I am loyal,” I reply, frustration creeping into my voice. “But my loyalty to you has become my priority. You deserve to know the truth.”

“You’re risking everything,” she challenges, her voice trembling slightly. “How can I trust you?”

“I’ll show you,” I respond, desperate to break through the walls she’s built. “But first, you need to trust me. Can you do that?”

Her eyes search mine, and for a moment, the world around us fades. There’s a flicker of understanding, a spark of connection that pulls us closer. “I don’t know, Viktor,” she admits, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Please,” I urge, stepping even closer, feeling the tension crackle in the air. “Let me help you. Let me protect you.”

Alyssa takes a deep breath, her resolve faltering. “What’s your plan? You’re saying you’ll protect me, but how?”

I can feel the weight of her question, the uncertainty that comes with it. “I’ll make sure you’re safe. I’ll put measures in place to keep you away from any threats.”

“And if they find out?” she presses, her voice rising. “What will you do then? You’ll be putting yourself in danger too!”

“Then I’ll face them,” I say, my voice steady. “But I won’t abandon you, Alyssa. Not now, not ever.”

Her eyes soften, but I can see the conflict swirling within her. “Viktor, you don’t have to do this. I can walk away from the investigation. I can—”

“No,” I interrupt, grabbing her wrist gently. “You can’t walk away. You’re too close to the truth. And I won’t let them hurt you because of that.”

The air between us thickens with tension, our breaths mingling as we stand close. I can see the fear and uncertainty in her gaze, but beneath it all, there’s a flicker of something deeper—something I can’t ignore.

“Alyssa,” I murmur, leaning closer, my voice dropping to a husky whisper. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”

In that moment, something shifts. The distance between us disappears, and I pull her closer, our lips meeting in a desperate, urgent kiss. It’s a kiss that speaks of fear and longing, a kiss that carries the weight of our connection.

As our lips meld, the world fades away. The urgency of the moment consumes us, and I feel her fingers weave into my hair, pulling me closer as if she’s afraid I’ll vanish. My hands find her waist, drawing her against me, and I can feel the warmth radiating from her body.

Every brush of her lips ignites something deep within me, and I can’t help but deepen the kiss, our breaths mingling in the cool night air. There’s an urgency, a need that drives us, and as the kiss intensifies, I lose myself in the moment, the chaos of our lives fading into the background.

Alyssa responds with equal fervor, her body pressing against mine, and I can feel her heart racing beneath her ribcage. There’s a hunger between us, a connection that defies the danger surrounding us. I want to drown in her, to forget everything else, but the weight of reality pulls at the edges of my consciousness.

“Viktor,” she gasps against my lips, her breath hot, pulling me back to reality. “We can’t—”

“I know,” I murmur, capturing her lips once more, unwilling to break the connection. I want to shield her from the chaos of our lives, to give her a moment of peace amidst the storm.

But the moment is fleeting, and as I pull away, I see the uncertainty etched across her features. “We need to be cautious,” I remind her, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “You need to understand how serious this is.”

“I do,” she replies, her voice trembling slightly. “But it’s hard to think about that when you’re here.”

“Then let me be here,” I whisper, my eyes locking onto hers. “Let me protect you. Let me be your shield against whatever comes next.”

As we stand there, the weight of our connection lingers in the air. I can feel her uncertainty, her fear, and beneath it all, a flicker of trust that gives me hope. “I don’t want to put you in danger,” she admits, her voice barely above a whisper.

“And I don’t want to lose you,” I reply, my heart pounding in my chest. “But we need to face this together. I won’t let them take you away from me.”

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