Page 111 of Stolen Seconds

Her eyelids drooped halfway, and I shook her, palming her jaw as I became frantic. “Hey! You’re not dying, you hear me?” A single tear streaked down her cheek and fell on my thumb. “Don’t you dare fucking leave me.”

“You motherfucker.” A pair of hands grabbed me by the collar, wrenching me away from Irina but I couldn’t remove my gaze from her limp body to see who. Until their fist hit me in the face causing me to stagger backward.

I turned my head and my body tensed as I came face to face with Ivan Morozov. Viktor nowhere in sight.

Cold sweat raced down my spine. He thought I did this to his daughter and even though I could, it would be useless to prove otherwise.

I was running out of time.

All I could focus on was Irina and holding her in my arms again. “Please.” One word yet it held more meaning than any other.

The bullet hit me hard and fast, knocking me to the floor next to Irina.

I waited for the pain to consume me, but I was numb as I stared at her across from me.

“Irina,” I whispered, tears trickling down my face. I needed to say those three words to her. Words I should’ve said weeks ago. And even if she couldn’t hear me anymore, I needed to say it aloud. In some tragic way, I wanted her to know I loved her in this life, and I’d love her in the next.

“I love you.”

Chapter 30

Irina

That’s the irony of time, it doesn’t wait for anyone.

And as I lay beside Luca, our hands reaching but never touching, I realized my mistake.

It didn’t wait for me to say those three words back.

It was too late.

Chapter 31

Luca

Asoft caress on my jaw caused me to blink away the tiredness from my eyes.

“I knew you were a heavy sleeper, but don’t you think it might be time to get up?”

I shot upright at the sound of Irina’s voice, a sigh of relief escaping me at seeing her angelic face.

“You’re here?” I asked, pulling her on my lap, the press of her body easing the heaviness in my soul. “You’re really here.” I kissed her everywhere I could reach to remind myself that she was safe in my arms.

“Where else would I be?” She chuckled, a dull ache forming between my ribs. I wanted to hear that sound forever.

“You wouldn’t believe the nightmare I just had,” I breathed, inhaling her amber scent. “But it doesn’t matter now. I’m never letting you go.”

“Luca?”

“Hm, sweetheart?”

“It’ll be okay.”

I froze. “What do you mean?”

But as I pulled back to look at her, another voice punctured the space between us, and I felt the vision fade as I was thrust back into a reality I wanted to escape.

“He’s been sitting like this for weeks, Roman,” Eva whispered, as if I couldn’t hear her conversation with Roman. “I’m so worried about him.”

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