Page 66 of Unleashed

What is he hiding?

Why does this name trigger so much familiarity for me?

We pull up to the stores, and Rafail leans in and kisses my cheek. “I’m sorry for the confusion, my love. Remember, the doctor said that you could have false memories too. Give it time. Let it go for now, and just let things surface as they should.”

False memories.

No… no, these aren’t false memories. I can see the garden outside the home I grew up in. I can see a huge, muscular man with a big smile on his face. His name was… Viktor. He was my brother. When I was little, he’d walk around with me on his shoulders because he was big, even as a child.

He's my brother too. I had lots of brothers. Did I have sisters? I don’t know if I remember sisters, but I know some of my brothers were… married. Yes. Like me.

Why don’t I remember my wedding day?

I close my eyes and try to relax my brain.

Please, just let me remember. Please.

I paint a picture in my mind, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t remember.

“Anissa,” Rafail says gently. “Let’s go. You’re going to hurt yourself if you push too hard, baby. Don’t. It’ll be okay, I promise.” He pulls me to him and holds me tight, his big arms wrapped around me as he kisses my forehead. “It’ll be fine, Anissa. You’ll see.” He kisses my cheek again. “I love you.” His voice drops. “We all do.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. Because up until ten minutes ago, I would’ve thought I felt the same.

Chapter 19

RAFAIL

Polina Romanova.

I watch my wife retreat.

I watch her hear me, listen to the words I whisper to her without responding. Something’s changed. I can’t counteract the growing doubt she seems to feel as her memories begin to surface.

We’re at a pivotal moment, and I don’t know how to stop this from happening. The more she remembers, the more I feel like I need to anchor her to me so she doesn’t leave.

It unsettles me. It’s then that I realize my feelings for her have put me in a place I fucking promised myself I would never be.

Vulnerable.

Weak.

At the mercy of someone else.

I clench my fist and shake my head. No, I promised myself I wouldn’t do this, and yet here I am, as vulnerable as I was the day she jilted me at the altar.

No. I won’t let it happen.

She’s mine, my bride, my wife… my everything.And I’ll do everything in my power to keep her safe.Everything.

No matter the cost.

I know I should reassure her. I should maybe convince her that everything’s as it should be, that nothing in our past is afoul. But the more I think about her growing doubt… the more my fear of being dangerously vulnerable surfaces.

“Rafail?” Anissa asks, her hand on my shoulder. And just like every time she touches me that way, my anger melts like snow under the blazing sun. I breathe more deeply. I feel… lighter.

I kiss her fingertips. “Yes?”

Her baby-blue eyes bore into mine with concern as she cups my jaw. “I think we’re both confused,” she says softly. She swallows hard before she continues. “Let’s make a pact.”

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