Page 115 of Cruel Honor

But for some reason, I don’t care. All the guilt and anxiety I felt over Tatiana is gone. I’ve done a good thing tonight. I ended Dima’s reign of terror. I can sleep better knowing he’ll never kill another woman again.

I’m calm as I walk away from his house. As I find the nearest subway station, which takes me about an hour to reach. As I try to remember where the motel is located. As I finally find the right train and sit on a seat as the dark tunnel crosses my vision. As a woman subtly shifts away from me when she sees my bloody hands and disheveled state.

I still feel calm as I finally find the motel and approach the door.

I’m about to knock when the door opens. Dimitri is standing there. I take one look at him, and then I’m in his arms.

“Evie?” he says, holding me close. My bloody hands grip his suit jacket. I wonder if he’ll be upset. You know, I don’t think he will be.

“Just hold me,” I whisper.

Neither he nor Katya speak. They must both sense what I need at this moment, and what I need is just to feel the safety of my husband.

I sink deeper into his chest as Dimitri tightens his arms around me.

“You’re alive,” he says. “Are you hurt?” He pulls back and lifts my hands up.

“Not my blood. Dima’s. He’s dead.”

Dimitri goes still before he cups my face. “I don’t even know what to say to that.”

“I killed him. He’s dead. You might want to send your cleanup crew to his house before the police find his body.”

“It’s freaky,” Katya says. “You kind of sound like my brother right now.”

That’s because I’m becoming a part of the Bratva. Slowly and surely, it has sunk its claws into me, and I can’t leave it even if I wanted to. But I’m not sure I do because leaving it would mean leaving Dimitri behind.

“You’re amazing,” Dimitri breathes out right before he kisses me.

“Eww. Get a room,” Katya mutters.

He pulls back. “A room. Right. Let’s get out of this motel. We should leave in case Abram followed me or Maxim back here.”

I don’t have time to celebrate with Dimitri. We’re already on the move. On the run. Still fighting for our lives.

The new hotel we stay at is much better than the motel.

Dimitri gets a room for Katya and a separate room for him and me.

The moment we’re alone in the much cleaner, much more elegant hotel room, we turn to each other.

“I want to know how you killed Dima, but right now, all I want is to kiss you.”

“So, kiss me.”

Dimitri wraps his arms around me and kisses me like he’s a dying man. My lips are just as hungry.

He picks me up around the waist and carries me over to the bed. He hasn’t touched me intimately since he put his hand between my legs and gave me an orgasm. I’ve been desperate for him to touch me again.

Now, I feel free. Dima is gone. Tatiana is growing fainter in my mind.

I just want to be with Dimitri completely.

His hands roam down to my hips, and he squeezes them, sending aflare of desire through me. I moan softly and arch my back, bringing my chest closer to his.

His strong hands move lower to my upper thighs where he pushes up my skirt. “I’ve wanted to make you mine for weeks,” he says into my ear.

And I say the words that will change the course of our relationship.

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