Page 78 of Dangerous Beginnings

I take a breath, feeling a surge of confidence. “Well, if I’m your sunshine, you’ve managed to make it pretty damn hard to see the light.”

Aslanov’s gaze sharpens, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face. He licks his lips, his voice lowering to a raw edge. “I didn’t mean to cage the light, Isabella. Sometimes, what we cherish the most, we end up harming the most, even when that wasn’t the intention.”

His confession hangs in the air, a heavy, raw admission that settles between us. I’m momentarily stunned, the truth of his words striking a chord deep within me. Aslanov, usually so guarded, has let a sliver of vulnerability slip through, and it leaves me feeling conflicted.

I stand there, processing the weight of his admission.Cherishing what we harm most.It’s a sentiment I can understand, a reflection of the complexity of human emotionsand relationships. Yet, in his case, it feels like a double-edged sword. I want to believe that his actions stemmed from a place of deep, if misguided, affection. But how can I reconcile that with the pain he’s caused?

His gaze is intense, almost pleading, and for a brief second, I see a glimpse of the man behind the walls he’s built around himself. It’s disarming, this rare display of honesty. It’s a side of him I haven’t seen before, and it tugs at something within me—a flicker of hope, mingled with a lingering fear.

“Okay,” I state as I get a hold of the pen. I sit down on the floor of the cell and place the contract in front of me, taking another deep breath while signing it. I swallow down the doubt as I pass the contract and pen over to Aslanov.

“If you want to do this, you’ll have to trust me without restraints,” he says, his voice firm but tinged with uncertainty. “I’m not sitting here for a month,‘solnyshko’.”

“Besides, I can’t sign it like this.” He nods at the cuffs.

His words echo in my mind, and I find myself torn between the desire to trust him and the fear of what might happen if I do. But deep down, I know that if I want any chance of making this work, I’ll have to take a leap of faith.

With slightly trembling hands, I reach for the handcuff key, my heart pounding in my chest. I move towards him and place the key in the hole. As I unlock the restraints, I can feel the weight of the decision settling over me like a heavy cloak.

Aslanov rubs his wrists, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips, But as I turn to hand him the contract, my thoughts are interrupted by a sudden, piercing scream that echoes through the room. My heart leaps into my throat, panic coursing through me as I spin around to see what’s caused the disturbance.

And there, sitting before me, is Aslanov, a mischievous glint in his eyes and a devilish grin on his lips.

“Boo!” he shouts, his voice booming in the silence of the room.

The suddenness of his outburst sends me reeling, my heart pounding in my chest as I fall backward, nearly losing my balance. A startled scream escapes my lips, echoing off the walls of the cell. I glare at Aslanov, my cheeks flushed with embarrassment and frustration.

“That wasn’t funny!” I snap, my voice trembling with a mixture of fear and indignation. Aslanov’s laughter fills the room, a deep, rumbling sound that reverberates off the walls. A sound I could listen to all day. He holds up his hands in mock surrender, still chuckling to himself.

“Sorry, that was just too tempting,” he says, his voice laced with amusement.

With a resigned sigh, I shake my head, trying to suppress the smile that threatens to betray me. “You’re an impossible asshole, you know that?”

Aslanov’s grin widens, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Guilty as charged,” he replies, his tone playful.

Without another word, he reaches for the pen, his hand steady as he signs his name with a flourish. His signature is just almost as pretty as him.

The sound of the pen scratching against the paper fills the room, a stark reminder of the weight of our agreement. Aslanov’s signature glides smoothly across the page, sealing our fate in ink. Once he’s finished, he sets the pen down and slides the contract back towards me, his expression unreadable. For a moment, we simply stare at each other, the weight of our decision hanging heavy in the air between us.

“And now?” I asked while grabbing a hold of the contract. Making sure to keep that somewhere safe and secure. The question lingers between us like a silent plea for guidance.

“Weren’t you the woman in charge?”

My cheeks turn even redder, my body pulsing with embarrassment.

He stands up and before I can stand up both his hands wrap under my armpits, lifting me off the ground with one swift motion.

I’m reminded of our height difference again as he reaches for the keycard and pushes the door open. After that, he picks his gun back up. I rush out of the cell, not wanting to spend another second in there. The hallway is dark now with some dim lights. No one else is in the house except Sasha, but she stays in another wing of the house. Never interfering with him.

His presence behind me lets me know he’s stepped out of the cell now. It’s very late, way past midnight. But I’ve overcome my sleep by now. My stomach growls as I rub my eyes, the house is eerie silent and I wonder how long he has been living in silence here, alone.

Aslanov has gathered all his stuff and now walks down the hallway, I stand there. Not sure what to do.

“What are you waiting for?” he asks while turning the corner. And before I lose him out of sight, I am quick to sprint behind him. We end up in the dark wooden kitchen. He must have heard my stomach, because he begins to gather ingredients on the counter. The scent of spices and herbs wafts through the air as he begins to prepare a midnight snack. As he moves around the kitchen with practiced ease, I can’t help but admire the fluidity of his movements. Despite his rough exterior, there’s a gracefulness to his actions, a precision that speaks to his skill in the culinary arts.

“So, you’re a man of many talents,” I comment, leaning against the counter as I watch him work. “Who knew you were such a whiz in the kitchen?”

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