Page 107 of Beautiful Agony

"You better." She crosses her arms. "Because if anything happens to either of them?—"

"Nothing will happen to them." I cut her off. "I give you my word."

"Your word?" She arches an eyebrow. "The word of a fucking criminal?"

I recoil at the venomous way she spits that word out.

"The word of a father." I correct her. "And the word of a husband who loves your sister more than his own life. Iwillkeep them safe. Both of them."

I findLacey in our bedroom, staring out at the distant Seattle skyline through rain-streaked windows. Her hand rests protectively over our daughter, and the sight makes my heart clench.

"Your sister's right, you know." I move behind her, wrapping my arms around her. "This is incredibly dangerous."

"I know." She leans back against my chest. "But it's the right thing to do."

"The right thing to do would be keeping you and our daughter safe." My hand covers hers on her belly. "Far away from Kirsan."

"And what about all those other daughters?" She turns in my arms. "The ones he's selling in the open?"

The fierce determination in her eyes takes my breath away. Here she is, carrying our child, and still thinking about how to protect others.

"You're the most impressive person I've ever met," I tell her, meaning every word. "Do you know that?"

"Stop trying to distract me." But her lips curve into a smile.

"I'm not." I cup her face. "You're incredible,zvyozdochka. The way you fight for others, the way you refuse to look away from injustice..." My voice catches. "But I'm terrified of losing you."

"You won't lose me." She covers my hand with hers. "I trust you to keep us safe."

"What if I can't?" The fear that's been gnawing at me finally breaks free. "What if Megan is right? What if something goes wrong, like it did with Irina? I love you too much to watch you die."

"Then we'll make sure nothing goes wrong." She pulls me down until our foreheads touch. "Together."

I close my eyes, breathing in her familiar citrus-lavender scent. "I love you. Both of you. More than anything in this world."

"I love you too," Lacey whispers before pressing her lips against mine. "I love you so much."

Her kiss starts gentle but quickly deepens with need. My hands roam her body, memorizing every curve, every subtle changethat the pregnancy has brought. Her breasts are fuller, more sensitive. Her belly has the slightest swell.

But there's a gnawing dread I can't shake. What if this is the last time I get to hold her like this? What if Kirsan?—

"Stop thinking so much," Lacey murmurs, nipping at my lower lip. "I can feel you getting lost in your head."

"I can't help it." My voice is rough with emotion. "If anything happens to you?—"

"Nothing will happen." She cups my face, forcing me to meet her gaze. "Focus on the now. On this moment. Right now, we're here. Together and safe."

Her words strike true, anchoring me to the present. I capture her mouth in a desperate kiss, pouring everything I feel into it. She matches my intensity, her fingers threading through my hair as she guides me towards our bed.

I trail kisses down her neck, overwhelmed by the need to taste every inch of her skin, to burn the memory of her into my very soul. Her quiet gasps and sighs urge me on as my hands slide under her shirt, finding the warm silk of her skin.

"Make love to me, Vadim," she whispers. "So that I'll always remember this moment."

33

LACEY

Vadim capturesmy lips in a heated kiss that steals my breath away. His hands cup my face, thumbs stroking my cheeks with an almost desperate tenderness that makes my heart ache. There's something different about the way he's touching me tonight—as if he's trying to memorize every curve, every texture, every taste.

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