Page 58 of Vendetta Vows

"Aurora Castellanos," he says, his voice dropping to that low, velvety rumble that makes my skin tingle. "Will you marry me?"

My heart slams against my ribs. A million thoughts race through my mind at once. This is insane. We barely know each other. He's a criminal. I'd be trading one cage for another.

Run, Jamie Fields whispers in my ear.Run like you did seven years ago.

But where would I go? How long can I stay hidden before Kristofer finds me? How many more identities can I steal before I lose myself completely?

And deeper still, beneath all the practical considerations, there's that flicker of something I thought had died with my family. A dangerous hunger that sparked to life in that alleyway last week and hasn't stopped burning since.

"Yes, Ruslan Dragunov," I say, surprising myself with how right it feels on my tongue. "I'll marry you."

Ruslan's expression shifts, softens for just a moment before hardening into resolve. He takes my hand in his, and I notice how small mine looks against his tattooed fingers.

"Then it's settled," he says. "You're under my protection now,zarechka. No one will harm you while I draw breath."

I should be terrified by what I've just agreed to. By all rights, I should be looking for the nearest exit.

But as Ruslan's thumb traces circles on my palm, all I feel is something I haven't felt in seven long years.

I feel safe.

He rises and pulls me closer until there's no space left between us.

When his lips touch mine, something shifts inside me.

This isn't like our kiss in his car, tentative yet bold in the safety of privacy. It's not like our stolen moment at Nikoforov either, reckless with heat and hunger.

No, this kiss is different. It's solemn and laden with promises.

A vow sealed without a need for words.

His mouth moves against mine with deliberate slowness, as if memorizing the shape of my lips. I feel the gentle touch of his palm as he cups my cheeks, the solid warmth of his chest under my palms. The scent of cedarwood and mahogany fills my nose, along with the taste of grief and something uniquely him that makes my knees weak.

What are you doing?Jamie Fields screams from a distant corner of my mind.You can't trust him! He's a killer. A monster! Everything you should be running from. Do you have any idea how dangerous this is?

I feel her panic rising like a tide, threatening to drown me in doubt. Jamie knows about men who kill. Men who destroy everything they touch. Men who see women as possessions, not people.

But I push her voice down, burying it beneath the steady rhythm of Ruslan's heartbeat against my palm. My tongue coaxes against his, and a tiny moan of pleasure bubbles up from deep inside of me.

He's not just any monster,I tell her silently.He's my monster.

My fingers curl into the fabric of Ruslan's shirt as I press myself closer, deepening the kiss. His hands slide up my back, cradling me against him like something precious, something worth protecting.

When we finally break apart, I'm breathless. Ruslan's golden eyes are dark with promise as his thumb traces the curve of my cheek.

Seven years ago, I fled from one monster who wanted to possess me. Today, I'm choosing another who wants to shield me.

The irony isn't lost on me.

After years of running, I'm finding safety in the arms of a man who likely has more blood on his hands than Kristofer ever will.

But there's a single difference between them that matters.

Ruslan would kill to keep me safe rather than kill to keep me in chains.

16

AURORA

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