Page 75 of The Enemy's Defector
She was the one I would protect and love until my last breath, and I would do all I could in my power to prove it to her each and every day. Even if it meant killing her uncle for her, just to keep her safe.
31
KATERINA
Iwoke up with the feeling of a cloud being lifted off me.
Hearing Nik tell me that he loved me changed me. As sappy as it sounded, that simple declaration of love shifted what we shared.
I sighed, unable to hold in this pure joy that filled me. I wasn’t stuck or worried. For the first time in my life, I truly felt hopeful and optimistic.
“There is no way you had enough hours of sleep to sound that happy and peppy.” Nik rolled over, hugging me so tightly that he maneuvered me to lie on top of him. Not once did he open his eyes. Squinting them shut tight, with that stubborn lock of brown hair flopping over his brow, he looked sexy and adorable, so sleepy.
I couldn’t help but laugh lightly as I snuggled against his warm, hard chest.
“How are you even awake after all the ways I kept you up last night?” he asked, stroking his big hand over my back.
“I’m just in a good mood.”
“I can tell. That was an epic sigh of satisfaction.”
“Well, you satisfy me.”
He peered at me with one eye open. “I aim to please.”
Leaning up to kiss him, I reveled in the freedom to do that and know it was an act of love, not just something that would lead to more sex.
“All right. What gives? You’re acting weird.”
I laughed again. “I’m just happy. You said you love me.”
He raised one arm to rest it behind his head, keeping his other hand on my back to hold me close. “I do. I always have.” He furrowed his brow. “Why are you acting like that’s some rare, new discovery?”
“You never told me that before.” I couldn’t stop smiling. “I mean, I never told you either. I’d hoped and dreamed and fantasized, but we’d never actually told each other that.”
While he looked pensive and deep in thought, he didn’t seem upset about what I was pointing out. Nor did he look happy. Just confused. “But how could you not have known that?” He chuckled now, as if it were a silly thought. “We got married. We had sex. We’ve always been… us.”
“In hindsight, yeah. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions and worried that you didn’t.”
“What?” He sat up more, helping me shift so I would still lie on him but more to the side. “What conclusions?”
“When I told you that I was pregnant and you proposed, you worded it like you wanted to marry me because of the baby.”
“I did.”
“That youonlywanted to marry me because of the baby, not because you loved me.”
Letting out a long sigh, he stared at me like I’d hurt him with my words. “Katerina…”
“I know. Like I said, I let it get to my head. You kept saying it was all about the baby, to bring him or her here where they could be guarded behind this fortress and be safe and?—”
“Both of you,” he corrected, pointing out the obvious.
“Yes. But look at it from my perspective. I ran from my ‘family’. I learned that my relative killed my father. I had no one. I was wanted for defying him and had no safe place to go. Those first days when we were hiding together, I was so hopeful that I could have a future and place with you. I kept waiting and wishing for you to come out and say, hey, be with me, please.”
“And there I was, going on and on about needing to find out who ordered my capture.”
I nodded, but I cupped his face and kissed him gently. “Yes. I don’t blame you. I understand your need to protect and get answers. That’s why I understand you’ll be away at meetings and working on that same thing now that you’re home and have more resources.”
