Page 276 of Ruins
Santo
Something about tonight doesn’t feel right. There are too many missing pieces to this puzzle, too many unanswered questions, and a creeping fear gnawing at my chest—the fear that I won’t see her again. I can’t shake it. I need to immerse myself in her, to feel her, touch her, take her.
It’sher.
It will always be her and I cannot—Iwillnot leave this earth without once more being a part of her. I remove our clothes in a rush, desperate to feel her skin against mine. Her breath hitches, sending a wave of heat through my body. Every sound, every movement she makes, is amplified.
Her hands find their way through my hair, urging me closer. I trace the curve of her collarbone with my lips, savoring the feel of her. She moans softly, sending a rush of adrenaline mixed with an insatiable desire through me.
I pull back for a moment, looking into her eyes. They’re filled with love and a hint of confusion, and it pulls at my heart because I can’t answer her questions right now. The love I have for this woman is so fierce it’s sometimes overwhelming. I kiss her softly, feeling the tremor in her body beneath mine. Her eyes flutter shut, and I drink in the sight of her—the woman who has etched herself into my soul, the woman whose eyes, those eyes that I adore, remain closed as if savoring the moment.
“Vasilisa,” I whisper into her ear, my voice a soft rasp.
Her eyes open wide, filled with that innocent curiosity that pulls me deeper.
“I need you.”
The desperation in my voice is unmistakable, and she understands. Her hands cradle my face, pulling me down to her, pressing her lips to mine once more.
Her hands trail down to my back, her fingers tracing patterns as if memorizing every inch of me—just as I am doing with her. It’s like we’re saying a silent goodbye, but the words never leave our lips. We’re afraid that if we speak them aloud, they’ll become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
For now, this is all I have—Vasilisa beneath me, her warmth seeping into me, chasing away the cold dread that has settled deep in my bones. Her love wraps around me, a blanket against the harsh realities of the world outside these four walls. I kiss her urgently, pushing inside her, swallowing the gasp that escapes her lips. The feel of her, the connection, is like nothing I’ve ever known. Her body responds to mine in ways that make every second of this moment feel eternal. Her legs wrap around me, pulling me deeper, and I groan at the sensation. The world narrows down to her. Just for a while, all my fears about tonight slip away, and all that remains is Vasilisa.
Her breath hitches as I deepen our connection, my movements slow, deliberate, savoring every inch of her. I want to remember her like this—beautiful, glowing, beneath me, offering herself to me without reservation.
I feel a sting behind my eyes for the first time in over a decade, but I blink it away, refusing to let it form. Not now. Not here.
A knot tightens in my chest as the realization hits - everything after this moment is uncertain; a nebulous void of possibilities that could lead me away from her.
“Santo,” she says urgently. Her hands clutch at my back, nails leaving half-moon imprints on my skin, her body arches beneath me, a silent plea for more and I willingly oblige. My movements become more deliberate, driven by an insatiable need to connect with her, to tether our souls together indelibly, so that no matter what may come, I will forever be a part of her. I kiss her intensely as I continue to lose myself in her.
“Santo,” she whispers against my lips, her voice trembling with emotion. “I love you.”
I pull back slightly, enough to gaze down at her face and see the euphoria mirrored in her eyes. Her cheeks flushed a rosy hue, a thin sheen of sweat covers her body making her glow under the lights. She looks at me with those achingly beautiful eyes that give up the secrets of her soul, filled with longing and unwavering love for me.
Everything inside me shatters. The last remnants of restraint dissolve, leaving nothing, but raw, aching devotion. I can see it in her face—her eyes tell me it’s okay, that even if this is our last night together, it’s worth every moment of pain that may follow. I hold on to that thought while I surrender myself completely to her - body, mind and soul intertwined with hers.
I would die for you.
I want to say, but the words get stuck in my throat. Fear and regret prevent them from leaving my lips. Instead, I pour all the love, all the pain, all the unsaid words into every kiss, every touch, every movement, hoping she understands what language fails to convey.
As I reach my peak, Vasilisa trembles beneath me, her climax shaking through her body. Her eyes meet mine, and in that moment, I see it—a flicker of fear in her gaze.
I pull her close against me. Our hearts beat erratically in rhythm, a symphony of love played out on the canvas of our bodies. If this is the last moment we have – this, right here, then I hope she will remember it for eternity.
Tonight may bring uncertainty, but right now, in this moment, all that matters is Vasilisa and the bond we share. I pull her against me, our breaths still mingling, our bodies still entwined, as if holding on tight enough can stop the inevitable.
Wrapping her in my arms, I hold onto what feels like the last semblance of peace before the impending storm.
***
The drive to the dock is suffocatingly silent. Not the calm kind—the kind that sits heavy in the air, thick with unspoken tension. Even the rumble of the car’s engine feels muted beneath it. Armored SUVs flank us on either side, our men ready for war. Maksim grips the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles go white, jaw locked, eyes fixed ahead. Angelo sits in the passenger seat, just as quiet, just as tense. His gaze stays glued to the darkened city streets, watching them slip by like shadows.
I lean my head back, closing my eyes, letting my mind drift—to her.
Vasilisa.
I can still feel her, the warmth of her skin beneath my fingertips, the softness of her lips, the way she clung to me like I was her only tether. The scent of her perfume lingers on me, a cruel reminder of everything I’ve left behind and everything at stake tonight.
