Page 107 of Marked (Russian Sinners 1)

“You don’t-”

I stopped him. “I want to tell you everything, and I want you to feel comfortable to tell me everything,” I hoped he could trust me. I knew it was hard for him, since all his life he only had himself to depend on. “I wasn’t getting away from you. I was going home… to your place. I just wanted to have some time alone to think after Vlad told me you were in Boris’ organized crime group.”

His jaw pressed together, but I continued. It was important. “I don’t fault you for making choices you had to in order to survive. All that matters to me is that you never hurt an innocent person. If you had to steal from a thief, or defend yourself from murderers, I am glad you did. What upset me was that I didn’t hear that from you, and thoughts that you might have known about my mom and I being kidnapped fifteen years ago.”

He took my face between his hands. “I swear to you, milaya, I didn’t know about it back then. We weren’t part of the scheme that kidnapped you and your mother. I had been trying to bring Boris down for the past two decades.” He took a deep breath and continued, “I should have told you, but part of me was sure you’d turn away from me. That you couldn’t possibly love someone like me.”

The pain in his words, in his expression went straight to my heart. I wished I could hunt down the parents that abandoned this beautiful and caring man to make them see what they had missed out on.

“Listen, Dimitry. I have never told another man that I love him. Family excluded.” I let the words sink in, hoping he’d realize how special he was to me. “Even if you find that I’m not the one for you, I wouldn’t take my words back. You are an amazing man and I couldn’t care less if you were a beggar. I’d still love you.”

“Fuck, Anastasia,” his voice was gruttal. “I want to marry you right now. You are the one for me. Just thinking about you leaving me makes me lose all my sanity.”

I smiled. “Okay, then no more doubts or wondering if you deserve me or I deserve you. Okay?”

“Marry me, Anastasia.” I stared at him in shock.

“Seriously? I… I,” now I was stuttering. “I thought-”

He got down on one knee, took my hand, and placed the palm over his sacred heart.

“Anastasia Manciatti, would you please marry me? I love you so much it scares the fucking shit out of me. You are my light and reason for living. Would you do me an honor and become Mrs. Alexeyev?”

Although I was in the hospital bed, and both of us probably looked like crap, it was the most beautiful moment of my entire life. Tears pooled out of my eyes.

“Yes. Yes. Yes.” The smile on his face probably reflected mine. “And you can't take it back. You are mine now.”

“And you mine, milaya.” Closing the distance, he pressed my lips to his, his kiss unhurried unlike any we’d shared before. He pulled back too soon. “Now, we are going to feed you.”

He asked me to marry him. And I said yes. I couldn’t wait to do it. If he’d drag a priest over now, I’d gladly marry him now. A million thoughts ran through my head as he fed me small portions of liquid diet that were meant to be easy on the stomach. As soon as I signaled I was full, he handed me the meds I had to take.

I leaned back against the pillow, feeling exhaustion creep in. I felt so happy, I thought I’d burst into a million pieces. But first I really, really wanted to get cleaned up.

“Morskoy, any chance you’d help me with a sponge bath?” I looked up with a pleading gaze. “Or maybe we could shower together… you know, like before?” I attempted to bat my lashes but I was so exhausted my eyes remained closed too long.

He chuckled. “Let me check with the nurse. It might not be a bad idea. She mentioned she was coming back to change your bandages. But this won’t be like our last shower together,” he warned me and my heart swelled. “Sponge bath only. And don’t get any ideas, woman.”

Thank God.I really wanted a shower, sex or no sex. Although I knew for sure I wouldn't be able to handle it. My body was in so much pain. He left and while I waited for him to come back, I laid against the pillows with my eyes closed.

Boris was my biological father. And he was dead. I had so many questions to ask my dad and grandfather about Mom’s history. My mother was so gentle and soft, how did she end up involved with someone like Boris. I couldn’t understand Boris’ love that destroyed my mother. That wasn’t love; it was obsession. There was so much I didn’t know about my mom or my dad. We’d seriously have to dig some skeletons out of the closet.

Dimitry came back at that moment and I opened my eyes. I really felt tired, but no wonder considering I’d been shot, bruised up, broke a few ribs, and lost a considerable amount of blood.

“Hey,” I murmured, noting he still wore the same clothes from the wedding. “All good?”

“Yes, they said it’s safe to give you a sponge bath. Even a shower. We just need to make sure you don’t strain and open the wound. I’ll get the water ready. Stay there.”

I smiled. “I’m not going anywhere, Morskoy.”

I heard him shuffle things in the bathroom as he turned the shower on and then he was back in the room stripping his clothes off. He came up to me and helped me carefully remove the hospital gown.

Inside the bathroom, he gently put me under the water, while he stood behind me with one arm supporting me around my breast. He washed me gently and with care; every few seconds asking if I hurt. He applied the same gentleness at washing my hair and my heart swelled at his light caress.

When we were done, he quickly washed himself and we were out of the shower. Afterward he helped me dress and with only a towel around his waist, he carried me back to the hospital bed.

“Good?”

I exhaled, feeling much better. “Yes, thank you.”

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