Page 55 of Twisted Empire: King's Gambit

“Mikhail, it’s...it’s done. It’s over. I just needed you to know, to understand why I am the way I am,” her eyes are glossy but resilient, meeting mine as she speaks. “You should know who you’re falling for; all of me, even the damaged parts.”

The ‘why I am the way I am’ slices through me. It’s an indictment not just of her past but also a hint that she knows she’s different, marked in a way most people aren’t. And I hate it. I hate that she has to carry that knowledge, that weight.

“You’re not damaged, Gabriette. You’re the strongest person I know. Don’t ever think you’re less because of what that bastard did. He’s the damaged one, and if I could, I’d—”

She places a finger over my lips, halting the violent promise forming there. “You don’t have to say it. I see it in your eyes.”

My heart clenches at her words, at the raw courage it took for her to share this with me.

“Malyshka,” my voice grinds out, low and rough, “you’re not broken. And that motherfucker doesn’t define who you are. You understand me?”

She nods, her eyes meeting mine, and something unspoken passes between us. Understanding, relief, a shared recognition of the darker corners of the human soul.

“I could make him disappear, you know,” I say, the words soaked in a dark promise. “But I won’t. Not unless you tell me to. Because this is your call. Always.”

She sighs, her body sagging against mine as if the weight she’s been carrying has lightened just a fraction.

“I know you could. And knowing that you would... it means everything.”

I pull her even closer, if that’s possible, resting my chin on the top of her head. For a moment, we’re silent, wrapped up in the gravity of what’s been said, what’s been offered.

“If you ever decide you want that bastard to pay, you just say the word,” I tell her quietly, my voice tinged with steel as I kiss her hand. “I may not be able to wage an open war, but trust me when I say there are more ways than one to ruin a man.”

She looks up at me, and I see a mixture of relief and something else—perhaps a glimmer of hope—in her eyes. “Thank you, Mikhail.”

Then I take her hand from my lips and press a fervent kiss to her fingertips. We lie there, our eyes locked in a silent communion deeper than words, each coming to terms with the newfound layers of our entangled lives.

“I want to protect you,” I find myself admitting, the words pulled from a place deep inside, a place I’ve kept guarded for far too long. “I’d do anything to make sure you’re safe.”

“I know,” she murmurs, her eyes searching mine, “And that terrifies me, but it’s also the thing I’ve been wanting for so long.”

Our lips meet in a kiss, a promise, an affirmation of everything we are and could be. The path ahead is uncertain, fraught with dangers neither of us can fully comprehend yet.

My heart is still pounding as I look down at Gabriette, her eyes reflecting a mixture of relief and vulnerability after sharing a piece of her soul with me. But as much as I want this moment to last forever, reality looms large.

There’s something she needs to know, something that’s going to change the trajectory of our lives dramatically.

Taking a deep breath, I summon the courage to break the serene bubble we’re in. “There’s something else you should know. Something that’s going to affect us both.”

Her eyes lock onto mine, bracing for impact. “What is it?”

“I’m becoming Pakhan tonight.” The words hang heavy in the air, like a pebble dropped into a still pond, creating ripples that touch every corner of our lives.

Her eyes widen momentarily, but then she exhales, nodding as if she had been expecting this. “You’ve been putting it off, haven’t you?”

I give a wry smile. “Yes, I’ve been delaying it. Partly because of you, actually.”

“Me?” She looks surprised and confused.

“I wanted to protect you, to keep you away from the inevitable danger that comes with being the Pakhan’s wife. But I’ve realized that’s not fair to you, or to us.”

She takes a moment, her eyes thoughtful, weighing the gravity of what this means. “I grew up in this world, Mikhail. I knew what I was signing up for when we got into this arranged marriage. But knowing that we’re in this, that we’ve found something real... it changes the equation.”

My heart swells at her words, this admittance of something ‘real’ between us. “So you’re not scared?”

“Oh, I’m scared,” she admits. “I’m terrified for you, for us. But I also know that you’re strong and smart, and you won’t carry this burden alone. You have me, and I have you, and together... we can face this.”

The tension I didn’t even know I was holding dissipates, leaving a newfound sense of peace and determination. “I love hearing that, but you should know, the target on my back will grow larger.”

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