Page 12 of Ruthless Salvation

“Happy sorting.”

I rolled my eyes playfully. “Don’t remind me.”

Operation: Anti-stalker engaged.

I didn’t know what Torin had going on in that head of his, but I would not under any circumstances repeat my past mistakes. I would rather send a clear message from the beginning than risk entangling myself with another dangerous man.

Past

Life was a pendulum.Sometimes it swung low and slow with little consequence, and at other times, its momentum gathered so much force that the jarring swings were unavoidable.

In two short weeks, I swung from some of the darkest, most desperate days of my life to a new stratosphere of existence where every day was filled with more joy than I could comprehend. Maybe the despair itself had made my new circumstances shine so brilliantly. Daylight could be blinding when emerging from the dark. Maybe God knew I’d been through hell and felt I deserved a break. Or maybe Damyon was simply so incredible that euphoric happiness was an unavoidable consequence of being with him.

Whatever the explanation, I had the most incredible two weeks of my life and never wanted them to end.

I checked out my red satin dress in the gilded full-length hotel mirror. I’d always felt somewhat lanky at five foot seven, most of that height consisting of pasty-white legs—my fair complexion never tanned well—but in the dress Damyon had bought me for our night out, I felt like a movie star.

The fancy hotel room only encouraged the fantasy. After spending a week with him, Damyon had insisted on getting me out of the dingy hotel I’d booked and putting me up in a suite at what had to be the nicest hotel in Moscow. I had tried to refuse, but the man was more stubborn than a mule and richer than God.

Yeah, you heard me right.

Damyon was rich. Not wealthy. Not well-off. The man was filthy stinking rich and generous beyond my imagination. Between the shower of gifts and his unwavering devotion to making me happy, I felt like I was living a fairy tale.

But like all good things, our time together had an expiration. My departure loomed like a storm cloud building on the horizon. One more day, and I would be returning to Georgia. We’d only known each other such a short time, but the thought of suffering another loss so soon after my parents’ deaths made the prospect of leaving him feel even more crippling than it would have otherwise. And I wasn’t the only one struggling. A hurried pressure to stop the clock buzzed in the air around us a little louder each day. Damyon’s stares lingered longer, and he’d begun to fidget when the days grew dark.

He’d taken me out on several incredible dinner dates, but tonight felt different. The weight of my impending departure added a bittersweet poignancy like the approaching climax to a spectacular movie. You didn’t want it to end but couldn’t wait to see what happened next, thrill and longing inextricably bound together.

If my parents’ unexpected passing had taught me anything, it was to appreciate every moment I was given. Find the silver linings and never lose focus of what was most important to me. Life was too dang short for anything less.

My time with Damyon was too precious to give over a single moment to dread. I would focus on the gift I’d been given and appreciate every second we were together.

I smiled at my reflection to reinforce the sentiment when a knock sounded on the door to my suite. Hurrying to greet my date, I swung open the door only to discover the hotel concierge standing on the other side.

“Oh! Hello.” My words felt bumbling since he’d caught me completely off guard. Not only was it not who I’d expected but he also carried champagne and strawberries on a silver platter. “Are those for me?”

“Pardon the interruption, madam.” He bowed his head. “These were sent over for you along with a note.” He lowered the tray so I could see the ivory envelope with my name scribed on the front.

I reached for the note, then opened the door to allow the man inside. “You can set it anywhere, thank you.”

I broke open the seal and raced through Damyon’s words, fearing he was canceling our date. But I shouldn’t have worried. He was too sweet for that.

Moy angel,I am running a half hour late. Please forgive me and enjoy these while you wait. D

Warmth floodedmy cheeks as a smile spread across my face. He’d given me so much of his time over the past two weeks, despite the vast real estate development enterprise he ran. The fact that he wasn’t late more often was a testament to his attentiveness and dedication. The least I could do was be flexible in return.

A clanking sound seized me from my thoughts. The bubbling champagne flute had tipped over when the man had tried to set down the tray on a small table, sending the pink liquid spilling onto the carpet below.

He shot me a horrified look, eyes round with fear. “How foolish of me. I cannot apologize enough. Please, please let me fix this.” His hurried and frantic words matched his actions when he raced to fetch a towel from the bathroom.

“It’s no big deal, really. Accidents happen.”

On his hands and knees, he attacked the spill with vigor. “You must forgive me. Please, I will bring another glass. There is no need to tell him what has happened. I beg of you.”

I could hardly comprehend his response. Why was this man freaking out? Damyon could be intense, but he wasn’t a monster. “It’s fine. Please, don’t worry.” I placed my hand on his back, hoping to calm him.

He sat back on his haunches, eyes peering up at me pleadingly. He eventually nodded somewhat defeatedly and stood. “I bring another and replace the towel.” He exited the room in reverse, bowing repeatedly on his way.

It had to be one of the strangest encounters of my life. I wasn’t sure I’d ever truly understand the Russian culture. The people here surprised me at every turn.

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