"I'll come back to you."
Her orgasm crashes over her with enough force to make her cry out my name, and I follow seconds later, emptying myself inside her with a groan that sounds like it's being torn from my chest.
We lie tangled together afterward, both of us breathing hard, and I hold her like I can keep the world at bay through sheer force of will.
Morning comes too soon. I wake to find Lena already up, standing at the window in one of my shirts, watching the sun rise over the grounds.
"I made coffee," she says without turning around. "It's probably terrible, but I tried."
I move behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist, my hands splaying across her stomach where our child grows. "Thank you."
We drink coffee in silence, and then I head to my office to prepare. My guns are laid out on the desk, each one cleaned and oiled to perfection. I check the magazines, test the actions, and make sure everything is exactly as it should be.
Lena appears in the doorway, her eyes tracking over the weapons with something that looks like resignation. "Show me."
"Show you what?"
"How to use one." She moves into the room, her bare feet silent on the carpet. "If something happens to you, if Katya comes after me, I want to know how to defend myself."
Pride swells in my chest. "You sure?"
"No. But do it anyway."
I pick up the smallest gun, a Glock 43 that will fit her hand. "This is the safety. This is how you chamber a round. You aim for center mass, not the head. Two shots, then reassess."
She takes the gun from me, her hands shaking slightly, and I guide her through the motions. By the time we finish, she's not shaking anymore.
"Keep it with you," I say. "Always."
She nods, and I see the fear in her eyes mixed with determination.
The hours crawl by. I review the plan with Danil one more time and check in with my teams.
At ten thirty, I start getting ready. Black tactical gear, body armor under my jacket, and weapons secured in places I can reach quickly. I look like I'm going to war.
Maybe I am.
Lena watches from the doorway of my bedroom, her arms wrapped around herself. "I hate this."
"I know." I cross to her, pulling her against my chest. "But it ends tonight. One way or another."
"That's not comforting."
"It's honest." I tilt her chin up, forcing her to meet my eyes. "I love you. Remember that."
"I love you too." Tears stream down her face.
At eleven, I head downstairs where Danil and the others wait. They're armed to the teeth, faces grim and determined.
The vehicles are waiting outside, engines running. I take one last look at the house, at the window where I know Lena is watching, and I swear I hear her voice carried on the wind.
"Come back to me."
49
LENA
Iwatch from my window as the convoy disappears into the night, taillights bleeding red against the darkness until they're swallowed completely. My hand presses against my stomach, feeling for movement that won't come for months yet, but needing the connection anyway.