I never thought I'd have her this close again, let alone hear her whisper words I thought I'd never deserve.
Pulling Alina closer, I hold her tightly against me, her front pressed against my chest, and I inhale her sweet scent.
I need her to believe me, to know that I'm in this for the long haul.
"I'll do everything in my power to give you and Yara the best life possible. I swear it."
As we lie together, entangled in each other's arms, the room around us fades away, and all that matters is the two of us and the love we've found in the unlikeliest of places.
The neighborhood lights twinkle outside the window, a reminder of the world I've always fought to protect, but for now, we have this sanctuary.
A place where we can pretend to be normal, where we are simply a man and a woman in love.
Alina
Morning sunlight streams through the window as birds chirp outside
I wake up first, careful not to disturb Morello's sleep. He looks peaceful in his slumber, and I hate to wake him. But we have a mission to complete.
Gently, I slip out of bed, donning the oversized t-shirt he lent me the night before and tying my hair up in a messy bun.
Morello
I stir awake, feeling the absence of Alina's warmth beside me.
My eyes travel around the unfamiliar room, orienting myself.
I hear the quiet hum of the coffee machine downstairs, my senses heightened from years on the job.
I smile, realizing it's our first proper morning together in this new place.
In this new life.
Throwing on gray sweats, I pad barefoot to the kitchen, where I find her, clad in my shirt—the sight of which makes me instantly hard—her back to me as she brews coffee.
I wrap my arms around her waist, nuzzling her neck. "Good morning, beautiful."
Alina jumps, nearly spilling the scorching liquid.
Whirling around, she sighs with relief upon seeing it was only me.
"Y-you scared me!" she admonishes, a blush creeping up her cheeks.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," I say my hands sliding from her waist to the counter as I pour my own cup of coffee. "So, what's the plan today, partner?"
"Well," she says, a funny smile on her face, "This is going to sound random, but I'm guessing you have a passport… and I've been looking at some travel websites…"
Chapter 45
Alina
The photo album weighs heavy on my lap, each page a window to our past. Yara leans in beside me, her wide eyes searching the faded polaroids and scraps of a life I barely recognize.
"Is this you, Mama?" she asks, pointing to a young girl with haunted eyes. I nod, swallowing against the lump in my throat.
Yara traces her finger over the cracked plastic protecting the photos. "You look scared," she says softly.
I take a shaky breath, blinking back tears. My little girl who had known too much fear herself, so perceptive and wise. I wrap an arm around her, pulling her close.