Ray nods politely, but his eyes flicker to mine, and I can feel the weight of his unspoken words. “Thanks. I’ll think about it.”
My parents gather their things while Ben stumbles toward the door as he awkwardly balances a stack of boxes in his arms. I rush to open the front door for him. As they file out, my mom gives me a knowing look, her eyebrows lifting slightly, her head slanting toward Ray. However, she says nothing. She doesn’t have to.
I grin and whisper for her ears only. “See you tomorrow.”
That’s a bold statement. I’m not sure Ray feels the same way I do about tonight. But I intend to find out. I’m even willing to persuade him if I have to.
When the door closes behind my family, the silence feels heavy and charged. Ray leans against the oak door, watching me with an intensity that makes my skin prickle in the most delightful way. All my sensitive spots come alive and alert, ready to overwhelm my senses at his orders.
“Stay,” he says, his voice low and soft but a clear command.
I let out the breath I was holding with a subtle sigh. With my heart pounding against my ribcage in anticipation, I nod and murmur, “Okay.”
He stretches out his hand, and I lace our fingers together as he flicks the switch to turn off all the lights. We stroll to the living room and settle on the floor by the fireplace. The glow of the flames casts flickering shadows across the room. The minimalist décor, all sharp angles and muted tones, becomes oddly intimate under this amber light, like the house itself is holding its breath with us. Ray sits close, his long legs stretched out in front of him, his broad shoulders brushing mine.
For a while, we don’t speak. The crackle of the fire fills the silence, and I steal glances at him, at the way his jaw tightens as if he’s battling some internal war.
“I’ve told you about Frank,” I begin, and Ray faces me. A deep crease forms on his forehead as he knits his eyebrows. I clarify. “My husband. I’d love to hear about your wife. What happened to her?”
Sorrow, raw and unrelenting, fills his eyes. I swallow hard at the sight.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have asked,” I add, shaking my head, frantically trying to erase the suffering I’ve caused him. “But I really want to understand.”
“That’s okay.” He nods, his gaze locked on mine.
He doesn’t elaborate, though. We remain like this, frozen in time for what feels like forever.
Finally, he breaks the stillness, his voice rough and low. “Nadya got caught up in a war that wasn’t ours. She became a victim of a villain hellbent on revenge,” he says, his gaze now fixed on the fire.
His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I stay quiet, letting him speak at his own pace.
“She was babysitting at the safe house where Dave Boyle was keeping a woman he’d rescued from Igor Vasilyevich,” he continues, his hands clenching into fists on his thighs. “This is a sordid, long story best left for another day. For now, I’ll just say that the motherfucker wanted to make a point to Dave and the Syndicate. Igor didn’t care about collateral damage. Nadya and Pete were in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
His words are clipped, each one carrying the weight of something far darker than he’s letting on. I can feel the pain radiating from him, the kind that never truly goes away.
“Igor,” he says the name like a curse, his voice dripping with venom. “He killed her in the most vicious way, in front of my son, just to send a message. Then, he took Pete to use him as leverage, among other things.”
My stomach churns as the horror of his words sinks in. I don’t want to know what else this Igor intended to do. I can’t begin to imagine the agony that Ray’s lived through, the kind of darkness he’s carried within all this time. But there’s something else in his tone—a cold, dangerous edge that sends a shiver down my spine.
“You got Pete back,” I say softly, more a statement than a question.
He nods, his jaw tightening. “Yeah. But I wasn’t able to tear Igor down myself. His men sent me to a hospital bed. Dave eventually did that, but it left a bitter taste in my mouth.”
The silence that follows is heavy, suffocating. I want to reach out, to touch him, to offer something to ease his pain. But I don’t know how or what. I don’t know if he’d let me.
“It’s not just grief, is it?” I finally ask, my voice barely above a whisper. “There’s more to it.”
He turns to me, his blue eyes burning with an intensity that makes me catch my breath. “This world, Sophia... it’s not one I can walk away from. Not completely. And I’m not sure I want to.” He pauses for a heartbeat as if giving me a chance to flee. I stand my ground, lifting my chin and holding his gaze. “I couldn’t make Igor pay for his depraved sins, but he wasn’t acting alone. Dave and the Syndicate have been hunting the others behind this child trafficking ring. When we get to the top, I’ll be there to strike the fatal blow.”
The truth in his words terrifies me. And yet, it draws me in like a moth to a flame. There’s danger in Ray, but there’s also a fierce, unyielding strength that I can’t ignore. He’s ruthless, yes. But he’s mercilessly protective of those he loves. That fact is as clear as day.
Without thinking, I reach out, cupping his face with both hands. His stubble is rough against my right palm, and his skin is warm, grounding me in a way I didn’t know I needed.
“The world is a cruel, cold place,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “So, for tonight, let’s pretend it’s only the two of us.”
His eyes darken, and without saying anything else, his lips crash against mine. The kiss is raw, consuming, a battle for control that I’m more than willing to lose. His hands find my waist, pulling me closer until there’s no space left between us.
“Give yourself to me tonight,” he breathes against my lips, his voice a low growl. “Can you do that? Can you hand over control completely to me?”
