Before I even know what I’m doing, I let out a scream and run forward, pushing Alexandra so hard, she stumbles back on her heels. And then she loses her balance and falls to the ground.
Her head hits the side of the coffee table and then she slumps to the ground… and doesn’t get back up.
The sound of the crack wakes me from my fear and I realize what I’ve done. With a gasp, I check Alexandra’s pulse.
Only to find her dead.
I quickly back away from her body, shaking. The tears spill from my eyes within seconds. I did that. I killed her.
I judged Maksim for killing that man to save my life and yet look at me know. Am I even better? I just killed an innocentwoman. It was an accident but her blood will forever me on my hands.
I slump to the floor and hold myself for hours until Maksim returns home. He stops when he sees Alexandra’s dead body on the ground.
“What happened?” he asks, looking at me like I’m a stranger. Well, I am. Maksim doesn’t know everything about me.
“I didn’t mean to,” I whisper. “I’m sorry.” I sob harder, dropping my head into my hands.
Slowly, Maksim approaches me and before I even know what’s happening, he draws me into a hug. For once, I don’t push him away. Instead, I sink further into his arms, clinging to him with all my might.
Maksim doesn’t seem frightening in this moment. Instead, he’s my savior.
“You’re ok,” he murmurs against my hair. “You’re ok.”
“I didn’t mean to kill her. She came at me and I… I pushed her back and she fell and…”
“I understand. I’ll handle this. Don’t worry.”
That tells me Maksim has handled a lot of dead bodies in his past. It doesn’t make me afraid of him. It comforts me that he knows how to help me in this moment.
Maksim tightens his arms around me. “I got you, Natasha. I’m here for you.”
“My dad killed my mom,” I whisper.
He goes still. “What?”
“He killed her. I know it. It’s why I was so afraid when you killed that man. I was worried you’d do the same to me. But now I’m a killer. I’m just like him. I’m just like you.”
Maksim doesn’t say anything for a long moment before he lets me go to cup my face. “I won’t hurt you. Ever. I’m not like your dad. I’m not like my dad. And you’re not like your dad either.”
His words bring me so much comfort that, before I even realize what I’m doing, I lean in and press my lips to his.
Chapter Eleven
Natasha
The feel of Maksim’s lips on my own is a powerful thing. Tingly and electrifying. It feels like I’m waking up for the first time.
Maksim goes still for a moment before he grabs the back of my head and deepens the kiss. I don’t even realize what I’m doing or feeling. All I know is that I let out a soft moan. It’s just what feels right.
I want Maksim to take my pain away. Take my fear away. I just want to be happy.
But then I remember the dead body in the room with us. The one I made happen. Alexandra.
I pull away from Maksim. He’s breathing heavy and looking at me with dark eyes that make me shiver. It’s like he wants to eat me alive.
“Alexandra,” I whisper, nodding at her body.
Clarity enters his eyes. “Right. I’ll handle it. Why don’t you go into our bedroom? You don’t need to see this.”
