An inexplicable dread consumes me.
A pain I never thought I could experience.
He turns to Timur first, silently nodding like he’s thanking him for all of the years they spent working together. I glance at Timur. This is the first time since knowing him that I have seen him unguarded, unable to get ahold of himself.
All of the air leaves my body when Nikolai turns to me.
There’s no more stalling. This is it. This is what we’ve been reduced to. Two lovers never having their desire for each other fulfilled.
I want to touch him but neither one of us can do that. Something shatters inside me when he leans forward just slightly, mouthing: “I love you.”
My heart and stomach sink simultaneously.
This is the first time he has said this.
And it will be the last.
I want to jump up, run to him, protect his body with mine, but I can’t.
My mouth opens but my voice is choked by the tears falling from my eyes. “I love you, too,” I mouth back to him, but it’s too late. Two of Aslanov’s men are already escorting him out of the shipping container. I crane my neck, trying to look at him for as long as possible.
Then, he’s out of sight.
Just like that.
They didn’t even give me time to tell him how I feel. How much he means to me.
Dear God…
Why?
Why does it have to end this way?
Aslanov is the last to leave the room. He walks down the ramp, back out into the night. “I’m doing you two a favor,” he says to Timur and me, a smug grin on his face. “You won’t want to see this.” He clicks his fingers, and three of his men come over to heave the swing door back up. With a great metal thud, the door is secured in place and darkness consumes us.
My breathing hitches as I anticipate what’s next. Timur is still next to me, looking at the ground quietly. He knows what’s next better than anyone.
Footsteps move away from the door. I hold my breath, the silence stretching. Even though I can’t see a thing, I shut my eyelids, bracing myself for the inevitable. A small part of me holds onto hope that nothing bad will happen, that life can’t be this cruel.
But then a gunshot rips through the atmosphere.
And another.
There’s no sound of struggle.
No final plea.
Just a loud thud as a body falls to the floor.
“No!” A cry ripples out of me, an animalistic sound that I don’t even recognize. This is how it ends. There is nothing that can undo this moment.
He’s gone.
Niko’s gone!
I lunge forward, fighting the zip ties but they hold me in place, cutting further into my skin, gouging out another layer. I don’t care anymore. They can rip straight to my bone. It still won’t hurt as much as this.
I heave, my breathing scratching against my dry throat. My tongue feels like sandpaper. I have been dehydrated for hours but I would sacrifice water for him. My daughter and I need him but it’s too late—he has already been taken from this world.
