Page 87 of Maksim

“Elira, there’s nothing wrong with you.”

He takes my hand, and my first thought is to pull away, but I don’t. For once, I fight it. I face him when he urges and take in his sincere, blue eyes.

“Your father is a coward. He wanted a family in another country, knowing he’d never be there for them. He never deserved you. And Daniel…” Maksim laughs, but there’s nothing funny about it. “He was a trafficker. He was just doing his job. He wasn’t really looking at you, so he couldn’t see all you have to offer, but you are…” He looks over me. “Incredible. You’re incredible. You’re the strongest survivor I’ve ever known.”

I nod, but I can feel my lips even out. “But that isn’t the same as lovable.”

“If I was a man capable of loving a woman, I would love you.”

I freeze, taken aback.

Maksim looks so serious, so … honest. Like he could possibly mean the words he’s saying.

“But I’m your whore.”

He looks up and sighs like I’m missing something, and when his gaze hits me again, he scoots closer, taking my jaw to make sure I’m paying attention.

“You are no one’s whore.”

I stare into his eyes, my nose itching like I’m going to do something as stupid as cry. I want to kiss him, but if I did, that would end this moment, take away this touch.

He doesn’t know how badly I need this. Doesn’t know how much I need those words, need this touch, need … him.

“You are capable of love,” I say, although I don’t think he’ll believe me. To me, it’s obvious. I’ve seen the way he loves his ‘sister,’ the daughter of his captor. And the wife of his captor. He doesn’t even see them that way, holds none of the man’s crimes against them.

I thought I’d been lying to Anya, but I was wrong.

Maksim is a good man. With a good heart. And love that makes me envious.

“If I was a woman capable of loving a man who tried to kill me ... I would love you,” I whisper, another moment of vulnerability.

Except, it’s a partial lie. I don’t care that he tried to kill me. Not even a little.

I don’t care what he does for a living. I don’t care about anything that went on between us.

I think… I think I may already love him. Here, in this moment, a feeling deep inside me blooms, and I just pray it doesn’t show on my face.

He stares at me, serious, unsmiling. I think he’s going to pull away or tell me not to be an idiot or something, but he surprises me.

He leans forward, closing his eyes just before he kisses me, and although he’s kissed me before, this time feels different. He feels different. I feel different. The world feels different.

The rough skin of his palm caresses my cheek as I lean into his kiss, my lips soft against his. My hands instinctively drift to his shirt to lightly grasp the blue cotton.

The crickets keep chirping, the frogs keep croaking, oblivious to the fire Maksim starts on the tailgate of the truck. I don’t hear the imaginary sheep anymore, don’t have to pretend I’m at home, because at this moment, I don’t wish to escape. I want to be here, on this horrible farm, in this horrible country, with this horrible man.

Maksim’s hands grasp my shoulders so he can ease me onto my back, never moving his mouth from mine. My legs spread without him asking, and he situates himself between them with ease.

He breaks away from me, pulling back to look me in my eyes while the backs of his fingers move up my inner thigh.

“I want you,” I whisper, shivering at his touch. He stares at me another moment before drinking in the rest of my body. My nipples harden at his lingering eyes on my chest, and when he brushes his fingers beneath my shirt, I sit up to take it off.

He helps me pull it over my head before stuffing it under my body then doing the same with his own.

My eyes find his tattoo that no longer looks the same. No longer careless words scrawled on in a drunken fashion.

I touch the ink, feeling the hard muscle beneath, but my hand pulls away when he removes my bra and lays me back down.

I cry out when his mouth finds my nipple, sucking the bud hard between his lips. My hips lift as my core squeezes like it’s begging to be next, and Maksim seems to understand because he unbuttons my shorts then snakes his hand inside.