Tears sting painfully in my eyes as I gaze out over the railing, my hair buffeted by the violent winds, whipping around my face. I frustratedly shove my hair back behind my ears, leaning as far out over the rail as I possibly can without falling, my eyes squinting to make out the shape of the body floating ominously in the water. It feels as though time has slowed down—this moment expanding like an accordion to stretch out my agony as far as it can.

My heart aches. My very soul seems to be splintering into tiny, sharp pieces that pierce me as they explode out into the emptiness. How can I go on without Vladimir? How can I survive? And what would be the point of trying to keep on living when the brightest star in my sky has been cruelly and abruptly snuffed out?

The body in the water is floating closer and closer to the hard bow of the yacht. Soon the lifeless body will be crushed under the weight of the boat if no one interferes. Panic floods through my body. What am I supposed to do? What even can I do? I can swim, of course—one of my earliest foster homes was run by a high school swim instructor who insisted on my taking intensive swimming lessons every single day after school. I can do the breaststroke and the backstroke like an expert.

But in a pool.

Not in the choppy, violent waves of the Atlantic, kicking up white foam with every crash of the waves against the yacht.

And my small body would be useless at dragging that much larger body to safety. The first yacht we drove happened to have a smaller boat within in, a motorboat I could maybe have rigged somehow to let me putter out there and collect him, but now? I have no way of getting to him.

And besides, judging by the awkward angles of his legs and arms, the way he isn’t even attempting to fight the current… I can tell that is the body of a dead man. Not worth saving.

Tears course down my cheeks as I feel all the air kicked out of my body. Powerful, aching grief overtakes me and I cry out, “Vladimir!”

For a moment, I consider climbing up onto the railing and diving out into the Atlantic Ocean. I might as well. Without Vladimir, there is no point to anything. He is the center of my universe, and without him, nothing makes sense. Nothing is right. Nothing matters. I would sooner join him in the frigid waters than try to numbly steer this ship to land. And who would be waiting for me there if I did? The same men who tried to kill or capture me today. The same organization that have taken the light out of my life. I would die then, anyway. I might as well jump now. At least this way I can be with him when I draw my final breath.

And I’d better do it quickly, because the whir of the helicopter blades is only getting louder as the aircraft starts to land on the broad, bullet-riddled deck behind me. Whoever is in that helicopter will jump out and grab me, and then Vladimir’s demise will have been for nothing. I can’t allow that. My heart won’t allow me to live in that world.

I have to jump. There’s no other choice for me.

But just as I’m about to clamber up onto the railing, I hear a familiar voice shouting hoarsely over the deafening din of the helicopter landing.

“Autumn!”

No. It can’t be.

I swivel around, my eyes going wide as my heart threatens to burst out of my chest. I blink rapidly, unable to make sense of what I’m seeing. Is this just a sweet, final vision before I die? Or is my mind playing tricks on me?

Or could it be that… he’s alive. He’s there. My savior, my world.

Piloting the helicopter and leaning out of the cockpit to gesture to me.

“Vladimir?” I gasp, unable to believe my eyes.

“Da, malyshka, it’s me,” he calls out.

“Oh my god,” I whisper, turning and darting across the deck. As the helicopter lands on the deck I make a surprisingly graceful leap up into the cockpit. Vladimir’s strong arm hooks around my body and pulls me close, his nose nuzzling into the top of my head as he pilots the helicopter with his free hand. The aircraft makes a smooth landing and slowly the blades come to a halt. I reach up to cup Vladimir’s face in both of my hands, tears of joy and shock pulsing down my cheeks as I gaze into his eyes.

“I thought I’d lost you,” I whimper.

“I told you, little one, I will never abandon you. I will protect you until the very end. I take my vow very seriously. I will always be here to save you, princesa,” Vladimir tells me emphatically. He kisses me softly, stroking my tangled hair back out of my face and holding me close, cuddled against his chest.

We climb out of the helicopter and he instructs me, “Go to the captain’s nook. Stay there for a little while, Autumn. I will take care of… the mess downstairs.”

“Yes, Daddy,” I answer eagerly.

I do as I’m told, and I make sure not to watch as Vladimir goes below deck to the master bedroom. He retrieves the dead bodies of the men who attacked us and disposes of them, presumably dumping them over the railing into the choppy waters along with their pilot friend. Then he comes to collect me, carrying me downstairs under strict command to not open my eyes. He brings me to the ensuite bathroom, runs me a fragrant, luxurious bubble bath, strips off my clothes, and cradles me down into the water.

“Stay here. I have some cleanup to do. Just relax, my love. Know that you are safe now, and I will never let anyone harm you. All is well,” he growls, leaning to kiss my forehead before leaving to tidy up the blood and bullet casings and whatever else is still haunting our bedroom.

I spend the next hour or so just popping bubbles and gently washing myself, trying to clear my mind of the horrific stress we just endured together. I smile, reminding myself that I can fully trust in Vladimir to uphold his word. He has proved himself to me time and time again, and I have no qualms about giving up my heart and soul to him. He is my protector, and I know for certain now that he is more than capable of the job.

Once he’s finished up, he joins me in the bathroom.

Night is falling, and we take a few languid, long hours to wash the blood and grime and fear and horror off of each other’s bodies. We caress and care for one another with loving hands, both of us overwhelmed with affection and intimacy. Our care and tender touches slowly and naturally morph into more sensual touching, and before long we are entangled in one another’s arms again, his body making gentle, passionate love to mine.

We take the whole night to engage in displays of that most carnal affection, and I can’t believe how lucky I am, how fortunate to have stumbled into his world. To be loved by such a powerful, strong, courageous, devilishly handsome older man.

He takes care of me. He loves me the way nobody has ever loved me before. I finally know what it feels like to have a guardian who cares about me and what it feels like to have a lover who knows exactly how to pleasure my body and make me feel things I’ve never felt before.

He’s my savior.

He’s my protector.

He’s my Daddy.

He’s my lover. He is everything I could ever have asked for and so, so much more. We fit together like puzzle pieces, like our bodies were carved from the same slab of marble, meant to entwine around each other for all of eternity in shared bliss.

I lose track of the days and nights as our voyage across the Atlantic continues. It hardly matters what day it is. Every day is a holiday, a special occasion, when I am with Vladimir. We spend so many hours locked in an embrace, exploring each other’s bodies and discovering new and exciting ways to please one another. I learn more about him every day, and I reveal more about myself I never imagined I would feel comfortable sharing with anyone in this world.

He assures me that he has more than enough money to keep us sustained for a very, very long time. Our time on the yacht feels like an extended honeymoon. We don’t need anyone or anything else.

Just each other and the sparkling Atlantic. I have never felt so safe and secure in my life. I know I have a man who will do anything for me at the drop of a hat, a man who will protect me from whatever threats this dark world can hurl our way. I trust him with every beat of my heart, with every step I take, every breath I draw into my lungs.

But even this most beautiful holiday has to come to an end of some kind. Our yacht finally sails into the harbor in New York City, back to my roots, to the place I used to call home. The bubble of safety and love I’ve been dwelling within for so long has burst.

I now have to face reality. I don’t know what is in the cards for us. I look over at Vladimir from across the captain’s cell. He has a pensive look on his ruggedly handsome features as he steers the yacht into the port. I swallow hard, watching the dark cityscape drift into view through the thick fog and smog that coats the city like a harsh veil.

Everything I left behind here is haunting me, hovering over my shoulder like some demented devil. I feel fear pooling in the pit of my stomach, my mind racing in a thousand scary directions. But I keep reminding myself that I am not alone. I’m here with the one man who can always save me. Vladimir won’t let anybody hurt me. Not even here, on my own turf.

As we pull into the harbor, Vladimir calls me over and puts an arm around me.

“Are you frightened, malyshka?” he asks softly.

I nod. “Yes, sir. I’m very scared. I-I don’t know who or what will be waiting for me here in New York. I just don’t know what to expect. What if they try to take me away from you?”

“I will snap the neck of anyone who tries to take you, my princesa. I will shatter the hand that dares touch you in my presence. You belong to me, Autumn. Nobody else. And once we make landfall, I am going to make you mine forever,” he explains calmly.

“What do you mean?” I ask, blinking up at him in the darkness.

He smiles fondly and taps my nose. “We are going to be married, my love. My light. We will be united as one, provided that you agree to the union,” Vladimir reveals.

My heart surges with love and I wrap my arms around him tightly.

“Oh my god. I want nothing more! I can’t wait to be officially yours,” I gush, burying my face in his powerful chest. He traces abstract, comforting shapes up and down my back, kissing the top of my head.

“Da, my little sparrow. We will be wed, and not a soul on earth can stop us,” he assures me. “But I do have a mission to fulfill first.”

I look up at him, wide-eyed. “What is that?” I ask.

There’s a serious look on his face as he replies quietly, “Artur, the man who ordered your kidnapping. This cannot be over until he has been dealt with.”

“How do you plan to do that?”

“Don’t worry, my princesa. I will take care of it,” Vladimir tells me, that fire blazing brightly in his dark eyes.