“What... what do you mean?” Nadia stammers as she edges closer to me. “What happened?” It’s clear that she’s stressed about what happened in the police station, and I feel really bad about putting her through that alone, but she isn’t focusing on that anymore at all. She’s only interested in me.

I sigh deeply, trying not to recall how terribly things went at the agency. It’s safe to say that the other guys were not happy with the way things turned out with Aidan and even though I blamed Dimitri for killing Aidan, I got the distinct impression that a few of them didn’t believe me. I was going to need to go on the run for a while—lay low and stay out of the firing line of some of Aidan’s more vengeful employees. That was the way it would have to be, at least until all of this has blown over.

But I don't want to trouble Nadia with all of that, she has enough on her plate. In her immediate future, she has trials and reporters to deal with. She doesn’t need to be worrying about me and my problems too.

“I have to get out of here for a while,” I admit vaguely. “Just until things calm down.”

“Take me with you,” she immediately begs, clinging desperately to my arm. “Take me away from here, I want to go too.”

God damn it, I want that as well, but I can’t. She has a lot to deal with, and I really feel like she deserves a better life than one on the run anyway. It’ll be difficult, dirty, tiring, extremely dangerous... she’s already been through enough. I won’t come back to her until I have a life set up for her, something far from the seventh circle of hell that she’s currently in.

“I can’t,” I tell her, before leaning in to kiss her lightly on the lips. “You need to be here for the trial, but I will be back, I promise you that much,” I say with conviction, because I know for a fact that is true.

There’s no way that I’m going to leave this woman that I love forever. I need her, and I hate that I’m going to have to wait for us to be together, but at least I know we’ll get there in the end.

“I don't like this,” she tells me, crying a little bit. “I don't like this one bit.”

“I don't either,” I admit. “But it’s the only way. When I get back we can discuss moving. We can get away from here just like you wanted.”

“Do you have to go now?” she asks, and I hate myself for putting that sad frown on her lovely face. “Or do you have a little time to some inside?”

I know that I should go – that would be the smart thing to do—but damn it if she isn’t temping me in with that sweet smile and those gorgeous eyes. If I left right now, it would be a sad moment, but if I go in there with her, and we have a little time to just be... maybe our goodbye won’t be the awful memory that it could be. I mean, it’ll definitely be bittersweet, but surely that would be better?

“Let’s go in,” I mutter, holding her close. “I can at least stay tonight.”

The instant we walk through the door, the atmosphere becomes electric. We’ve been so desperate for each another that our bodies collide in a lust-filled frenzy. Frantically my mouth finds hers and we explore one another’s bodies before we’re forced to separate. Tonight, nothing in the world can keep us apart.

Our tongues tangle in a passionate dance and we give ourselves to each other like we’ve never done before. This time there’s no holding back. We are simply two people joining as one, and we know that it will be the last time for a very long time.

We stagger through Nadia’s house towards the bedroom, shedding clothes, kissing, touching. Loving her allows me to forget—the harsh words, Aidan’s betrayal, the image of his dead body, and the hardships that we’re both going to have to suffer.

It’s just me and her, the way that I dreamed it could be.

When we finally make it to the bedroom, we separate for a split second, and I stare hungrily at her, drinking in her beauty, committing it to memory. I don't ever want to forget that fire in her eyes, the expression of a woman who wants to devour me whole.

All of a sudden, she starts to slowly and seductively pull down her underwear, revealing all of herself to me. She’s bringing an edge to this, and I sense a sadness between us. No matter how badly I want her, I can’t ignore the pieces of my heart that are falling away.

“I love you,” I gasp, moving back towards her. “You are everything to me.” I’ve never felt this way before, and I’m certain that I won’t again. There just isn’t anyone like her in the whole damn world, there’s definitely no one who is as perfect for me. It no longer matters that we met through strange circumstances, or that we’ve been through so much together—we’re right for one another.

We both know it, and that’s all that counts.

“Oh God,” she groans as I run my lips over her neck and collarbone. “I love you too.”

“Keep this next to your heart,” I tell her, tugging lightly on the necklace. “That way I’ll always be with you.” It might only be a small thing, but it’ll make me feel so much better knowing that she has a piece of me so close to her. That silver heart will be next to hers every time it beats, and will connect us even when we’re miles apart.

I sit her down on the edge of the bed, working my mouth down her body. I want to get another taste of that hot, sweet desire. While we’re apart, I want to remember what she tastes like, and I want her thinking of me sending her to Heaven over and over again.

“Oh fuck,” she cries out, entwining her fingers in my hair. “Oh my God, Alexi, you drive me wild.”

Hearing her cursing, acting so free, makes me happy. The woman has spent so much of her time being restricted that it thrills me for her to be able to simply let go. The fact that I’m the one who can do that for her makes me feel incredible.

I can see her wetness glistening; and the heat emanating from her center sends pulses of desire racing though my body. I lean in and get that taste I so desperately need.

She screams my name, arches her back and buckles against me. “Oh my God.”

I run my tongue over her slit, exploring her folds in a variety of patterns, and it isn’t long before I can feel her body shuddering intensely as she, gives in to the waves of satisfaction. I grip her ass tightly, wanting to fix her in place as the pleasure overtakes her, and although her body fights against me, unable to take the intensity of it, after she stops shaking, she seems grateful.

But that isn’t the end of it. She might be worn out, but I’m not done with her yet, so I lie her onto her back onto the bed and slide my length into her before she can even catch her breath.

“Oh fuck,” I groan into her mouth as I become engulfed by her wetness. “You feel so fucking good.” I might have been with scores of women in the past, but none of them have ever felt this amazing. I don't know if it’s the fact that I have feelings for Nadia that makes it so much better, or what it is, but I never want to let her go.

If there was even a slim chance that we would be able to stay alive, I would refuse to leave her. But it isn’t just me in danger, it’s her too, and that’s enough to have me standing my ground and leaving.

As our bodies move harmoniously together, I can’t help but get caught up in how unfair this is. I finally find the perfect woman for me, the one I’m supposed to spend the rest of my life with, and I’m going to have to leave her. It might be my karma for living such a sinful life up until now, and if that’s the case then I swear I’ll change. I certainly have no loyalty to the organization anymore, so I don't have to worry about that. What I need to do is to replace my bad deeds for good ones. I need to find a way to become a better person for the both of us.

We cling to one another for dear life as our climaxes consume us, and then we lie next to one another on the bed, panting and holding on to one another.

“Are you going to leave me now?” she asks, running her hand over my chest, I hear the regret in her voice, though she tries to hide it. “I mean, I don't want you to go, but I don't want you to stay and get in any trouble either. I guess my main priority is you staying alive.”

“I guess I do have to leave,” I sigh, feeling my heart sink. “I don't want to go either, but it won’t be forever.”

“Just promise you’ll come back to me. I can’t stand you going without that guarantee. If I know that you’ll be back for me as soon as you can, I’ll be able to handle whatever comes my way.”

I prop myself up onto my elbows and stare into her eyes. “I swear to you that you will never be alone again. Even when I’m gone, I’ll be working out a way for us to be together again. It’s all I think about. Just get through everything here, so that when I do come back things will be okay.”

“I promise,” she whispers, kissing me lightly on the lips. There’s an agony in her gaze that is probably matched in mine, but we both know this is what we have to do now.

We have one more hurdle to overcome before we can finally be together, but once we’re over that, we will have an endless future stretched out in front of us.

After that, we move to get dressed, neither one of us wanting to accept it, but both knowing that this could be our final goodbye...