Page 25

The moment I've been waiting for is finally here. Marv stirs, his eyes flickering open as consciousness returns. Beside me, Dima and Sofia sit motionless, predators waiting for the right moment to strike.

I lean forward, my voice low and steady. "Welcome back, Marv. I hope you slept well."

He startles, confusion clouding his gaze. But it quickly shifts to anger as memories flood back.

"You bitch," he spits. "You'll regret this."

I chuckle. "I don't think so,” I grin and reach for the corners of my scalp, slowly sliding down the corners of my latex mask, before removing my wig. “Remember me?” I ask.

He pales in the face, trembling. “L…Lara?”

I allow myself a small smile of satisfaction. Got him.

“Didn’t think I was alone now, did you?” I ask, standing and getting out of his sight. Right behind me, Sofia removes her own mask and wig and gives him a wave while Dima holds his gun up at him.

“N…No, please,” Marv pleads, trying to free himself. But, it’s no use. Dima tied him tight. “I didn’t know,” he begs, looking at his wrists and then back up at Dima.

“Don’t worry,” I crouch on my haunches before him again. “He won’t shoot you,” I flick my head at Dima.

“He won’t?” Dima’s eyes widen.

“He won’t,” I repeat. “But in a minute, you might wish he would.”

I shove my phone in his face, swiping through images and videos we took of him in compromising positions that are bound to humiliate him as he’s tried to do many girls before.

"You wouldn't," he says, but there's fear in his eyes. He knows I have him trapped.

"Oh, I would," I reply calmly. "I have copies, you know. All ready to send to your friends and employers and media channels if we hear of anything…unfortunate happening to any woman at your hands."

Just then, Dima comes and sits beside me, leaning in close, letting Marv see the iron determination in his eyes. "Not just that. I have a backup of your phone. We know everything you’ve ever done, you sick bastard. Every woman you’ve humiliated, blackmailed, we found the entire trace on your phone. You will never threaten my wife or sister again. Never touch another woman against her will. And if you do, I will personally ruin you."

Marv's jaw clenches, impotent rage radiating from him. But he says nothing. Our message is received.

Dima leans forward and removes the plastic binding his wrists together.

“And hear me loud and clear. If I hear you’re in Philadelphia tomorrow morning, we’ll be going straight online, exposing you for who you are. You’ll lose everything. Friends, family, and any chance at a future.”

I go and stand beside Sofia, taking her hand in mine, adrenaline and victory coursing through me. It's over. I'm finally free.

And I couldn’t have done it without Sofia and Dima by my side.

***

The next morning, I'm toweling off after my shower when there's a knock at my door.

"It's open," I call out.

Dima enters, grinning widely. "Good news," he says, pausing briefly to flick his gaze over my figure. "Our little bird has flown the coop. My men just informed me that Marv booked a one-way flight out of the city last night. If he ever returns, I’ll know. Meanwhile, we’ve got lookouts for him all over America. He’s going to be towing a very fine line indeed."

Relief washes over me. With Marv gone, his threats over me are gone, too.

"Thank you, Dima," I say, rushing forward to take his hands in my own. "For everything. I wouldn't have had the courage to stand up to him without you."

Dima's expression softens. "You're stronger than you know," he says gently. "But I'll always be here if you need me."

I step toward him, emotion welling up inside me. So much has changed between us. Dima has become my rock, my protector, my equal. And somewhere along the way, my feelings for him deepened into something more.

“It’s not just what you did for me,” I say, leaning into his arms and resting my face against his chest. He gently slides his fingers up and down my bare arms, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

“Then what?” he asks hoarsely.

I close my eyes, trying to formulate just how I feel. But it’s so deep and so wild that words become meaningless. Nevertheless, I tried.

“All my life,” I say. “I was taught to be obedient. Quiet. See where that got me? You changed my life, Dima. You taught me to be brave, even in the face of failure. You stood up against my brothers simply to defend me, and that gave me the courage to stand up to Marv so that I could defend innocent women from him. Your kindness has changed me for the better, changed my brothers and, as a consequence, my life…”

Here, my voice breaks as tears spring to my eyes. My breath hitches in my throat, and Dima pulls back, worriedly staring into my eyes as he rests one hand on my shoulder and another on my chin.

I look up at his warm, gray eyes and know that, in this moment, anything but the truth would be a dishonor to this man I love.

Looking into his eyes, I whisper, "I love you." The words carry all the weight of what we've been through.

Dima freezes, his eyes widening like he can’t believe what I heard. I reach up and trace the outline of his ear. “I said,” I whisper again, coyly, loving how much those three words meant—mean—to him. “I love you.”

Dima breaks out into a smile as bright as the sun, cupping my cheek with a tender hand as he brings his lips to mine. "I love you too," he murmurs.

And then he kisses me, soft and passionate. I melt into Dima's kiss, all the emotions I've been holding back flooding through me. His strong arms wrap around me, enveloping me in his warmth and strength.

And I finally know what it means to truly belong to someone and for someone to belong to me.