Page 103 of Thorns of Love

“I’ll kill and burn the world down for you, Illias,” she murmured softly. “I’m sorry it took me so long to realize it.”

“It’s my job to burn down this world for you, moya luna.” I stroked a stray lock of hair out of her face, her hair like a soft glow around my fingers. “It’s my job to protect you and our family.”

“Our job,” she murmured, brushing the tip of her nose against mine. “We’ll do it together.”

THIRTY-SIX

TATIANA

“Ican’t wait to get home,” I murmured.

Illias was helping me get dressed, fumbling with my hospital gown.

“I’m sorry we can’t go back to the States yet,” he stated, regret clear in his voice. I held on to his shoulders as he slid it down my body. I didn’t bother telling him there was a button in the back he missed. It was clear that hospital gowns and Illias just didn’t mesh. For all I cared, he could have ripped it off.

“That’s okay.” His eyes flicked up to my face as he threw the gown on the hospital bed.

“Is it?”

I nodded. “Yes. You can’t exactly drag your aunt– “Prisoner.But I didn’t want to call her that. It turned out my husband had Boris drag his aunt to Russia. She was so certain of Adrian’s plan she didn’t even bother going into hiding. “ –back to the States. Besides, as long as you’re with me, I’m home.”

Satisfied with my answer, he continued with the task of getting me ready. Isla was back in France, Vasili was outside my hospital room, and my other two brothers went to fetch the car.

“Lift your foot,” Illias instructed. I did and he slipped one white legging on, then repeated the motion with the next one. He rose up to his full height, pulling my pants up and ensuring the waistband didn’t rest on the stab wound. While it didn’t hurt, it was sensitive to the touch.

“Okay, hands up,” he ordered softly.

I grinned. “Now we’re talking, Pakhan. Are you going to pat me down?”

He shook his head, amusement passing his expression, as he slid on a long off the shoulder pink sweater over me. The dress came down to my thighs. I’d been trying to convince him I was good enough to have sex by tempting him into my hospital bed, asking him to help me take a bath, flashing him. It all backfired. Turns out, Illias had a will of steel.

He’d lay with me; he’d bathe me; he’d kiss me. But he resisted my wiles, refusing to take it a step further. Regardless of the hunger that burned in his gaze. Much to my dismay.

I had to step up my game.

He reached for my pink Uggs next. If I had to guess, Branka helped him pick out my clothes. For some reason, she seemed obsessed with seeing me wear pink. She said it reminded her of the time we met.

“Illias?”

“Hmm.”

“What did I wear the first time we met?” I questioned him.

“At the gazebo or the restaurant?”

“Both.”

“At the gazebo, you wore a black strapless minidress. At the restaurant, you wore a long pink Valentino dress with the slit that showed your thigh each time you took a step closer to me.”

“Wow, that’s a memory,” I muttered impressed. My shoes on, we stood chest-to-chest. “I think you wore a suit.”

His eyes found mine, sparkling like black diamonds, while his lips tugged into a half-smile. He cupped my face with a palm running a thumb over my lip. “I did wear a suit. I remember everything about you,moya luna. Every word you uttered, what you wore, who you talked to.” My throat tightened at the intensity of his voice and stare. “I loved you from the moment I saw that sparkle in your eyes and became obsessed.”

Happiness and love burst through my body, leaving me feeling raw. He pulled me closer, his arms around my waist, until his heartbeat thundered against my ear.

“That doesn’t sound very healthy,” I teased softly.

A half-smile pulled on his beautiful lips. “I disagree. You’re the best thing for my health. The best thing that happened to me.”