That Summer In The Country

Fifty-one:

Fifty-one:

If it had not been for the message from Nina, and from Aleksander, Mal wouldn't have even bothered with seeing Alina. He knew that what he was doing was to keep her safe from Petyr Lantsov but it didn't make things easier. But Aleksander assured him it was all part of a plan. Petyr would come after them, and Alina was the key to destroying Petyr. That was why when Nina left the message for him to meet Alina in Duva at the café, he almost didn't go. "You're not even the slightest bit curious?" Nikolai asked him as the two of them were getting drunk in one of his clubs.

"It's got to be her choice," Mal said, "and with Genya missing...."

"She's the girl you love," Nikolai reminded him, "you've been obsessing over this girl for ages. I remember you getting drunk and ranting about this girl."

Mal shrugged. "I rant about a lot of things. Besides, going won't change anything, Nikolai. After how Aleksander had to end things, I'll be surprised if she ever wants to speak to us again. Which, as you remember, is kind of the whole point. She's supposed to hate us and tell her story and bring down your father."

"Well, she doesn't have to hate you," said Nikolai, "that was all Aleksander's part of the plan. He thought that it would keep her safe, you know. That it would seem more convincing if she didn't have any ties to you when the information was coming out. But your story is completely different from her story with Aleksander's."

"How do you figure?" Mal asked.

"Because the world thinks that you were dating. As far as everyone is concerned, you two are the fairytale. The sweethearts that Aleksander was trying to destroy the same way that he tried to destroy his relationship with you and Alina. You two are supposed to end up together."

"You think so?" Mal said.

Nikolai nodded. "Go and see her. I bet she says that you two belong together."

So, with a lot of liquid courage, Mal texted Alina and stumbled out to his car and drove to Duva. They met at the café that she was working at. It had been nearly a month since the two of them had seen each other, and he couldn't stop thinking about her tight little pussy and his cock inside of it. He needed her, and Alina had asked Nina to pass a message along to him. That had to mean something, didn't it?

It was late at night when he met her. The café was just closing, and Mal slipped in just in time to see Alina cleaning up. "Lina," he breathed.

Alina was wiping down the counter. She froze when she heard him speak. "Mal?"

"I came," he said, "Nina got me your message."

She turned around and ran to him, hugging him tightly. Mal wrapped his arms around her and breathed her in. "You smell like sunlight," he murmured, "how is it possible that you smell like sunlight when its night out?"

Alina pulled away and smiled at him. "You've got no idea how happy I am to see you."

He wanted to kiss her badly, but even meeting her was a bad idea. He had no clue who might be watching. "I'm happy to see you too."

"Why," said Alina, "why are you working for Nikolai Lantsov? What's so wrong with finishing school before having to work?"

"It's not about that, Lina," Mal explained, "it's about the two of us. As long as I'm with the Morozova's, I'm always going to be under their thumb. I will always have to do what Aleksander says. I will always have to do what my father says. Nikolai is offering me the chance to be able to do what I want."

"Mal, you're going to be giving up your family by doing this."

Mal shook his head. "My family died, Lina. They're family, but not my immediate family. I am never going to be a Morozova. I'm an Oretsev, and it's time that I start acting like one."

"What does that mean?" Alina asked.

"It means that I want a future with you," he answered, "only you."

He reached out and stroked her cheek. He was inches from kissing her, and then------there was a loud bang that echoed through the building, through him, a shooting pain---screaming----and nothing.