His Wicked Heart

Chapter Twenty-Seven

seraphic
(n.) angelic; sweet

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PRESENT

GENEVIEVE

Patience is a virtue which I lose every time I'm near Aleksandr. After telling my story, I have been looking at him for the past five minutes, waiting to get some reaction from him. But oddly as ever, his face remained blank.

I just told him my deepest secret. My mom was a prostitute at Vittoria's Venue. She gave birth to me after getting impregnated by a man she got infatuated with. That was the story Maggie had told me.

Mama hid me for a few years, until she was taken away by some men we barely knew.

I never tried to find my her killer, neither did I ever try to search for my dad. I wanted a peaceful life, devoid of any kind of attention from others. Though, a part of me knew, my mom had involvement with bad people. People who'd have removed me from existence had I ever tried to hunt them. And I knew one thing for sure.

Maggie told me a half truth.

Whoever my dad was, he was a powerful man.

Just like the man in front of me.

But the question now was, is Aleksandr disgusted by me? Will he leave my house right now? Will he tell me that he doesn't want to see my face anymore?

"Say something." I gritted out this time, tired of his silence. He still didn't say anything, only kept looking at me until a smile broke free from his lips. Then he said the most unexpected words.

"You're a brave woman, dorogaya." My eyes widened, and he stood up, making his way towards me. He got on one knee in before me, took my hands in his, and looked up at me with the most genuineness I've ever seen. "I've said that once, and will remind you that always. As long as you let me stay by your side."

I was unable to do or say anything besides watching his actions. "Maybe you're right," he continued, "I do admire you. And I feel sorry for you. I'm not good with comforting words, dorogaya, but I'd say that whatever happened to you should have never happened, neither should it ever happen to any child."

He gently pulled the strands of my hair that fell over my forehead behind my ear, his smile still there as his rough palm brushed my cheek. "But congrats," he smiled again, "You've fought, won, and lived."

Time slowed down between us, the earth felt small, as if it was only me and him left here. I didn't know what to say, but I did know how to feel.

And whatever I felt now was what he felt.

Emotions so unknown, and raw yet, passionate.

"Genevieve, Genevieve!" It was the familiar voice of Val that pulled us out of our daze. Aleksandr didn't bother breaking our eye contact, however, slowly stood up as Val made her way over here, stopping right in her tracks when she found me and the man in a rather intimate position.

But when he moved away, she quickly rushed towards me, making me fall back on my couch with her bone-crushing hug. "Oh, my God! Are you okay?" She pulled away immediately, looking me up and down with her frantic eyes.

I sighed, and nodded slightly. "Yes, I'm fine." I smiled then, "Worry not. It's Aleksandr who made a big deal out of it."

"Shuddup. Whatever he did was right. You need someone beside you right now," She looks behind at him, a smile of gratitude playing on her lips. "Thank you for calling me out." She tells him as he nods. "You're welcome."