Mafia Bloodlines

Chapter 41

Ambrose’s POV

She stood in the Novikov gardens, the moonlight brushing her skin like a lover who missed her. She hadn’t noticed me yet—too lost in her own thoughts, maybe. But I noticed everything. The way her shoulders tensed like she could still feel the ghosts of everything she endured. The way she held herself like a soldier, trained and dangerous, yet so deeply tired.

God, I had missed her.

I moved silently, slipping past the outer ring of Novikov security like I hadn’t spent years teaching men how to build impenetrable lines. No one could keep me from her, not now.

Faina turned sharply the second I was close enough to exhale her name, even though I didn’t. Her eyes met mine and for a second, she didn’t say anything.

Just like that, I was drowning again.

“I should scream,” she said, her voice low and sharp, like a knife dragged through silk.

“You won’t,” I answered, just as quietly.

She blinked. Anger flickered across her face. Anger and something else she probably hated even more. Relief.

“What are you doing here?” she snapped, but she didn’t move. She didn’t call for Vladimir. She didn’t look away.

“I had to see you.”

“Why?” she asked In a bored tone, I could sense that underneath she was pissed at me.

“You know why.” I say struggling to find the words.

She scoffed. “Enlighten me. Because last I checked, I was accused of killing Agape.  Ambrose you can't keep doing this, messing up my life whenever you feel like it. I won't be a part of your games. One minute you claim to love me and the next you claim to despise me, it's enough!”

My jaw tightened. She wasn’t wrong. But she wasn’t entirely right either.

“I know you didn’t do it,” I said, stepping closer just one step, enough to make her breath catch even though she masked it well. “You could never do that to me.”

Her expression flickered, lips parting slightly, and I knew she was remembering Agape. Remembering how we were how the three of us existed in that strange, delicate balance until it shattered.

“I also know someone wants to destroy me,” I continued. “And I wasn’t going to let them succeed. They already took my baby girl, Faina. I wasn’t going to let them hurt you too. You are all I have and I will defend you with my life.”

She looked at me then, really looked at me. And for a second, I saw everything. The hurt. The betrayal. The fear. And beneath it all the longing. God, we were both broken. But the cracks in us still fit together like they were carved by the same blade.

“I’m not yours to protect anymore,” she whispered.

“I never stopped,” I whispered back. Silence stretched between us. Heavy. Unresolved. Faina didn’t move. Neither did I.

" Leave, if I am really in danger because of you then that's precisely why you have to stay away from me. Don't call or sneak in here. Let me be happy, this is where I belong." She starred into space as she expressed her concerns. I knew there would be no reasoning with her. I didn't intend to I just needed to see that she is okay. Maybe now that she knows I believe her she might hate me a little less.

" Keep your eyes open. It would seem that my enemies have become your enemies, they know what you mean to me." As I said the last statement her attention turned to me. Her eyes searched for the truth in mine. She breathed slowly as she came to the same realisation as I. This wasn't just my flight, it was ours, who knows what this enemy could do next. This person had the coldness to murder my ailing six  year old daughter. Our enemy didn't care about the risk, just the results.

"I am sorry about Agape." She says while squeezing my hand.

I sigh before the words escape from my mouth.
" Me too."  As I tried to walk away she grabbed me which made me lose my step a bit.

" You can't slip out now, you won't make it. You will only have an opportunity Tomorrow morning. You will have to stay hidden inside of the house until I can sneak you out." She suggests, well more like informs me because I don't think she gave me any choice.

"Oh so you do care?" I asked with a smirk which earned me a scoff and an eye roll.

" I'm just not ready to explain to my family if the guards catch me with the Greek mafia don. Vladimir isn't very welcoming to the men who claim to love me. I don't want drama, don't make a scene okay?" She said as she raised her eyebrows. Fine I will behave. I've made Faina's life very difficult as it is, she can get a break just for tonight.

She led me inside. The house was beautiful, less gloomy like my mansion, it had a homey feel.

" You will sleep here, I will get you Tommorow at 4 am, the guards will be rotating and I can sneak you out in the mist of that." She looks at me, waiting for me to respond.

" Get me, what do you mean get me? Am I not sleeping in your room?" I clearly thought wrong.

" Whose room is this anyways, wouldn't I be safer with you?" I shoot, hoping she would reconsider.

" No you won't be safer with me because my twin sister has some separation anxiety and she is very clingy these days. I'm certain she will be sleeping in my bed tonight, as she has been doing for the past two weeks. you can sleep peacefully here, no need to sleep with one eye open because no one will disturb you here. This was Mikhail's room." She explained hastily. I arched my eyebrow, I know it wasn't her brother because I know all their names and profiles.

" Mikhail was my bodyguard and he died over two years ago. Vladimir did it." She explains vaguely. It seems I wouldn't be getting more out of her about this Mikhail guy.

I took a slow step forward, careful not to close the space between us too quickly. The air between us was already thick with unspoken things.

“If I had known I’d be spending the night in your dead bodyguard’s room,” I murmured, voice quiet but laced with bite, “I would’ve declined the offer altogether.”Her gaze didn’t flinch, but I saw the tension in her jaw.

“The only reason I agreed was because you gave me the impression I’d be in your bed.......And I certainly didn’t agree out of fear. Least of all, fear of Vladimir.”

"Only in your wildest dreams, Ambrose,” she said, her voice cold but soft around the edges. “I would never let you in my bed. Ever. I'm not one of the whores you used to bring over, "
But she didn’t walk away.

" Oh but you wish you were one of my whores. In fact I have never desired any of my whores as much as I desire you. To think that I resist Every temptation and urge to touch you... Oh the things I would do to you Faina." What I said took her by surprise, she broke eye contact as I spoke Faina swallow hard, she bit the inside of her chin and then faced me once again.

Something about that refusal snapped the last thread of my restraint. I moved in, closing the distance. My hand wrapped around her arm, firm, not gentle.....and I pulled her to me before I could think better of it. Then my mouth was on hers, hungry, desperate, like something I’d been starving for.

And God....she kissed me back.Fiercely. Her fingers curled into my shirt, her lips parting with heat, all that anger and grief pouring into me like wildfire. For a second, we weren't enemies, or broken, or afraid. We were just... us.

Then she tore away.The slap cracked through the air, sharp and clean. My head snapped slightly to the side. What else would I expect from Faina, I knew it was coming.

“Don’t you ever try that again, Ambrose,” she hissed, her voice trembling—not with fear, but something far more dangerous.

I didn’t respond. She turned and headed for the door without another word, heels echoing softly. But just before she left....when she thought I wasn’t looking,I caught it. That ghost of a smile on her lips.

She wanted me. Just as badly. The door clicked shut. A second later, I heard the lock slide into place from the outside. Of course she locked it. Because if she didn’t… she might let me back in.