I Never Told You I Love You - Complete

Chapter 45 - Do Not Come In!

Pulling up in front of the Belikov house, Dimitri asked "What do you want first, milaya? Food? Sleep?"

"First a shower and clean clothes," Rose whispered. "Then I'll talk about what happened."

Dimitri stroked her arm. "I'll take you straight upstairs," he promised.

"Stay with me?"

"Of course, Roza."

Awkwardly climbing out of the van, with Rose still cuddled up against his chest, Xander opened the front door, and Dimitri walked straight through.

"Roza needs a shower and clean clothes first. Vika – can you make some hot chocolates, please? Mama would you mind getting Rose something to eat?" he asked, continuing through the living room and up the stairs, not putting Rose down until he reached the bathroom.

"Shower with me?" she asked.

"Whatever you want milaya," Dimitri said adoringly, helping Rose strip out of what she'd been wearing. "I'll get our towels."

He was back seconds later, quickly stripping his own clothing and wearily climbing into the shower beside Rose. She had already grabbed her toothbrush, loaded it with toothpaste and was furiously scrubbing her teeth and mouth. She didn't want her lips anywhere near Dimitri's until all trace of Adrian was gone. Rinsing and spitting for the sixth time, she felt clean again. Raising her face to her Russian God, Rose slipped her hand around his neck, pulling his lips to hers.

A soft, delicate kiss, it was filled with such love and joy. Delight at being back together after both being so frightened away from the other. Dimitri ran the back of his index finger lightly along the side of Rose's face, looking into her beautiful dark eyes, then using it to push her hair back behind her ear.

"No!" Dimitri hissed, eyes widening with shock as he saw on her neck what she'd done her best to conceal from him so far. "He fed from you?! I'm going to kill him!" Dimitri shouted, starting to get out of the shower.

"No! Don't leave me! Hold me, Comrade?" Rose begged in a small voice. "I need you here more than I need you off killing him." Standing beside the shower Dimitri had to decide whether to stay and look after his love or wreak vengeance on the one who'd hurt her. "My shoulders are sore. Can you wash my hair for me?"

It was a diversionary tactic, and Dimitri knew it. But he wasn't able to deny his Roza anything she asked for right now – so he stepped back under the warm stream of water, carefully lathering and washing her hair, the whole time thinking murderous thoughts about Ivashkov and wishing he'd done a lot more than boot him in the ribs.

"Come on – before they knock down the door," Rose joked feebly, turning off the shower and grabbing her towel. Walking through to their room she changed into a comfy pair of sweats and a large comfortable TShirt of Dimitri's, pulling her hair up into a loose bun. There was no point hiding Adrian had fed from her, now, she reasoned.

Rose looked at the tense man standing beside her. He looked so drawn and tired. Embracing him, resting her head against his muscular firm chest, she murmured "I can't believe you found me. As soon as you came in, I knew everything was going to be ok."

"I don't think you needed my help – you were doing great on your own."

"The darkness was bad. I probably would have killed him if you hadn't arrived," Rose said with a shiver.

"Now I know he fed from you, I might kill him," Dimitri muttered mutinously.

Back downstairs Vika had hot chocolates waiting, and Olena had whipped up a plate of cheese, meats, fruits and thickly buttered black bread. Coming downstairs hand in hand, Dimitri sat on one sofa, holding his arms open to Roza who sat across his lap closing her eyes happily as he pulled a warm patchwork quilt over them both before encircling her in his strong arms. Rose smiled at everyone gathered – the Belikovs, Abe, and Xander.