A Little Too Much, A Little Too Deep

Chapter 33

I can feel Dimitri toss and turn beside me and I open my eyes, rolling over to face him. I put my hand on his chest and he places his hand over mine. We both have been anxious since we got to Lissa's and all I can focus on is the sound of the twins' breathing in the playpen. Dimitri's eyes meet mine in the dark and pulls me closer to him, tucking me protectively into his body, curling himself around me.

We lay there like that for a while, not saying anything but pulling strength from each other in the dark. Eventually, I pull away from him to get out of bed and tiptoe to the pen. I lean over and scope Artyom up and set him down on the bed in front of Dimitri before picking up Nadia and placing her beside her brother. I lay down next to and grasp Dimitri's hand, holding it over the two small bodies that lay between us. "We will protect them, we are going to be ok," I whisper to Dimitri and he squeezes my hand tightly.

"I will fight until my dying breath for the three of you," Dimitri proclaims to us and I smile sadly. I hope he doesn't have to.

When I wake up a few hours later I take a moment to memorize the sight in front of me. Dimitri is still laying on his side with his arm stretched over the twins and his hand rests on my waist. Both of the babies are still fast asleep and perfect as ever. I lift my eyes up to Dimitri to see his gaze on me and I smile at him. "How long did it take for you to fall asleep?" I ask him.

"I stayed up for an hour before I finally fell asleep."

I nod and stifle a yawn as I stretch gently in bed and look down at the twins. These two people have become a warming sun in my life and the thought of having someone threaten that makes my blood boil. They are innocents and Tasha has taken it all a step too far.

"We will find them," Dimitri promises me, pulling me from my thoughts. Sometimes I feel like he can read my mind.

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If anyone had an issue with us bringing the twins to the briefing, they graciously kept it to themselves. Ethan Moore wasn't been able to flee Court before the Guardians caught up with him and brought him in for questioning. Dimitri and I stand behind the one-way glass holding our children as we listen to Croft grill Moore.

"Why did you help Ms. Ozera?" Croft asks him, leaning over the table to stare him down. Moore sits there with a vacant look on his face, and the only words he hasn't uttered since being brought in was he didn't know where Tasha was.

I bounce Nadia in my arms as she starts to fuss, and I hold the soother to her mouth and hushing her gently. They have been at this for two hours and nothing has come to light yet. Croft shakes his head and waves for the Guardian to unlock the door for him to leave and makes his way towards the room we are in. He steps in and closes the door with a huff. "I'm sorry, he doesn't want to talk yet," Croft said apologetically. I nod and bounce Nadia again, dragging my eyes over to Dimitri to see frustration clear on his face.

"Let me talk to him."

I laugh humorously and look at him with surprise. "Are you serious?" I ask when he meets my gaze. He nods and looks to Croft.

Croft runs his hand through his hair as he looks between us. "Fine, you get thirty minutes." Dimitri nods and moves to hand me Artyom, but Nadia chooses this time to try to fling herself backwards in my arms and lets out a piercing cry. Croft moves forward and takes Artyom from Dimitri. "I don't think you should watch this," Dimitri says as he steps by me. I furrow my brows when he gives me a steady look and I frown when I realize why he doesn't want me to watch. He doesn't plan on using normal interrogation methods to get the answers he needs. I nod and walk out of the room and follow Croft to his office.