Chapter 87: Codename: Aconite Chapter Thirty-Seven

“You’ve heard of him?” he says happily.

“Are you kidding? Who hasn’t? That time he took out that Cambodian death squad. Oh my God, my grandmother was gushing about it for weeks. So savagely brutal, especially putting their heads on pikes – which I personally thought was a fabulous touch. I know we do a lot of fucked up shit, but it’s those moments when we get to use these skills to bring justice to people who would otherwise never have it, that makes what we do rewarding. The Cambodian genocide was… horrific. What your father did saved a lot of lives,” I say with genuine praise.

Police, governments, military. They all have to follow the rules and go through so much red tape, and more often than not, the real criminals either are never caught, or they get released on some technicality and are back on the street to do it all over again. People like me and Silas, may not be the most moral or ethical people in the world, and we’re obviously not very choosey when it comes to taking on clients, but one of the bright points is knowing that we don’t have to live constricted by laws and rules that are more adept are protecting the criminals than the victims.

If Uncle Dimitris had been expected to use the law to get justice for Athena, not a single one of the men involved in her brutal kidnap and rap would have ever seen a second behind bars. Because of what I do, I was able to make every single one of them suffer and beg for mercy before meeting their maker. If my Great, Great Grandmother hadn’t taken matters into her own hands, her father would have very likely killed her, her siblings, or her mother and no one in their village would have done a damn fucking thing. We may not be angels, but sometimes we can bring justice to those the system failed.

“I’ve always been proud of my father for that,” he says, his voice echoing his pride clear as day. “My father absolutely loathes and detests rapists, so he’ll happily do some pro-bono work when he comes across them,” he says with a sly smile.

“I love your father already. And your mother is Ajna. That explains where your love of guns comes from,” I say playfully.

“My mother is the sweetest, most loving lady you could ever meet. She always tried to keep me away from this life, but I guess in trying to keep me away she just made me want to be a part of it even more.”

“How rebellious,” I tease.

He chuckles. “Something like that. What about your family? Anyone I’ve heard of? I’m guessing we can count your father out since you said he was part of the Greek mafia, right?”

I smile and nod. “That’s right. Well, my mother goes by Veil and my grandmother goes by Oculus.”

His jaw drops in awe. “Your grandmother is Oculus? Wait, wait, wait. Your grandmother is the assassin who infiltrated a Nicaraguan cartel and gouged out the eyes of all the cartel’s higher-ups in their sleep?!”

“Yeah,” I grin. “That’s my nonnina,” I say proudly. She may be pushing on in years, but she’s still a badass.

“I am such a fan!” he gushes. “Her kills are legendary. And Veil? The influence your mother has had on European politics thanks to her kills is just incredible.”

I smile wide. “Thank you so much. I’ll be sure to tell them you said that. After this is all done with, of course. I don’t need more of them babying me,” I say, rolling my eyes.

“They baby you?” he asks in surprise.

“When I came back from Russia it was just 24/7 fretting over me. I know that sounds ungrateful because I know they love me and were just trying to take care of me, but it got to be too much. They wouldn’t let me so much as get out of bed. I felt like a prisoner, not a patient,” I sigh.

Silas reaches out and takes my gloved hand in his, brushing his thumb against the back of my hand, still managing to soothe me with his gentle caresses through the latex. “I understand. My parents are super loving and caring, but my father is the carefree one, which I love about him. My mother worries about me all the time. She has her tough moments, but sometimes the way she hovers and worries over me can feel…”

“Suffocating?”

“Yes! Suffocating, exactly. I always turn to them, and I want them to be there when I need them, I just don’t need my mother treating me like I’m a child unable to take care of myself.”

“That’s exactly how I felt! I loved having my family close, but controlling what I ate and drank and whether I could get out of bed or not was driving me insane. I’m not a stagnant person. I hate doing nothing. Even if I need to rest and heal because some sexy Moldovan tried to kill me, I’d rather spend that time in here, taking care of my plants and working on my experiments.”

“Can we go back to the sexy Moldovan part?” he says playfully.

I smile giving his hand a squeeze. “Has the mind-blowing sex we’ve had not given away how I felt?” I tease.

“Oh, it definitely did. I just like hearing you call me sexy,” he smirks, pulling me close till I’m caged between his legs.

I remove my gloves and wrap my arms around his neck. “I’m actually pretty glad you didn’t die. I’d have missed out on some amazing orgasms if you had.”

“So, you just like me for my dick. Don’t sugarcoat it for me,” he says sarcastically.

I chuckle and softly kiss his cheeks. I look warmly into his gemstone eyes, relishing the way they look back at me with such captivated wonder. “I like you for much more than your dick,” I say sincerely.

He smiles, lifting his hand and tucking a loose strand of my hair behind my ear and trailing his fingers lightly down my neck, being extra cautious as he gets close to the mark around my neck. “You coming into my life could not be more unconventional if I tried, and yet it feels perfect. If anyone outside of our world heard how we met, knew the shit we’ve done, or the fact we’re sitting here fanning out over the ways our family have killed people, they’d have us committed in a heartbeat.”

I chuckle, smiling at him. “Conventional is boring. There hasn’t been a dull moment since you entered my life, and I have to admit, I’ve loved every minute of it.”

“So have I,” he says with deep sincerity shining in his eyes and radiating through his voice. “Dasha, will you go out with me? I mean on a real, proper date. No fake names or identities. No secretly plotting to kill each other. Just a genuine date.”

I smile taken aback by the question. I loved our date in Russia, but a real date where we can just be ourselves with no secrets or deception? That sounds incredible.

“Silas, I would love to go on a date with you,” I say excitedly.

With a grand smile on his face, he wraps one arm around my waist and holds the back of my head with his other hand as he presses his lips against mine. His lips start off kissing me firmly and possessively but slowly ease off, turning into something tender. I return his kiss, my lips following his lead as my entire body begins to tingle. Silas has never kissed me like this before. Our kisses are always forceful and primal; the collision of two dominant forces giving in to carnal desire. I love those kisses. I love the need they ignite inside me and the way they consume my body. But this… I’ve never been kissed like this.

He kisses me slowly, his lips moving in a sweet caress, treasuring, and adoring my lips as if they were the most valuable thing in the world. I wrap my arms tighter around his neck, holding myself to him as my lips mould to the shape of his, committing them to memory. I never knew a kiss could make you feel cherished, but that’s how he makes me feel. He can fuck me, take me to unknown heights of pleasure and bring me undeniable pain, but as it turns out, he can also be tender and gentle. Touching me and treating me like exquisite, delicate glass. I never thought the perfect man existed, but if he does, Silas Istrati is that man, and he just asked me out on a date.