A Sin
A Sin
Leomord’s POV
The nightmare I thought I buried just became real again.
It’s late evening. I’m sitting by the porch, trying to untangle my thoughts while watching the smoke from my cigarette curl into the air. Anastasia is inside, humming as she folds laundry. The sound soothes me. Keeps me grounded. I promised her peace—but peace doesn’t come easy when you’ve sold parts of your soul.
My phone buzzes.
No name.
Just a single message:
“Pretty little thing you got. Hope nothing happens to her.”
My chest tightens instantly. I crush the cigarette under my boot and jump up.
No, no, no.
They found her.
They’re not just threatening me anymore—they’re circling her.
I rush inside.
“Anastasia,” I call, trying to keep my voice steady.
She looks up from the sofa, smile fading as she sees my face. “What happened?”
“Come with me,” I say quickly. “Now.”
“Wait, what__?”
“No questions. Please. Just trust me.”
She hesitates for a second, then drops the clothes and follows me. I grab the keys and lead her to the truck parked near the barn. My hands tremble slightly as I start the engine.
“Leomord,” she whispers, “what’s going on?”
I swallow hard. “I’ll tell you everything. I swear. But right now, we’re not safe.”
The truck roars to life, and I drive fast, away from the cottage, from the village, from the illusion of peace I tried to build.
Because they’re not going to let me go.
And now they’ve marked her too.
We reach the old hunting cabin half an hour later. I used to come here with Grandpa as a kid. It’s hidden deep in the woods. No one knows about it anymore.
I usher her inside, bolt the door, check the windows.
She watches me the whole time, silent but alert. She knows this isn’t just a panic attack.
“Leomord,” she says again, firmer now. “What the hell is going on?”
I finally stop. My breath is ragged, my heart hammering.
“They’re after you.”
“Who?”
“The gang. The ones I used to work for in prison. The ones that beat me up last week.” I pause. “They don’t let anyone leave.”
Her face goes pale.
I step forward quickly, taking her hands. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to be scared. But now—”
“I’m already scared,” she whispers. “You should’ve told me before.”
“I know. I thought I could protect you. But this, this is bigger than I thought.”
She pulls away, pacing the room. Her hands shake. “So what now? Are we supposed to hide forever?”
“No,” I say. “I’m going to fix this. I just need you safe for a little while.”
Tears burn her eyes, but she blinks them back. “I’m not leaving you.”
“You might not have a choice.”
She walks up to me, eyes locked on mine. “Don’t you get it? I’ve already lost everything once. If I lose you too…”
I can’t take it. I pull her into my arms, burying my face in her hair.
“We’ll make it,” I whisper.
But deep down, I know something has to give.
And the price might be my life.
I don’t sleep that night.
Anastasia lies curled beside me on the floor of the cabin, wrapped in a blanket, but I can feel her fear in every breath. My arms stay around her like a shield. If I could drag her heart into mine and protect it from the world, I would.
But I can’t.
Because they’ve found us once already. And they will again.
At dawn, I step outside, phone in hand. I try to call someone I used to trust from that world, someone who might give me information. No answer. Second attempt, still nothing.
I know what this means.
They’re coming.
By the time I return inside, Anastasia is awake, her hair messy, eyes tired.
“We can’t stay here long,” I say quietly. “I need to move you somewhere safer.”
She stares. “You think I’m going to just keep running?”
I look away. “You should.”
“And you?”
I don’t answer.
Because the truth is, I have a plan. And she can’t be part of it.
~
By noon, the silence is thick. We haven’t talked much. I can tell she knows I’m hiding something again.
When she goes to wash up near the stream, I hear the car.
A low rumble, tires crunching the gravel path outside.
No one should know this place.
I reach for the knife I keep tucked behind the door and step out.
Three men.
I recognize the one in front. His name’s Rix. I’ve seen him beat a guy to death for taking too long to count money.
“Well, well,” Rix smirks. “You didn’t make it easy, Leo.”
I grip the knife tighter. “She’s not here.”
“Bullshit. We tracked your phone.”
“I destroyed it.”
He shrugs. “Then maybe we tracked hers.”
My stomach sinks.
Behind me, I hear footsteps.
Anastasia.
“Run!” I yell.
But it’s too late.
One of them lunges toward her. She screams, trying to pull away, but they shove her against the cabin wall.
I charge, knife slicing the air, and plunge it into the guy’s side. He groans and falls back.
Another one punches me in the ribs. I taste blood.
They weren’t here to talk.
This was always going to end in blood.
I don’t remember the next few seconds clearly.
A blur of fists. Screams. My vision blurs as someone kicks me down. But through the chaos, I hear her—Anastasia. She’s crying, yelling my name.
Something inside me snaps.
I grab a rock and throw it at Rix’s head. He stumbles. That gives her just enough time to wriggle free and run to me.
I pull her behind me, one arm around her waist, panting.
“If you touch her again,” I growl, “I’ll kill you.”
Rix wipes blood from his forehead and glares. “You’re already dead, Leomord. You just don’t know it yet.”
Then they’re gone.
They vanish into the trees, tires spinning, engine roaring.
They’ve delivered their message loud and clear.
Next time, they won’t leave without her.
We sit on the floor of the cabin in stunned silence. Her lip is split. I have blood on my shirt.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, broken.
She stares at me for a long time. Then she says softly, “You can’t fix this alone.”
“I have to.”
“No,” she says. “You don’t. We do it together.”
Tears pool in my eyes. I pull her close and rest my forehead against hers.
She holds my face, brushing my bruises. “We go to the police. Or your grandma. Or even the media—I don’t care. We don’t hide anymore.”
For the first time, I nod.
Because she’s right.
I tried to carry it all, thinking I was shielding her.
But maybe the real strength is letting her carry it with me.