Tears of Salvation (The Saints #5; Underworld Kings #3)

by Michelle Heard

Demitri: Don’t do anything else without me there to back you. Alexei: And people wonder why I don’t do relationships. You’re clingy enough for me.

Fearless. Dangerous. Beautiful. Isabella will make the perfect partner.

The corner of his mouth lifts again. “Family. Never thought I’d consider having kids.” “I’ll teach them how to shoot a gun,” I joke. Demitri’s smile widens. “You better, seeing as you’ll be their godfather.”

Again Alexei laughs. “Do you really want to deprive the world of the ecstasy you felt when I fucked you?” My left eyebrow shoots up. “Vain much?” “No, just confident.”

“She smirked at you,” I taunt Demitri, and then I let out a burst of laughter at the memory. “You’re no match for me, Vetrov,” I mimic what Isabella said to him, only to crack up laughing again.

“You really enjoyed that moment, didn’t you?” Demitri asks, shooting a glare my way as we walk into the house.

You’re strong enough to survive at my side, but how the fuck do I capture someone as wild as you?

“Taking advantage of a woman who has amnesia doesn’t sit well with me.”

I’ll make Isabella love me, marry her, and then she’ll be mine. Together we’ll rule the world.

Alexei’s eyebrows shoot up, then he says, “It doesn’t look like you had a relaxing shower.” “I didn’t,” I grumble as I start to walk to the closet.

“You better eat everything,” Demitri mutters. “Yes, Daddy,” I taunt him,

“You’re the first woman to make me tick. You’re such a fucking challenge, and I love it.”

Turning to Demitri, I ask, “How am I going to make the proposal romantic?” He gives me an incredulous look. “You’re aware I don’t have a romantic bone in my body? Go ask Ariana.”

Grabbing a chair, I sit down, and then I lock eyes with her. “Give me an idea for a romantic proposal.” Ariana blinks at me as if I just spoke a foreign language. “Want me to repeat it in Russian?”

Okay. Deep breaths. You love Isabella. Christ, so much for thinking I was the one in control. My breathing begins to speed up as I feel panic for the first time in my life. What if her memory returns and I lose her? What the fuck will I do then?

“Whatever happens in the future, I want you to remember this moment. I mean everything I’m going to say.”

“I fucking love everything about you. I could spend the next hour going into detail, but I won’t. I want you. All of you. I want you next to my side. I want to wage wars with you. I want to build empires with you. I want you in every new memory I make because there isn’t a woman on the face of this planet I respect more.”

We’re engaged. Thank God.

“Mine. A fucking goddess belongs to me.” My lips curve up as I shake my head, and framing his jaw with my palms, I say, “No, a god belongs to me.”

“What do you want as an engagement present?” he murmurs, his breath fanning over my lips. “A motorcycle,” the answer comes easily. Alexei grins at me. “And?” I think for a moment. “A gun.”

“What do you want?” I ask, intimacy weaving a spell around us. “You naked every night.” He pushes a finger inside me, and a moan spills over my lips, then I breathe, “And?” “You by my side forever.” As Alexei’s mouth takes mine, my heart fills with warmth, and it slowly spreads through my body. Today I made the right decision when I agreed to marry Alexei. I have no regrets.

When I’m close to Isabella and Winter, I hear them talking about Winter’s wedding. Christ, that was the quickest I’ve arranged and planned a wedding. I had Damien and Winter engaged and married in a matter of forty-eight hours.

If Isabella betrayed me, would I be able to take her life? It would fucking rip my heart out. “Yes.” Slowly, she nods. “Same goes for you, Alexei.” This conversation has quickly turned way too fucking serious.

My heartbeat speeds up as the thought that I can actually lose Isabella crosses my mind.

“You have my loyalty and love because you are nothing like your father. The day you killed him, I vowed to be your custodian because I knew there wasn’t a man alive more deserving of my protection than you.”

“That was such a couply thing to do,” he says, sounding a little surprised.

“I love you, Alexei.” The words I’ve been dying to hear wash through me,

The corner of Demitri’s mouth lifts. “Good luck.” As Demitri walks away to tend to the wounded, Isabella asks, “Was that meant for me or you?” “Me. I’ve seen what it looks like after you’ve removed a bullet,” I joke. She slants her eyes at me. “One more comment like that, and I won’t give you any painkillers.”

“You’re going to be out of action for at least six weeks.” “Action?” he asks. ‘Sex,’ I mouth the word. “Hell fucking no. You haven’t seen me heal. With enough motivation, I’ll be good to go in a week.”

Climbing to my feet, an ache spreads through my chest. “Where are you going?” Demitri asks. “To get some sympathy from my fiancée,”

“When did you fall in love with me?” A smile spreads over my face. “The moment I learned my party crasher was the goddess of mischief and chaos.”

My eyes lock with his. “You’ll do.” “I’d fucking hope so,” Alexei says as he rises to his feet. “That’s what I thought when I saw you at the club.”

“My party crasher.” “My devil,”

“I love you so fucking much, Isabella.” Emotion warms my chest. “I love you, too, Alexei.”

His features grow serious again. “I trust you with my life.” This time his words hit me right in the heart, knowing how rare trust is in our world. “I trust you too.”

“Isabella Terrero, will you marry me?” And then I finally get it. Alexei is proposing to me – the me with all of my memory intact.

‘Sure, take a stroll. There’s no hurry whatsoever.’ “Take out the tires if you’re so worried,” I say, enjoying fucking with Demitri way too much.

Demitri and Ariana started calling her Bella right after the wedding. I tried it once and almost got my ass kicked. I’m only allowed to call her Isabella, baby, and my goddess.

“She takes after you,” I blame Alexei. “So fucking cute,” Demitri murmurs. Alexei grins at his friend. “I know.” “Fucker. I meant the kids.” “Of course.”

Ariana drops down on the chair next to me, shaking her head. “It feels like Bella and I have four kids. Would be nice to have husbands once in a while.” “Amen, sister,” I agree.