Page 63 of The Billionaire's Vow

Dimitri’s arms tightened around her, his embrace strong and steady."Then let me love you enough for the both of them."

A shuddering breath escaped her as she buried her face against his neck, her hands fisting into his shirt.For the first time in a long time, she let herself believe it was possible.

She was quiet for a moment, then leaned back, her fingers tracing idle patterns on his arm.“This is as much about my own recovery as it is theirs.”

He grunted, his chin resting on the top of her head.“They have addictions.You just need to accept that your family will never give you the love you deserve.”He tightened his hold around her.“And you should turn to me instead.”

She tilted her head back, her lips curling into the first real smile of her day.“You’re volunteering to fill the void?”

“Absolutely,” he murmured, a slow knowing smile spreading across his face as he shifted, tilting her back until she lay beneath him.

Giselle giggled, but she didn’t resist—wrapping her arms around his neck, drawing him closer.“What if my need for affection is too much?”

He nipped at her jaw, his voice a low, teasing growl.“I’m more than up for the challenge.”

But just as quickly, her expression turned serious, the lightness in her eyes dimming.“Dimitri… are you sure you want a future with me?”she whispered.“You’ve seen all the ugly parts of my life.”

His gaze softened.“We all have ugly parts, Giselle.”He ran a hand over her side, grounding her.“But you’ll have to accept the darker side of my world, too.”

She didn’t hesitate.“Your dark side means the bad guys don’t get away with hurting the good ones.”

He chuckled quietly, shaking his head.“You’re seeing my world through rose-tinted glasses.”

Her hands came up to cradle his face, her thumbs caressing his cheekbones.“No, I seeyou.”Her voice was steady, sure.“Dimitri, you have a good heart.You don’t hurt innocent people.You use the darkness to protect those who can’t protect themselves.That’s not a bad man—that’s a man who understands power and how to wield it.”

His throat worked, his hands flexing against her waist.“But I…”

Whatever protest he had died on his lips.Because she kissed him.Deeply, tenderly.

And Dimitri, for all his strength, had no intention of stopping her.He lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom.There, he made love to her until they were gasping for air.And afterwards, he held her in his arms, made love to her again, then cooked dinner for them.She fell asleep in his arms while Dimitri made plans, listening to her steady breathing as Giselle slept.

Chapter 25

Dimitristoodattheedge of the dock, the distant hum of the city swallowed by the steady crash of the waves against the pier.The air was thick with the smell of salt, oil, and something fouler—the stench of betrayal.

Tommy, his head of security, stood beside him, arms crossed, his stance deceptively relaxed.Dimitri knew better.Tommy was locked in, eyes sweeping the alley just beyond the loading dock, where Elliot and Craig’s crew had been moving product for weeks.

“They’re in position,” Tommy murmured, keeping his voice low.His earpiece crackled faintly, relaying confirmation from their men scattered throughout the area.“The cops are waiting on your signal.SWAT’s ready to move as soon as we give the word.”

Dimitri exhaled slowly, watching as two of Elliot’s men—idiots, both of them—carted a small, nondescript crate from one of his shipping containers into the shadows of the alley.A black van waited at the far end, barely visible under the dim streetlights.

It was a clever little operation they’d set up.Take a few high-value items from each shipment—never enough to raise immediate suspicion—and transfer them in smaller boxes to the black market.But not clever enough.

Dimitri had known for weeks.

And tonight, it ended.

A soft click from Tommy’s earpiece made Dimitri glance sideways.Tommy listened for a beat, then grinned.“Elliot and Craig just showed up.They're supervising the last drop.”

Dimitri’s eyes darkened.“Perfect.”

From their vantage point, he watched as Elliot leaned against the van, a cigarette hanging from his lips, while Craig barked orders at the men unloading the stolen product.They thought they were untouchable, that their little scheme was running smoothly under his very nose.

Dimitri cracked his knuckles.“Let’s make sure they understand just how wrong they were.”

Tommy gave a small, sharp nod before murmuring into his comm.“All teams, stand by.”

At that moment, Craig lifted his head, frowning as he looked around.His street instincts were screaming at him—but it was too late.