Morozov

Chapter 13

"Look I need you to stay-" "Don't tell me to stay fucking calm Jack," I yelled at him, my built up anger bubbling over. "You're leaving tonight and might not come back, trust me I am well aware of it."

The attack on the Stanislav's was going to take place the following morning and Jack had to leave to make some final arrangements with Ace and the others.

"I will come back," he said, lifting his hands in a gesture to show his pride. "I'm Jack motherfucking Rodrigues."
"Your pride will get to your head if you're not careful," I grumbled, my arms crossed in front of me as I turned away with a grumpy look on my face.

We were sitting in his living room, next to each other.
"It already did, trust me," he countered quietly, though I wasn't sure if he said it more to himself than to me.
"However, I want you to have this."

I turned my gaze back to him, curious what he was about to give me.
He reached into his pocket to reveal a silver necklace.
The small pendant had the form of a playing card, on it was the Jack of hearts.

I grabbed it as he handed it to me, completely caught off guard. "Oh my god Jack," I said, turning for him to put it around my neck. "Don't tell me you're becoming sentimental now," I mocked, pulling a laugh from his throat.

"I wanted you to have this. I got it a while ago and I don't know if," he stopped himself, not wanting to say out loud what we were both thinking.
"It's beautiful. Thank you," I assured him quietly, not wanting to force him to say it.

And there we sat. Silence built in the room, mixing in with the thick air between us. Tears stung at the backs of my eyes but I didn't dare to let them slip free. I didn't want him to think I was vulnerable. Not more than he already knew I was.

"I do love you, Niveen," he broke the silence, making my head snap to him.
"I don't know how and I don't know why. All I know is that you mean so much to me. More than anyone else ever has. You own a big fucking place in my heart.

"I know my soul is rotten and that I will eventually quite literally pull you down to hell with me but we've all been doomed before we were even born anyway.
And if God wants to punish me for taking one of his angels, I'll gladly bow to him and take my punishment if it means spending the time that is left for me with you."

By the time he was done talking the tears were flowing like they never had before.
I didn't know how exactly he meant the 'I love you' but that didn't matter. He loved me and that was more than enough.

"Now don't fucking cry," he said, a slight smile on his face as he wiped my cheeks with his thumbs, cupping my face to make me look at him.
"I'm not crying," I lied, my voice breaking at the last word. He growled, pulling me in and buried my face in his chest.

"You're a bad liar," he laughed (I knew it didn't reach his eyes), his chest was heaving. "You didn't even try to come off seriously."
"I just don't want you to d-" "No," he interrupted me. "Don't."

"Because you're scared you will."
"No because I know I won't," he denied.
"What am I supposed to do?" I pulled away to see his eyes. "I'm alone without you. I'm fucked."

"I mean, practically, you aren't anymore if that's the case," he joked, cocking his head and making me smack his chest with the back of my hand. "You idiot."

"But seriously. My uncle is dead I can't just go back home."
"I'll figure that out," he raised his eyebrows, saying the next words slowly and with a certain sincerity,"when I'm back. Just make sure to stay safe while I'm gone."

"I want to come with you," I exclaimed, looking up at him through blurry eyes. His face morphed into something that looked like pity. "You know you can't," he sighed. "You have to stay with Vera to make sure she doesn't cross us. You'll go to your house and have a nice little sleepover and no one will suspect anything," he repeated the plan for the hundredth time.