Still, Demitri doesn’t believe me, and he gives me a look of warning. “Stop this shit.”

“It’s not shit,” I cry, my emotions bubbling over. Sticking as close to the truth as possible without telling Demitri the real reason, I scream, “I’m scared! You terrify me.”

His features soften instantly, and once again, he closes the distance between us and wraps his arms tightly around me. He presses a kiss to the side of my head. “I’d never hurt you. You have to know that after everything we’ve been through.”

“You live this insane life where you’re being shot at and killing people.” In a moment of weakness, I press closer to him, just wanting to stay in his arms. “You’re intense, and it overwhelms me. I can’t think straight long enough to figure out how I feel about you. It’s too much. All the time.”

It’s not. I love every minute with you. I’d give anything for a chance to stay with you, but not at the expense of your life.

I shut my eyes as I tell my biggest lie, “I don’t even know if what I feel for you is real or just a bad case of Stockholm syndrome.”

Demitri’s arms tighten around me, and then he presses another kiss to my temple before he pulls back to meet my eyes. “Then take some time to figure that out.”

“I can’t do that here. I want to go home.” It will be easier to break things off with him over the phone.

Demitri’s eyes bore into mine, and then he finally nods. “On one condition.”

“What?” I whisper.

“Nikhil guards you.”

Knowing I might be attacked because I inherited everything from my father, and his enemies might come after me, I nod. “Okay.”

Demitri gives me a pleading look. “I’ll give you the time you need, but I’m not giving up on us.”

“It’s only been six weeks,” I say, my voice straining from the tears I’m fighting to hold back.

He shakes his head lightly, his eyes filled with emotion. “It doesn’t change the fact that I love you.”

Oh, God.

My heart.

I just want to run into his arms and tell him I love him too. Instead, I stand rooted to the spot and fist my hands at my sides.

Be strong, Ariana.

For Demitri.

You can fall apart once you’re back in Seattle.

My voice is hoarse when I say, “You’re an incredible man, Demitri. I’ll always be thankful for everything you did for me.”

He nods, and then I walk to get my luggage, and standing with my back to him, I say, “I’d like to go home now.”

It’s getting impossibly hard to keep up this act.

DEMITRI

The pain I suffered from the gunshot wounds is nothing compared to what I’m feeling as I drive Ariana to the private airfield where the jet is being readied to take her back to Seattle.