Chapter 8

"I'm not letting you leave."

"Nicole stop."

"Don't you think this is stupid?"

He tried to get passed me again,but I wouldn't let him. "Let me go!"

"This is stupid and you know it."

"I don't have a choice."

"Yes you do."

"What?"

"You can stop this right now."

He shook his head. "You don't give up do you?"

"No...I can't...Listen Kirill,you've never made a promise in your whole entire life.You know nothing about this guy.What if he does try to kill you?How am I going to live with that?"

"This isn't anything different. I told you that."

I hesitated. "You know those nightmares I've been having?"

"Yes..."

"Those aren't nightmares Kirill. They're flashbacks. Memories of when we used to work together."

"And you think I'm just going to make those go away?"

"No. That's why I didn't want you here in the first place. That's why I was scared. I didn't want to remember anymore... These few years haven't been easy for me Kirill. I can't stop thinking about the past...and I can't stop thinking about you..."

"That's why you don't want me to leave?"

I nodded.

"Why didn't you just tell me?"

"Because you're an assassin..."

"And you think I don't have feelings?"

"The rule has always been that assassins don't leave each other. You know that."

"And what they don't know won't hurt them."

"They always find out. Someone always finds out."

He sighed. "All right. I'll stay here for two more days. But I am going to have to leave."

"Yes...I know." And then what'll happen,I thought. Will you come back to me? Or will you get killed?

He hugged me and we embraced.

Why can't I just tell him that I love him,I thought. Or has he already figured that out? Yeah. He probably already has.

"You have to promise me something."

"Yes?"

"Promise that you won't follow me."

I nodded. "All right."

"I don't want you getting killed."

"I'm not the one going after this guy. That's your business,not mine."