Please make sure you have read the previous chapter before this one! I'm uploading pretty quickly and don't want anyone to accidentally miss a chapter!

The air between them was charged with the intensity of unspoken words and raw emotions. The tension and desire between them already heating. Rose's breath came in shallow bursts, her heart pounding in her chest as Dimitri moved closer, his hands tangling in her hair.

"Roza..." Dimitri whispered, his voice low, rough with need. It was a plea, a promise, an admission.

Rose groaned against his lips, the weight of the past few days, the months of confusion, fear, and longing, all crashing down on her at once. She'd spent so long building walls around her heart, guarding herself from the pain, but in this moment, she couldn't deny the truth anymore. She loved him. She had always loved him. And that love was burning brighter than ever, demanding to be felt, to be touched.

"Dimitri," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion as she pulled back slightly, their breathing heavy. "We don't have to – I mean, can you- are you allowed to –"

Dimitri chuckled.

"What are you asking, Roza?"

Rose felt a blush creeping on her cheeks, somewhat shy under his knowing gaze.

"Are you allowed to do stuff?"

Dimitri furrowed his brows. "Stuff? What kind of stuff?"

Rose groaned, lightly smacking his chest – he was teasing her.

"Don't be an ass, Dimitri," she laughed. "You know what I mean."

"Are you asking if I can fuck you senseless, Roza?" Dimitri's gaze grew serious, heated. "Because the answer is yes. And you have no idea how much I've missed touching you."

Rose's breath caught in her throat, heat spreading quickly through her body to her core, as it always did when Dimitri was around.

Dimitri's lips brushed against hers, barely a whisper of a touch, and Rose shivered. She needed him, needed the connection, the certainty that they could rebuild what had been broken.

Her hands found his chest, her fingers pressing into the muscles beneath his shirt, feeling the firmness of him. And then, with a breathless sigh, she closed the distance, her lips finding his in a kiss that was purposeful, tentative, testing, as if they were both afraid to believe it was really happening. But once their lips met, there was no turning back.

The kiss deepened, their bodies instinctively moving closer, pressing together as if they were trying to merge into one. Dimitri's hands roamed to the small of her back, pulling her closer until the heat between them was almost unbearable. Rose responded with a groan, her hands sliding under his shirt, feeling the warmth of his skin, the strength of the muscles she had longed to touch.

Her fingers brushed against his scar, and she tensed, pulling away. "We don't have to-"

Dimitri's head lowered to her neck.

"Roza if I'm not inside you in the next ten minutes I'm going to go crazy," he groaned, his breath hot against her neck, his voice raw with desire.

Her heart hammered in her chest as her fingers traced his scar once more. She could feel the desperation in him, the way his hands tightened around her, as though he was afraid she'd slip away if he let go for even a second. But she didn't want to slip away. She wanted this, wanted him.

She pulled away slightly, her eyes meeting his, searching for any sign of doubt. But there was none. Only the same need that she felt. Without a word, she reached for the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head, her skin shivering as the cool air hit her. Dimitri's eyes darkened, and for a moment, she thought he might say something, but then he was moving again, his lips finding the soft skin of her neck, his hands trailing over her bare back. He sucked, drawing a moan from her throat as her fingers tugged at the collar of his own shirt. Breaking away only for a second, Dimitri pulled his top over is head, reattaching his lips to hers as soon as it was discarded on the floor.

His hands explored her body eagerly, as though refamiliarizing himself with every curve and every inch of skin. He palmed her breast, lowering his head to the other and nipping, sucking and licking her nipple. Rose arched beneath his touch, as though she couldn't get close enough.

"Fuck, Dimitri..." she groaned, her hand tugging in his hair. "Bedroom, please."

He didn't need asking twice. He stood quickly from the sofa, pulling Rose up with him before hauling her off the ground and over his shoulder.

"Dimitri!" she squealed. "You're supposed to be taking it easy!"

Dimitri chuckled as he carried her to her bedroom. "I am."

"Lifting me is not taking it easy! Your stomach –"

"Is fine," he cut her off, smacking her ass with his free hand as he walked.

When he reached her bedroom, he set her on her feet. Within seconds, she was on her knees, fumbling with his belt and jeans. The sight of Rose on her knees for him for the first time in months had him almost combusting on the spot.

"Roza..." he groaned as she finally freed his cock, wrapping her hand around it and giving it a firm stroke.

She took him into her mouth, her tongue exploring the underside as she sucked eagerly. Dimitri's hand wrapped in her hair, subtly guiding her movements. She took him further and further until he could feel the tip of himself touch the back of her throat. She looked up at him with sparkling eyes, her desire for him evident.

"Good fucking girl," he groaned, as he moved in and out of her mouth, her moans sending vibrations along his length.

He pulled out of her, desperately needing to touch her, to feel her. He gently helped her to standing before unbuttoning her jeans. She helped pull them off until she was almost bare, standing only in her underwear.

Their lips found one another once more, their arms and hands tangling in chaotic exploration as Dimitri walked her backwards until her legs hit the bed. Falling backwards, she shuffled along until she lay on her back and Dimitri hovered over her.

Dimitri lowered himself until his face was level with her core.

"So ready for me, Roza..." he groaned as he rid her of the final barrier of clothing. He licked along her centre, eyes practically rolling at her taste. "Fucking sweet as honey..."

She moaned as his tongue explored her, her hips arching off the bed with every lick and suck. Dimitri's hands gripped her thighs in an effort to keep her still, but it was to no avail.

Writhing beneath his touch, Rose tugged on his hair with one hand, the other gripping the sheets in an effort to control herself. When Dimitri added a finger, then another, she knew she was done for.

"Fuck... Fuck, Dimitri..." she whimpered, and with a final thrust of his fingers and suck on her clit, she was gone. She came hard with a scream, her back arching off the bed and hand pulling tightly at his hair. He groaned at the feeling, loving how desperate she was to feel him. When she relaxed, Dimitri pulled away, climbing back up her body until he pressed against her entrance.

"This what you want, Roza?" he asked, rubbing the head along her slit.

She nodded.

"Please, Dimitri... I missed feeling you – I missed – I missed you..."

Dimitri lowered his forehead to hers, their heavy breaths coming out as one as he slowly pushed forward, entering her. "ебать, Roza. I missed you too."

"Oh my god," she whimpered, clutching at his arms as he fully seated himself inside her. "I'm never getting used to how big you are."

Dimitri chuckled, before moving slowly. "You okay?"

She nodded, looking up at him. "Mhmm," she sighed. "More. I need more."

Dimitri moved harder, faster, one hand gripping her hip as the other found hers – their fingers tangling together.

As their bodies moved together, Rose felt the difference in every touch, every kiss. Before, it had always been physical, a release of the tension and desire that simmered between them. Their nights together had been passionate, intense, but there had always been something missing—an unspoken barrier that neither of them had dared cross.

But this time... this time was different.

Now, with the weight of their true feelings lingering in the air, it wasn't just about the physical anymore. It was intimate in a way that she hadn't expected, in a way that made her heart race for reasons beyond just desire. There was something deeper now—something raw and vulnerable, something that came from finally admitting the truth.

They weren't just fucking anymore. This wasn't about lust or need or getting lost in the heat of the moment.

This was love.

Every brush of Dimitri's fingers against her skin felt more meaningful, more deliberate. His touch was softer, reverent, as if he was memorizing her. His kisses lingered longer, his lips moving over hers slowly, taking his time to show her—without words—just how much she meant to him.

And Dimitri felt it too. The way her body responded to his wasn't just from desire. It was the deep, emotional connection between them, the bond they had built through all the heartbreak and the pain. When she looked into his eyes, there was no hesitation, no fear. She wasn't just with him; she was giving herself to him completely, in a way she hadn't before. They were finally allowing themselves to be vulnerable, and that made this moment feel real in a way their encounters before hadn't. It wasn't just about the pleasure or the passion anymore.

It was about being together, fully, with no barriers left between them.

"Dimitri..." she moaned against his lips. "I need to – I'm –"

"Tell me what you need," he growled. "Use your words, Roza."

Her eyes screwed shut. "I'm close. I need more..."

Dimitri snaked his hand between them, his fingers circling her bud in time with his hard thrusts. Within seconds, she was squirming beneath him, screaming his name as her walls clamped down around him.

"ебать, Roza –" Dimitri soon followed, spilling himself inside her with a string of groans and curses before pulling out and laying beside her.

Dimitri pulled her close, wrapping an arm around her as she curled her body into his side, their breathing heavy. Rose rested her head on Dimitri's chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart—a sound that grounded her in the reality of this moment.

As the quiet settled over them, Rose lifted her head slightly, her fingers trailing gently over his stomach. Her touch slowed when she reached his scar - the reminder of everything they'd been through, of how close she had come to losing him. She glanced up at him, her voice soft.

"Does it still hurt?" she asked, her thumb brushing over the mark tenderly.

Dimitri shook his head, his hand coming up to cover hers, pressing it lightly against his stomach. "Not anymore. Not really," he murmured, his dark eyes meeting hers. "The worst part wasn't the wound, Roza."

She frowned slightly, concern furrowing her brow. "What was it then?"

Dimitri exhaled softly, his fingers tightening gently around hers. He paused for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts, before speaking again. "When I saw the blood, and realised what had happened... when I fell..." His voice lowered, thick with emotion. "The only thing I could think about was you. How beautiful you were, even in that moment—how much I loved you." His eyes softened, a vulnerability shining in them that Rose had never seen before. "And the fear. The fear that I'd never get to tell you. That I'd never get to say the words."

Rose's heart tightened in her chest, her throat constricting as she listened. She leaned up, her fingers still tracing the scar, but her eyes locked with his. "You were thinking about me?" she whispered, almost disbelieving.

"Of course I was," Dimitri said, his voice rough with the weight of it all. "I knew I'd been an idiot... that I'd wasted so much time being afraid. And in that moment, all I could think was that I'd never get the chance to tell you how much you meant to me." He swallowed hard, his gaze never leaving hers. "I was terrified that I'd never get to tell you that I love you."

"You're here now. You did tell me."

Dimitri's hand cupped the back of her head, guiding her face up so he could look into her eyes. "And I'll never stop," he promised, his voice gentle but firm. "I'll never stop telling you how much I love you."

They stayed like that for a long moment, wrapped up in each other, their hearts finally at peace after everything they had been through. The scar was there, a reminder of the pain, but also a symbol of survival—of the love that had pulled them through.

And for the first time in a long while, Dimitri finally felt truly loved, and he knew he was capable of loving in return.

The End! Thank you so much for following along with this story (and I'm sorry for how long it took me to finish! Life be life-ing.)

Just the Epilogue to go!