Once Upon A Lie 2

Forty-five:

"Explain the plan to me again," Alina repeated for the millionth time. She knew what they were supposed to do, but she didn't like it one bit. Specifically, because the plan involved Aleksander going to meet Zoya alone.

"I'm going to meet Zoya," Aleksander said, "I'm going to apologize for everything that happened between us. I'll tell her that all I want is for her to be safe, and that I think Mal is the one that hurt Magnus, and that I don't want her getting hurt either."

Alina sighed. "Because of the fight club stuff." Alina chewed on her lip. "I understand confronting her, but.... why not tell Zoya the truth?"

Aleks took her hand in his. The two of them were in the kitchen. Kaz had called earlier and explained everything about finding Magnus, and what he had planned for him. Aleksander had agreed to go along with it. Now, he needed to convince his pregnant wife to let him go confront a killer alone.

He knew it sounded crazy, but he was Aleksander Morozova. He had never claimed to be sane. "We need to get a confession. If we simply tell Zoya we found Magnus dead, she'll run and lie. But if we say he's in the hospital, and hurt, we can get a confession."

Alina frowned. "I don't like you going there alone. I don't like bringing Mal into this."

"I know you think he's a good guy, Alina. But he's not," Aleksander said, "the fact that he was willing to work with her even after knowing everything that she did really proves that."

"I know, I know..." Mal had been one of her few friends. Even with what she knew about him; she hated the idea of letting him get caught up in Zoya's mess when he never should have been in the first place. "I don't like putting people in danger. I'm a pacifist. You know that."

Aleksander smirked, and kissed her. "I do know that. It's one of the things I love about you. I know this darkness isn't something that either of us ever wanted in our lives. I'm sorry I brought it to us. I should have admitted I loved you from the very first and never treated you the way that I did."

Alina nodded. "Damn straight!"

"But I promise, this is going to get rid of Zoya. She's going to be locked behind bars where she will never be able to bother us again."

Alina chewed on her bottom lip. She wanted to believe Aleksander. If there was anyone who could make that sort of thing happen, it was him. Nobody messed with a Morozova and got away with it. Especially not Aleks.

"Look...I agree with you. We need to get a confession out of Zoya. But I don't like the idea of you going alone."

"You're not going!" Aleksander insisted. "You are pregnant, Alina, and if something happens to you, or our Sun Spot, I will NEVER forgive myself."

"And if something happens to you, ALEKSANDER, I will never forgive myself. You're going to be the father of my child."

The two of them stood there, glaring at one another. If it weren't for the plan they were supposed to be putting in place, Aleksander would have fucked her right there on their kitchen counter. He growled a little. "Fuck me."

Alina looked sheepish. "Aleks..."

He sighed. "I don't want you to go."

"I don't want you to go either," Alina said, "but I do agree, this is the best chance we have at entrapping Zoya and getting a confession out of her."

Aleksander reached up and brushed back a strand of her black hair. "If you go with me, I want to be there. I don't want you to be alone."

"I don't want you to be alone either." Alina took a breath. They stared at each other, each trying to come up with a plan that would be safe for both of them.

"I'll go, and you can hide in the room next door. If something happens, you can get help," Aleksander suggested.

Alina frowned. "I guess that could work... but what if there's someone in the room next door?"

Aleksander sighed. "What if you wait in the parking lot? That way you have the most important job. The getaway car."

Alina frowned. "You're pacifying me."

"A little," he said, "please. I don't...I don't think I would be able to live with myself if anything happened to you and the Sun Spot."

Alina placed a hand on her stomach. "Fine. I'll be the getaway car. For you and the Sun Spot."

He smiled, and kissed her again. "This is going to be it. We're going to catch her, Alina. She won't be able to torture us anymore. We'll be safe. You, me, and the baby." He took her hand in his. "I'm so sorry that the two of us had to go through all of this. I'm never going to take you for granted again. I'll never let someone come between us."

Alina smiled softly. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Aleks. Those are very nice words but marriages have mistakes...we're bound to make some of them."

"I know," Aleksander said, "but I want you to hear those words. I want you to remember that I said. For when we do have to go through those times. I also want you remind me of them in case I ever become too much of a Morozova."

Alina laughed. "I'll remind you of that when you get cross with me."

He pressed his forehead to hers. "I will never get cross with you. Ever."

"What if I like it when you get cross with me sometimes?" she whispered.

His eyes darkened. "I'll remember that for the bedroom. Now, come on. I want to go defeat our enemies."

Alina grinned. "Oh, I like the sound of that."