Alexei didn't know how what love was at first. He spent his life not knowing since he wasn't a product of it. He didn't even know his mother and still to this day doesn't care to even meet her. Why would he want to meet a woman that never attempted to see him? Or drag him away from his horrid father.

Yet Mercedes showed him what love is and how amazing it felt. She showed him that love was not a weakness like his father always says. Yes, it could be a distraction but weak? His father had no idea what he was talking about.

Love was something Alexei thought he could never have. He thought it was a myth. Stupid fairytales. Until others had loved someone else and he was left alone. Then it wasn't a myth. It was something he couldn't have. All until the woman came into his life.

When he first saw Mercedes he knew that she was the only one meeting him. And that he would love every single second with her. Having someone to love was like having a beautiful priceless object. You don't want to share it with everyone else. You wanted to keep it to yourself.

You want to care for it.

Cherish it.

Eventually, never let it go.

Alexei could only stare at Mercedes as she lay down beside him. She twist her face, her nose scrunching up but even then she was still beautiful. A part of him wanted to show her off to the world, show them that he had what no other person can have.

Showcase the beauty of one person and make them envious. But then again, he wanted her to be all his. He didn't want anyone to see the beauty he found all by himself.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" She asks covering her mouth.

Alexei shakes his head as he drops her hands.

"No, you're just... you're beautiful." He says as if he was in a deep trance.

Despite her with no makeup and purple bonnet covering her hair, he still noticed how beautiful she was. Even her imperfections. Mercedes blushed as she places a kiss on his lips.

"Thank you." She smiles. "You're beautiful too Alexei. You know, I notice you don't look at yourself in the mirror." She says grabbing his hand before entangling hers with his.

"When I see myself, I see my father. And it shows how much we have in common, I rather not get reminded every time I look in the mirror that I'm a monster just like my father." He tells her.

"You're not a monster Alexei. If you ask me, I think you're a total teddy bear." She says, joking slightly.

Alexei chuckles as he pulls her closer using his free hand. "Don't let Boris hear you say that." He tells her before he places a kiss on her lips.

❍

Alexei sends a goodnight text to Mercedes. Bloodstain the side of his face and his knuckles were bruised. Completely shirtless with even more blood on his chest. The man on the ground groans painfully as he holds his broken nose. A smile that was on his face immediately leave as he turn around.

"Why the fuck are you making so much noise, huh?" He asks in Russian.

The man can only just whimper causing Alexei to roll his eyes. Alexei walks over to Boris as he turns off his phone. Boris hands him a gun, a pistol with a silencer on it. He slips his phone into his back pocket before grabbing the weapon.

"Fucking Americans. Did you talk to anyone else?" He asks Boris.

"Yes, apparently it was only him who stole the shipment with a group of his friends. I sent a few men to take care of them. You might want to hurry so you can meet Ivan on time."

Alexei rolls his eyes once again, scoffing as well. "The idiot told me he has to meet me next week," Alexei speaks before walking over to the man.

He squats down to the bloody man on the floor. He whistles a tune as he loads his gun. The man pleads but Alexei doesn't care for him. Alexei's eyes darken and with no hesitation, he shoots the man right between his eyes. The man falls onto the ground.

Alexei feels his phone vibrate. He stands up and takes it out of his pocket as he looks down at his screen. Like a switch, he chuckles softly with admiration and happiness on his face. With a picture of Mercedes in her face masks as she adorably showed him the pink and white tapestry, she bought at a store with 'love' written in the middle and cursive.

He calls her, placing the phone up to his ear. He doesn't wait long before he hears Mercedes's voice.

"I like it, it fits you," Alexei tells her.

"That's what I said." She says, Alexei, feeling her smile over the phone. "You know my grandmother is not home. She's out of town visiting my sister. I'm just in this big whole house all by myself-"

"I'm on my way now." Alexei laughs before hanging up the phone.