Page 33 of The Bratva's Forced Bride

As she ventured around the beach, careful not to get wet from the crashing waves, she looked beautiful and at peace. It made me wonder how many times she could do that exactly. How many days were spent not thinking about life’s stress or sinking every moment at a dead-end part-time job to save enough money to leave home?

If it was something she enjoyed, then I was prepared to bring her to the beach as many times as it took. I didn’t want her to feel like she was wasting away in the condo, even if I needed to keep her safe.

Before we were married, she expressed wanting to be on campus again so she could attend her program and get the education she wanted. I declined that request since my concern came from a genuine place.

There were many people out there who would jump at the chance to kidnap the wife of a Levov. We had too many enemies to risk that. If I couldn’t protect her, then I couldn’t let it happen. It was too great of a risk, and even if she didn’t recognize that yet, it didn’t change that fact.

Still, I found a compromise I hoped she would come to appreciate.

After a while of scanning the beach, Grace returned to the cabana with a handful of shells, small rocks, and green and white sea glass. Gleefully, she placed them on one of the serviettes, then took a seat on the other chair.

Scanning the pages of one of the books our men had left for us, I glanced up at her long enough to murmur, “Make sure you eat something. You must be starving.”

While Grace went to object to the latter statement, her stomach betrayed her with a growl. She dropped her shoulders and reached for a sandwich wrapped in parchment paper. She ate while I continued to read, aware that she still didn’t know the actual surprise I had planned for her.

I waited until she was half done to clear my throat. “I spoke with an admin from your university earlier.”

Grace froze as she listened, only able to swallow what was in her mouth. I knew I had her undivided attention.

Flipping a page like it wasn’t that big of a deal, I continued, “I pulled some strings, and if you’re still interested, you can do it remotely.”

As I looked over at her, I was met with her stunned face immediately. She didn’t say anything at first, surely disbelieving it.

When she finally regained her bearings, she murmured, “How will that work?”

“Online schooling is a thing, you know.”

Ignoring my sarcasm, Grace let herself get excited about it. I got to watch as that pure enthusiasm she had about returning to school flooded her features. “Are you serious? You’re not playing a trick on me?”

Taking a risk, I reached for her empty hand. Even if I couldn’t find it within myself to say it out loud, I wanted her to feel how sorry I was for the night before.

While she glanced down at our connected hands, Grace didn’t pull away or seem offended by it. Instead, she let it happen.

Her gaze returned to mine, and I urged myself to keep it together despite how beautiful she looked.

“There’s no trick,” I began, relieved by the steadiness in my voice. “I think you should have something of your own to work at.”

She held our eye contact bravely, letting go of that hesitance from before. She gave my hand the slightest squeeze. “How’d you convince them to let me back in?”

My heart felt lighter at the sight of her unwavering happiness. Keeping up my unbothered façade, I shrugged. “I have connections. Plus, I may or may not have brought up a sick relative who needed you to care for them in another state.”

Her face softened, and she looked genuinely moved by the gesture. “Thank you, Yaro. Really. I always wanted to get my degree.”

Looking at her in that moment, so full of joy and renewed hope, she was almost ethereal. There was something so simple yet natural about her beauty, and it was impossible to ignore how greatly she affected me.

While my first instinct was to find that fact bothersome, I knew the alternative could be much worse.

Her lips looked so perfect, and I wanted to taste her again. Enough time had passed since we last had sex, and I was growing more pent-up with every day that went by. I wondered if she felt the same way.

But I didn’t want to push her, not when I was just starting to make progress with her. I wanted her to come to me and realize her own desires.

Instead, I reached my other hand toward her and let it brush against her cheek. She blinked back at me innocently, looking between my eyes and my lips. It made me want to chuckle, yet I refrained.

It was almost like trying to gain a scared deer’s trust. I caressed her skin slowly, afraid of spooking her again.

To my luck, Grace leaned slightly into that touch, breathless as she studied my features. Those green eyes said so much without her having to utter a word.

She was interested but guarded still. Not completely, but just enough to make her question if it was the best thing for her to entertain.

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