Page 40 of The Bratva's Forced Bride

He followed somewhat reluctantly with all his limbering height. He probably felt ridiculous but was too exhausted to say otherwise.

It made me wonder if he secretly wanted to be looked after.

Once I flicked the lights on, I pointed at the vanity sink. “Wash up there while I run a bath.”

“A bath?” He questioned, tone lingering with the slightest hint of an objection.

“Yes, a bath. Now clean yourself up.”

His brows lifted at that, and I could’ve sworn I saw a look of amusement cross his face before he did as I said without another word.

Bravery instilled within me at that, and I redirected myself to the corner tub. I ran the water, surprised by how quickly it seemed to fill up. Looking at the various soaps and oils stored nearby, all virtually untouched aside from a regular bar soap he used, I picked ones that sounded nice and added them in.

All the while, Yaro yanked his bloodied shirt off and started scrubbing the blood from his hands and arms. There was a shuffle of clothes behind me, presumably from him removing the rest of his clothes.

Soon enough, the room smelled amazing, and the tub was nearly full. Turning the taps off, I waited for him to be done.

Once his skin was clean enough not completely to soil the water, I looked over at him while I reached for him again. He put his hand back in my palm, and I helped him in the tub.

Even if he tried to seem perfectly fine and able to get in on his own, I could tell he was hurting. He looked sore and worn out, slightly unsteady on his feet.

But as Yaro stepped in and eased into the water, I watched as that tension ebbed away. He sighed and leaned against the tub, soaking in that relief.

I couldn’t help but smile at how simple it was, yet it seemed to be exactly what he needed. Getting up, I reached for a towel and placed it next to the tub.

All the while, I felt his eyes on me. Studying me.

When our eyes met, I couldn’t read what he was feeling, but that hint of surprise let me know he had never been shown that type of care before.

It was a nice feeling, and I hoped he could feel my affection through it.

As that tension felt too thick between us, Yaro dissolved it by cupping water in his hands and splashing it over his face. He closed his eyes as steam moved all around him.

Getting an idea, I moved myself over until I sat behind him on the tiles surrounding the built-in tub. I carefully reached for his shoulders and massaged gently, afraid of catching him by surprise.

While he certainly was caught off-guard by it, Yaro allowed it and relaxed into the touch.

His shoulders were so wide they took up much of the room, but as I worked some magic into them, that tension started easing away.

Yaro let go of the occasional breathless moan, content from the sensations.

After a few minutes of gentle silence, he murmured, “Why are you doing this for me?”

I hadn’t expected him to ask me outright, but I chose to do the same in return. “You’ve been so tense and on edge lately, and I just want to help you feel better. Besides, it’s also a thank you for earlier today.”

Yaro looked touched by the gesture as he cracked open an eye to look at me before he opened them both and reached for my hand.

Confused, I looked down at his palm before placing it in his, and he guided me toward him.

Before I could process what was happening, I hit the warm water with a quiet shriek, making it slosh within the tub.

Chapter 15 - Grace

My pajama set was soaked as I straddled his lap in the deep tub, still shocked he had even done it.

“Yaro!” I cried out, bewildered by it. “I’m drenched.”

A satisfied smile settled on his face as he chuckled, letting his big hands fall on my hips. “Good. That’s how I like it.”

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