Page 39 of The Bratva's Hostage

She smiled and nodded as I took her in my arms for a long hug. I pulled away again, held her by her hips, and looked intently into her now slightly warmer, sparkling eyes.

“Fuck Elena, you have no idea how worried I was about you,” I said quietly.

“I could have defended myself, but I knew you would find me and come for me.” She said calmly.

“Hey, don’t get too cocky now. How were you so sure I would find you?”

“I know you have my phone tracked.” She grinned.

I chuckled, “You are too smart, my sweet wife,” and kissed her softly.

We held eye contact, and I felt a warmth rushing from my toes to my head. “Never do that again, you hear me?” I said, relieved that she was in my arms.

“I’m sorry. I promise I won’t,” she accepted and nodded.

“Good, because I don’t know how much worrying I can take before my body gives up on me,” I said. and lifted her chin up. “I love you, Elena. And I cannot live without you so, don’t put yourself in danger like that again.”

Her lips trembled as she stared at me, her eyes glistening. “I love you too, Maksim.”

I tugged her hard against me, caught her lips and we kissed long, deep, and passionately.

As we walked out of the building hand in hand, I remembered something. “One day you'll have to tell me how you managed to free yourself from the handcuffs and the ropes.”

“Maybe.” She smiled sheepishly.

Chapter 20 - Elena

A week had passed since the showdown in the Moretti office building and so far, everything had been perfect. After our confession of love, Maksim had taken me home and made love to me all night long. The week had gone perfectly because we had managed to put everything that had happened behind us and live our lives happily and as normally as possible. Now that we no longer had any causes to distrust each other, everything was much easier.

I looked away from the open window with the buildings and cars going by in a blur and at Maksim as he drove us to the hospital. His hand found mine, tracing soothing circles on the back of my hand as he threaded our fingers together.

He brought it up to his lips, kissing it and taking his eyes off the road for a moment to glance at me.

“Are you worried?” he asked as we arrived at the hospital, parking his car.

I shook my head, my lips tugging upwards in a smile. “No, I’m not. The doctor said he’s fine and I believe them.”

I closed my eyes and stretched, tired from the long journey. Things were finally starting to shine again. My husband loved me and would do anything for me, my father was awake, and I had avenged my brother’s murderer.

“I can’t believe to what length Lucas went to take over the business,” said Maksim, his face filled with disgust.

Fyodor's job was to see that the Italian men were rounded up and guarded until we knew what to do with them. The only person not on the list was Lucas.

Lucas was taken to the basement of the Bratva building, where a doctor examined him to make sure he was not dying from his wounds. His pulse had been very weak, it was a miracle that he had survived the night.

After his miraculous recovery, he was bound, as he had bound me. At first, he was very agitated, angry at the way we treated him, threatening at every opportunity, until it soon dawned on him that no one would come to rescue him.

He was no longer their leader and he had betrayed the code of honor by killing a family member. No one would ever trust him again. He had a target on his back now and was safer in the basement than out on the streets, where he might not survive another hour if they found him. With this realization, his indignation at his treatment died down and he was more willing to listen and cooperate.

Lucas had been willing to reveal why Don Armando remained unconscious despite all efforts to wake him. He had paid a doctor to keep him in a coma until he had finalized his plan to take over the business.

On the day of the attack, he had prepared to end my father’s life. Since I was no longer the threat, he once thought me to be, he assumed that I would be so preoccupied with my role as wife to the leader of the Bratva that I would have no time to search for answers.

“Yes. For someone who spoke so highly about the meaning of family, he had a warped idea of what family truly meant and the sacrifices they made for each other.” I said and stepped out of the car, exhaling as I prepared to see my father. There were so many things to tell him and unfortunately, there didn’t seem to be any good news. The last thing I wanted to do was to trigger another heart attack.

I could not foresee his reaction to my marriage to his rival. I didn’t know whether he would be relieved that I had found a way to solve our business problems, or whether he would hate the idea and be disappointed in me.

“Are you ready?” he asked me, slipping his hands into mine.

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