Page 40 of The Bratva's Forced Bride

“Attentive?”

“Yes, and it was hot that I was his focus. It took a lot for me to get over my insecurities with my body to fully be with him, but now I can’t imagine my life without him.” She smiles warmly at me. “And I hope you get that, too.”

“I don’t, Penny. I’ve never liked relationships. I’ve spent entire nights with Luka and not once had sex with him, no matter what everyone thinks. It’s just… relationships weren’t on the cards for me.” I sigh softly, swirling my wine around in its glass.

“I know, but things change. I have never seen Danil so soft and caring with anyone, not even his mother. He really loves you, Ash.” She beams at me. “And maybe if you give it a chance, you could learn to love him too.”

“And if I don’t?” I hiss.

Before she can answer, the two men return from their smoke just as the food arrives.

Kervyn kisses Penny’s forehead as he sits down. “What did you discuss while we were away?”

“Woman things,” Penny smiles at him.

Danil leans over and kisses my temple softly. It’s warm where his lips press, and as I tuck into my starter, I can still feel the area where we connected.

He would burn the world to embers for me, of that I have no doubt, but is that what I want? Penny has accepted her life and her role in this mobster family. Do I want to be affiliated with that? I can’t deny I’ve benefited from it so far. I got into the hottest clubs, got free drinks, and attended numerous illegal races and parties. Is this the price I pay for taking advantage of being on the fringe of a dangerous yet affluent society?

I mean, I got my job because of Danil. He got me that interview. I wouldn’t have gotten my foot in the door without him.

Now, I want to leave him in the dust. Doesn’t that make me evil?

Chapter 15 - Danil

Since we returned from the double date, Asher has completely pulled away from me. She doesn’t have to put a pillow between us at night when she sleeps because the coldness keeps me away naturally. I’ve tried every which way to get her to talk to me. She just doesn’t want to open up.

I sit at the dining room table and wait for her to come down for breakfast. As I requested, Claire added flowers to the breakfast table this morning, placing them near Asher’s table setting. I’ll try anything to make her happy.

I’m sipping my coffee when she walks in, and I try to be cheery. “Good morning, sunshine.”

“Hi,” she says quietly.

She butters a piece of toast and inhales it before she downs her lukewarm coffee. “Gotta go. I’m late.”

“Asher,” I call, my heart beating irrationally fast with the prospect of her leaving. I rise from my chair. “I was hoping we could talk.”

“I’m late. Do we have to talk right now?” she says irritably.

I sigh and sit back down. “No. Go. We’ll talk tonight if you’re not too tired again.”

She stares at me for a long second, then says, “We’ll see.” She hurries out the door, and as it slams shut, I feel like I’m losing her.

I think back to when I first met her. She came into Kervyn’s house and was kept in a room in the east wing. My brothers and I had to impress upon her the importance of not revealing anything to the police if she valued her life. She had taken it seriously but had made us promise she could see Penny again. At the time, I lied to her. I didn’t know if my brother would let Penny have her old friends or not.

Then, everything changed between Kervyn and Penny. First was the wedding, which Asher helped to plan, and Asher was always here. Or she was with Luka. Then, she was at the club every night in her figure-hugging dresses and stiletto heels. Sometimes, she wore this pair of fuck-me boots that particularly caught my attention.

Even in those early days, I had pondered on spreading her out for me to devour. She had always appealed to me in ways other women didn’t.

Thinking about it now, I cannot believe I didn’t realize how obsessed I was with her sooner. I could have had her for months, and this would already all be sorted out by now.

I remember one time, it was six in the morning, and Luka was passed out in Kervyn’s office. She had asked me to call her a cab, but I had driven her instead. She had been so drunk I could have easily taken advantage of the situation. I wanted to take advantage of the situation, and the thing that separates me from low-life scum that hangs around in clubs is that I didn’t. I got her into her house, tucked her into bed, and never told anyone what I did.

I can’t be seen as soft. People will mistake that for weakness and try to use it against me.

I guess I fantasized about a life with her. What it would be like to make love to her. To drink her in and be intoxicated by her. To have her put me in my place with that sassy mouth of hers. I pictured us having three children despite my not wanting children: two girls and a boy. The boy would be the eldest—a protector for my adorable little daughters who would be fierce like their mother. I smile at the thought.

To be frank, Asher kept us all on our toes after she got comfortable around us. She wasn’t afraid to go places and do things with us. She is constantly attending Luka’s illegal races, and I know she’s driven with him at high speeds that now make my heart beat fast just thinking about it.

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