Page 39 of Forced Bratva Wife

“Congratulations,” the Judge spoke up, “by the power vested in me by the state of Illinois, you are husband and wife.”

And like that, I was married.

***

My hands trembled gently as I walked through Lev’s bedroom to his bathroom. I wanted to take off the dress right away. It’d served its fucking purpose, and I wanted out of the damn thing.

My shoes clacked on the tile floor as I stepped up to the dual sinks, and I lifted my leg onto the tub ledge to unbuckle the heel.

“Your father’s not done messing up my business. I want to know more about him.”

Lev’s voice cut through the cold expanse of the bathroom, burning in my back, and my fingers froze with the strap still partly secured to my high heel.

“I’ve already told you.” I went back to work on taking the damn shoe off, but the shaking was getting worse. “I don’t know anything about his business. I stayed out of it.”

Steps echoed as Lev crossed the room toward me. He was right up in my business in second, spinning me around to face him. I met his eyes, glaring at him with all the force he was delivering on me. The asshole had just forced me into a marriage—in one way or another—and now he wanted to chat?

No, I need fucking break.

“I need more information. And you’re going to give it to me.”

Lev’s voice was an angry growl, and he hadn’t let go of my arms, his fingers digging into my biceps. There was a lick of pain, but my body still responded to the proximity by welling with heat, practically dripping already.

I tried to yank myself free, only barely getting myself free, only to be caged in by his arms as Lev leaned on the counter behind me.

“I don’t know anything!” I closed my eyes, the frustration nearly choking me. “I was kept in the dark. The asshole killed my mother, and I didn’t even know it! What more do you think I can give you?”

I knew I was pressing my luck, screaming at Lev like this, but I was tired, overwhelmed and angry. The air of the bathroom was so cool against my exposed skin and everything about the house, about Lev, pressed down on me like it was trying to pull me under the waves.

And still, I couldn’t stop myself from flicking my eyes to his lips.

“Who did he do the most business with? Who were his regular clients?”

Scoffing, I rolled my eyes. “I don’t know. I didn’t pay attention to that. It wasn’t like there was the same group of people who were always hanging around. I would have noticed that. Besides, whenever my dad had important business, he’d lock me in my room.”

Lev’s brow cocked, and I watched as his eyes narrowed slightly. He just stood there for a moment, eyeing me and searching my face for God knew what.

When he finally spoke, his voice was low.

“He hit you. You’ve said as much. Did he do anything else?”

My eyes flared, realizing what Lev was getting at, and I shook my head. I hated talking about this shit, but I barreled through the words, thinking that if I could just get them out, I’d be okay to get through it.

“No. I mean, he was neglectful. Several days without so much more than a bit of bread and a few apples, but nothing else.”

“Why didn’t you leave sooner?” Lev’s voice was flat, which was the only thing that kept me from screaming at him for the comment.

I knew how he’d killed his brother for what he’d done, and I imagined that Lev only expected me to do the same. And I would be lying if I said I’d never thought about it.

“I tried. A lot. But runaway kids are turned in, and I learned pretty quick that the only way I was going to get out of there without ruining my future was to just work hard and get accepted to college and med school right away.”

With a nod, Lev tilted his head, still crowding me with his presence and making my heart hammer against my ribs. There was something dark—like there always was when we were close like this—behind his eyes.

“Who came over on those important days? Did they have an accent?”

“An accent? You can’t be serious right now. No, they—”

But then I understood what he was getting at, and memories of the different-sounding clients filtered up from the depths.

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