Page 59 of Forced to Marry the Bratva

Then, Damien rises abruptly. “I have to leave for a meeting. Enjoy catching up.” His gaze lingers on Gael for a moment before he strides out, the door clicking shut behind him.

Gael and I settle onto the couch. “So, what are you doing here?” I gush. “Did Damien invite you as a surprise for me?”

“Something like that,” Gael says. “How have you been? Tell me everything.”

I look at my younger brother, not knowing where to start. I wonder if I should tell him what happened with Father at Damien’s office just two days ago. However, it seems too morose, and right now, the last thing I want to do is talk about our father.

“Well,” I say, trying to focus on lighter things. “I went shopping!” I point to my bags.

“You buy me anything?” He wiggles his eyebrows at me.

“Yeah, right!” I scoff. “Like that time you went to summer camp and brought back Spider-Man socks for me only to steal them for yourself?”

“What can I say? I was selfish,” he shrugs his shoulders and then leans over to ruffle my hair.

We chat animatedly, memories and laughter flowing freely between us. It feels like old times again, before everything changed and we were separated. I relish having my brother here with me, a comforting presence amidst the chaos my life’s become.

The time passes too quickly, and soon Gael has to leave.

“You sure you can’t stay any longer?” I try to keep him.

“I’m sorry,” he says, looking a little sad. “I wish I could, but I’m meeting… someone for drinks.”

“Who are you meeting?” I inquire, noticing the pause before he said someone. “Ooh, is it a girl?” I tease.

“It’s not a girl,” he chuckles. “Just a business thing. I won’t bore you with the details.”

“Please don’t,” I nod my head. “I’ve had enough work-related talk to last me a lifetime.”

I give him a huge hug and show him to the door, closing it behind him. Still giddy with joy, the rest of the evening passes in the afterglow of having spent a lovely Sunday afternoon with my brother.

I still can’t believe Damien went through the effort to bring us together for an afternoon. He must have known how much I miss Gael. Since getting married, I hardly get to see him, given how he busy he is. I’ve also been trying to avoid Father since I have nothing to report on the Zolotovs. The only time Gael and I’ve had together this past month has been stolen moments in phone calls.

Today, I finally experienced a type of happiness I’d forgotten about, the rare kind I get around my brother—and I have Damien to thank for that.

Before I know it, Damien is back, his expression unreadable as always. But I know him well enough now to know what’s in his heart never shows on his face unless we are alone.

“Thank you,” I murmur, walking to the door to give him a quick kiss. I reach out and squeeze his hand. “For bringing Gael here. It means a lot to me.”

Something flickers in the depths of his eyes. Then he leans in and presses a swift, hard kiss to my lips. “Anything for you, Darling.”

While Damien goes off to finish some work, I decide to surprise him. I head into my bedroom and rummage through my closet. Looking through my things, I finally find the sexy lingerie I bought last weekend for a special occasion. It’s perfect!

I put it on with a robe over it, my heart racing the whole time, and I sneak into Damien’s bedroom. I sit around on the bed for a while, hoping and praying I don’t make a fool of myself. I nearly talk myself out of it a few times but manage to convince myself to go through with it each time I have doubts. At last, I hear the door click open, and I jump to my feet, leaning sexily against the wall.

“What’s all this?” Damien asks, momentarily confused at the sight of me.

I turn to Damien with a smile and let my robe fall to the ground. “I just… wanted to show you how grateful I am for today,” I say in a husky, raspy voice.

His eyes darken with interest. “Oh?”

He steps closer, his gaze smoldering as it roams over me. I feel a thrill run down my spine at the intensity of his stare. Damien’s hand reaches out to trail along the curve of my shoulder, sending shivers through me.

“You don’t have to do this,” he murmurs, his voice low and velvety, tinged with a hint of restraint. I can see the desire clouding his icy blue eyes, slowly overtaking the cool composure he always maintains.

“But I want to,” I say boldly, feeling empowered by the effect I seem to have on him.

I reach for him, guiding his hand to cup the side of my face, relishing the warmth of his touch against my skin. I look up at him, and he leans in for a kiss. However, something seems different. The kiss is… restrained and calculated, like something he needs to do.

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