Page 44 of The Bratva's Kidnapped Bride

“I let my mind get carried away. We had sex,” she says. “We shouldn’t have gotten that intimate, considering our families are enemies.”

I wave her off, and she shifts closer to me. “Please don’t be mad.”

“No amount of pandering to me is going to get you out of my bad books,” I snip.

She sighs and leans back. “Fine. Are you at least going to tell me why our families hate each other so much?”

I sigh. “Our fathers used to be close friends until they had a huge falling out.”

She looks up at me, and I meet her gaze. “One betrayed the other, and the rivalry started.”

I glance at the time. Before I put my phone away, I take out my cell phone and order some Chinese takeaway to be delivered to the room. “I hope you like Chinese.”

“I’ll eat anything right now. I’m starving.”

“Well, I got two sweat and sour porks with fried rice and an extra serving of noodles. Two beef chow meins, and even though it’s a Chinese place, I got some sushi. They make it all right.” I rest my arms on my legs, and we sit in an uncomfortable silence.

“Want me to turn the TV on?” I offer.

“Probably nothing good to watch,” she says. She rearranges herself and lies on the bed. “I wish you’d trust me.”

“You broke my trust,” I say. “I did trust you, and you betrayed me.”

She looks contrite, so I stop myself from saying more. I uncuff my cuff and cuff her to the bed frame.

“I’m going to shower, don’t go anywhere.”

“I won’t. I won’t,” she says exasperated.

I go to the bathroom, but I leave the door open. I strip and get into the shower, letting the hot water run over me. There’s a cheap mini bar of soap that I use to lather myself up.

I wash and rinse off before towel drying my body and getting dressed. I don’t have emergency clothes for Elena, so I’ll have to think of something.

There’s a knock at the door, and I walk out to answer it, obscuring the room with my body. If Elena makes a sound, I’m done for.

It’s a delivery kid with the food. I pay him, and he hurries off, pleased with the fifty-dollar tip.

I come back into the room, set the food down on the bed, and handcuff Elena back to me.

“You could have left me tied to the bed,” she comments as I start opening containers.

“I’m not leaving anything to chance,” I explain, handing her some chopsticks.

We sit facing each other as we eat. Elena picks at her sweet and sour pork while I all but shovel the food down my throat. I’m starving from all the exercise today, and I don’t care if I look like a pig right now.

She actually smiles, and I raise an eyebrow. “What?”

“You have sauce all over your face. Here.” She reaches over with a paper napkin and wipes my face.

“It’s just going to happen again,” I say as I mix my food around with my chopsticks.

“So I’ll wipe it again,” she says, eating her food in small, petite bites.

I smirk and put some noodles in my container along with my rice and pork. I take a big bite, and for a moment, we just eat in silence, sitting in each other's company. When we’re done, I pack up the containers, and Elena catches my face and wipes the food from it.

“Cute,” I murmur. “Can I wipe that smile off yours?”

“How would you like to do that?” she asks.

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