Page 71 of Used By the Bratva

“He framed your brother for what happened to Ursula. He spread rumors that Pavel had slept with her and got her pregnant. Antonio pursued him and killed him.”

The dam holding back my tears burst.

Leon’s jaw clenches as he stares through me. “Fucking hell! And I took your family away from you. It should have been Carlo.” Unable to say anything more, he holds his head between his hands.

“It should have. But please, you must stop blaming yourself.” I plead.

For a moment, we are both silent. As I stand up to get some more water, his hand reaches out and pulls me into his lap.

His strong arms wrap around me and hug me tightly to his chest. “I’m glad you told me. If I had known all those years ago, everything would be different. You'd be with your family now.”

“I’m sorry you had to find out this way.” I lean back and run my fingers through the soft strands of his hair. “I wish it had never happened. Then you'd still have your brother.”

“But perhaps not you.” His voice is quiet, but when he looks at me, his eyes are glazed over. “These things happen for a reason, but now we’re going to make the rest of the Mancinis pay for what they’ve done to our families.”

I sigh and press his hands to my face. “I don’t know if I can go on if something happens to you. I don’t know when it happened, but I fell in love with you, Leon, and I feel so guilty about it sometimes.”

He brushes his lips against mine. “I love you too, Natalie, but you don’t need to feel guilty.”

“But I do. What would my family think of me being in love with the man who killed them?”

“I didn’t know Antonio well before he died, but I know he had a vested interest in his children’s happiness.”

A small smile pulls at the corner of my mouth. “Do you think he would be okay with this?”

“I think he would be. He did everything he could to save you. He wanted you to have a life.”

“I feel bad for Ursula. I don’t know how she went through all of that with Carlo.”

“She was a strong woman. She took the power back into her own hands, as tragic as it was.”

“Part of me wishes I had a mother, especially now, with the baby and all. I haven’t even told Marina I’m pregnant yet because she still hasn’t answered me.”

“Why don’t we go to Russia to visit her instead of going home afterward? You could explain your side of things to her in person. I bet it would be harder for her to be mad at you if you showed her that you will always come back to her. Show her that she hasn’t lost you and that you want to include her in your life.”

“Do you think she would really forgive me?”

Leon presses a kiss to the corner of my mouth. “I know it would be hard for me not to forgive you if you had flown to another country for me. Especially when you look at me with those big brown eyes.”

I laugh and lean against him. “I hate how tragic our past is. I wish there were more happiness in it. Something we can tell our child when they ask how we met.”

“We just tell our child the truth.” He puts his hand on my stomach.

I put my hand on his. “You are right. We will create a happy life out of this tragedy.”

Chapter 27 - Leon

Six months later

As I lay Aleksandr Pavel Orlov in his crib, he sighs softly, and dark eyelashes dust his rosy cheeks.

His little fists fly through the air before curling up in front of his chest.

It’s hard to believe I've waited so long to meet him, and now he’s finally here.

And I’m a father.

Which is even more incredible. I thought I'd spend the rest of my life sleeping around and enjoying myself. Meaningless relationships with women that would count for nothing in the morning after.

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