Page 24 of Forced By the Bratva

But then, the look in his eyes softened as his jaw, which I’d thought was clenched, spread out into something like a smile—only it looked more sarcastic than genuine.

I told myself I would rather manage his sarcastic smile than have him scowl at me.

His sharp voice drew me out of my thoughts. “What do you think?” The sarcastic smile still played on his lips as he put away his paper and leaned forward so that his face almost hovered over mine.

“Now tell me, where do couples go after they get married?”

His deep voice and the sarcastic smile, which still played on his lips as he spoke to me in the most cunning manner anyone had ever spoken to me, sent a shiver down my spine.

His words were laced with a hint of mockery, only adding to my unease, and I couldn’t help but wonder what lay behind his enigmatic expression.

His eyes were still fixed on me as I tried to respond to his rhetorical question, which I felt I needed to answer because of the expectancy he looked at me.

I only heaved a sigh of relief when he leaned backward. His smile gradually graduated to full-blown laughter before he revealed that we were heading to Hawaii for our honeymoon. However, he did it in the most dismissive manner he could muster; obviously, he didn’t want me to get any ideas.

But still, I could not help but feel shocked about his revelation because I hadn’t been expecting that.

“I mean,” he added after a long sigh, his deep voice reverberating inside the space, “I am not in favor of a vacation—I’m not that inclined—but since it’s the tradition, I have no option but to follow it.” He picked up his paper, which he’d dropped on the chair beside him to taunt me.

Many thoughts ran through my head as I watched his face, which quickly returned to his paper. His expression was hard to read, and because of how sarcastic he could be, it was impossible to tell if he wanted to spend time with me in Hawaii and was trying to cover up his soft side. Was he indeed as cold and calculating as he seemed, or was there a softer side to him?

The train of thoughts and the hint of hope I was starting to have immediately dissolved as I remembered the encounter with Feliks a few days ago, in which he’d almost threatened me.

Chapter 14 - Feliks

The first thing that welcomed me back to reality as I woke from the short nap, I’d decided to take in our hotel room was the ticking of the clock hanging from the wall just above my head. I’d questioned the placement of the clock when I had first come in but had kept my thoughts to myself.

I didn’t get to think much about the noisy clock as I sat up on my bed and rubbed my eyes to get rid of the mist that had gathered in them because thoughts of Jenna had quickly taken their place, filling the empty void.

A smile spread across my lips when I remembered the events that resulted in us coming on this honeymoon, a trip I’d considered silly initially and didn’t want to give in to. However, at this moment, I was thankful that I had.

During lunch break, I had lunch with Timur in the cafe just a few blocks down from my office when I mentioned that Jenna had been acting a little distant. The fact that she felt scared of me, acting wary whenever she was close to me, seemed to make me worried sometimes, to my surprise.

I wanted her to be comfortable with me, to own not just her body but her heart, too. I wanted her to be mine and accept me, and I wanted her to crave me just as much as I craved her—even more.

I shared my concerns with Timur and let out all my worries to him.

Timur waited till he’d finished chewing on the sandwich in his mouth and took a few gulps of coffee before he replied. Since I’d known Timur, he’d always seemed to take his table manners seriously.

“Why don’t you try taking her on a trip? You know, the one where you show her many fascinating places, spoil her, and make her realize how much you want her. Girls love trips, you know,” Timur had told me. “You should try it. Things could get better from there.” He’d taken another generous bite of his sandwich and wiped his lips with a napkin while holding my gaze.

Of course, I wouldn’t know since I hadn’t dealt with many women, not as much as Timur. So, I wanted him to educate me on how to own a woman’s heart since he was an expert in those things.

I’d spent most of my life working and gathering my wealth while trying to be as powerful as possible. I hadn’t had the time for many women; even whenever I would have a woman, it would be arranged, never something serious, and never in my bedroom, either—I wouldn’t say I liked sharing my space with anybody, especially not a woman.

But with Jenna, it seemed different. I wanted to own her body, but just as much, I wanted her to feel comfortable and own mine, too.

Still, that didn’t change the fact that the idea of a trip seemed ridiculous to me. I had lots of work; why would anyone spend that much time and effort on something as frivolous as a trip?

I’d tried to object, but Timur had just found a way of convincing me.

“Come on, Feliks. You should try it—I thought you desired a change?” he pressed, and I gave it a second thought.

The idea of Jenna finally opening up seemed enticing, and to me, it might be worth the sacrifice—no matter how stupid the idea sounded.

Apart from that, with the excuse of a honeymoon, I could have her to myself for at least three days without any interruption, be it friends, work, or the rest of them. It would be just us and no one else. I was beginning to think of ways I could explore and use her body with all the time I’d have with her.

The way I would touch and arouse her, the way I would worship her body and make sure I left my mark embedded in her heart so that she’d have no option but to think of me wherever she went and whoever she was with.

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