Page 57 of Innocently Imprisoned By the Bratva

“You need to go back and make sure she's okay," Boris nods in agreement. “Let her know that this is the Bratva. There are good days and bad. But we stick together.”

I exhale slowly, my temper simmering down as I take in Boris's words. In this moment, I remember just how strong our bond is. We might give each other hell, but when hell actually rains over us, we beat the odds and defeat it.

“Thank you, Brothers,” I say, standing. “I’ll be heading home now.”

I turn on my heels and pull open the door, only to hear Boris’s parting words. “Tell Pippa we hope to have her back soon. This office needs her.”

I nod and smile, closing the door behind me.

***

I reach home and immediately go looking for Pippa. She’s not in her room, not in the gardens, not in the kitchen. Wherever could she be?

I ask a few of my men, panic surging through me. Could Lenny have gotten to her inside my house?

Impossible. I’m just letting my imagination run wild.

At last, someone guides me to the library. I rush in and find her crouched by a cozy seat near the window, looking out of it.

I slam the door shut behind me. She whirls around, her eyes bloodshot red. “Lev! What—?”

I rush over to her and get on my knees, taking her hands in mine, staring up at her. “Where were you? I’ve been looking for you for a good half hour. I was petrified that something might have happened to you!”

“Relax, Lev,” she tries to give me a wry smile, stifling her tears. “It’s not like I planned on getting kidnapped or something.”

Her attempt at humor falls flat, and I can see the deep worry etched on her face. My heart clenches at the sight of her distress, and without a second thought, I stand and pull her into a tight embrace. “I’m sorry, Pippa. I should never have put you in such a dangerous situation.”

She buries her face in my chest, her sobs muffled against me. "I just… I didn't want to cause any trouble for you and your family. Now everything's a mess."

I stroke her hair soothingly, murmuring, "You're didn’t cause any trouble, Pippa.”

“But Boris and Damien wanted to kidnap Lenny’s daughter. I convinced them to go for my plan. And now? Now Lenny knows you’re looking for Lilah. He’ll have her protected from all sides, so last night’s plan failed all because of me. Now you can’t even try Plan A,” she sobs into my chest.

“Shh. Sweetheart. Shh. You’re wrong, Pippa. You’re so, so wrong.”

She looks up, her eyes etched with surprise. “I am?”

“You’re wrong in saying you messed things up. How were you to know Lilah was being followed? Boris, Damien, and I spoke this morning. All of us agree it was our intel’s failure, NOT yours. We should have done more research before sending you into such a dangerous situation.”

With her teary gaze locked on mine, I cup her face gently, wiping away the tears with my thumbs. "Pippa, you've got to stop blaming yourself for things that were out of your control. You did everything you could with the information you had. We all know this is a dangerous game we're playing, and sometimes things don't go as planned. But that doesn't mean it's your fault. As for our plan, we’ll find another Plan A."

She sniffles, her eyes searching mine for any sign of insincerity. “W…we will?”

“We will reign down terror on Lenny. For his betrayal, for trying to hurt you last night,” I say with a force so protective that a flicker of surprise crosses Pippa’s face. “And I promise you, we will succeed.”

I feel her tension slowly ebbing away as I speak, her gaze softening with a glimmer of hope. She looks up at me, her eyes still shimmering with unshed tears, and she whispers, "Thank you, Lev. For understanding. For not blaming me."

I give her a small smile, my fingers brushing against the curve of her cheek. "Always, Pippa. Always."

There's a moment of silence between us, the only sound being the soft rustle of Pippa’s dress against the chair as she adjust herself to make space for me on the couch. Pippa's breathing evens out as she leans into my touch, a sense of comfort settling over us like a warm blanket.

And then, almost as if compelled by an unseen force, our eyes lock in a silent understanding. The force of nature overpowers all restraint, and I lean closer to her, my breath mingling with hers.

Pippa's gaze flickers down to my lips, and before I can fully comprehend what's happening, she closes the distance between us, her soft lips meeting mine in a kiss that makes me see fireworks.

Pippa gasps, her lips parting, and I plunge my tongue inside to taste her sweetness. She tastes like strawberries and sin, addictive. My hands slide into her hair, angling her head to deepen the kiss.

Hunger consumes me. She’s safe, she’s in my arms, and I’d be damned if I let this moment go to waste. With greedy fingers, I reach for the zip of her dress and tug it down with such force that I rip it at the seams.

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