Page 70 of Innocently Imprisoned By the Bratva

"Who the hell is the caller?" I mutter under my breath, my fingers tightening around the paper.

“Probably the man that saved us,” Anoushka says.

“Who was it?” Boris asks, now deeply curious.

Anoushka and Pippa exchange glances.

“W…we don’t know,” Pippa says.

“One moment, the mafia burst into Lenny’s, and we thought we would die in that hideout. The next? A third group appeared. They took us, kidnapped us, only to release us here.”

"Who could it be?" Damien muses, leaning forward to get a closer look at the note. "There are so many factions in this city—it could be anyone."

“It doesn’t matter who they are,” Pippa shudders. “What matters is that they saved us, and we can all go home now.”

For once, we’re all on board with that idea.

Chapter 26 - Pippa

The door to Lev's room closes with a soft click, and the world outside seems to vanish. The chaos of the night fades away, leaving just the two of us, breathing heavily as we look into each other's eyes.

We hear the roar of the engines outside as the security convoy drives off, making sure we’re secured in the house.

"Lev…" I manage to whisper before he pulls me into his embrace, his strong arms wrapping around me tightly. My heart races, feeling the heat from his body pressed against mine. His familiar scent is intoxicating, and I bury my face into his chest, letting his warmth envelop me.

It’s the first time I feel at peace today.

"God, Pippa… I thought I'd lost you." Lev's voice trembles like he’s suppressing back sobs, for the first time in my presence. It's clear that this day has taken its toll on him too. As our emotions run high, I cling to him, tears streaming down my cheeks.

"Lev, I…" I pause, taking a deep breath to steady myself before looking up into his eyes. In his eyes, I see myself and I realize, I no longer know a life without him in it. "I love you," I confess, my voice shaking with emotion.

For a moment, Lev's expression falters. My heart skips a beat, and a seed of doubt threatens to plant itself in my heart. Does he…?

And then, to my surprise, a tear drops down his face. One single, lone tear. He closes his eyes and leans down, kissing my forehead before pulling away. “I’ve loved you for a long time now, Pippa. I don’t know why I waited this long to say it.”

At that moment, all doubts vanished like mist under the morning sun. Lev's confession washes over me, warming me from the inside out. The weight of his words settles between us, heavy with unspoken promises and a future we both never dared to dream of until now.

For the first time in a long time, I feel safe. I realize in this moment that from here on now, I’ll always have a family, with Lev.

“Oh, Lev,” I whisper. He gives me the sweetest, gentlest smile and takes my cheeks between his hands, bringing his face closer to me. I close my eyes as his lips brush against mine. I can feel his eyelashes flutter against my eyelids, and I take a deep breath, savoring his taste, knowing that this scent of mahogany and citrus is forever mine to claim. I lose myself in the kiss. This one isn’t fiery or hungry. This one is slow, permanent. It makes my heart soar and brings back the joy in my life.

Lev brushes a thumb gently against my cheek, wiping away the tears that linger and pulling away.

"I knew you would come for us when they took us. I never doubted it," I tell him, still staring into his eyes.

"Of course I came for you, my love. No one messes with what's mine." The possessive glint in his eyes tells me I’ll be forever safe.

"Yours? Really?" I raise an eyebrow, trying to inject some banter into this heavy moment. But deep inside, the word 'yours' resonates with me, making me feel cherished and protected.

"Always," he replies, smirking. "And I'm not letting you out of my sight ever again."

"Good," I say, my voice barely audible as I lean in and press my lips against his. The kiss is sweet, yet desperate, full of all the fear and longing we've experienced during our time apart. I reach for his shirt, to clutch it, to ask for more, but he holds my hands and pulls away.

Lev's eyes soften. "Pippa," he says, his voice tender and filled with sincerity. "When you were kidnapped, I was terrified. It felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest. You are the only woman I've ever loved, and ever will love."

His words unlock something deep within me. Suddenly, it all becomes so clear: Lev is my rock, my safe harbor in this terrifying storm. And I am his.

"Can you believe that I used to think you were just a cold, unfeeling brute?" I tease, smiling at the memory of our first encounter. "I guess I didn't know you as well as I thought."

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