Page 65 of Bound By Hate (Born in Blood)

Rolling my eyes, I get into bed and lay down, careful not to hurt my rib. Aleksander and I are side by side. So close. I can feel the heat from his body.

I’m in a bed with a man who’s in no way, shape, or form worthy of me.

So, then, why do I feel … excited?

I’m more aware of my skin and body than I’ve ever been before. Aleksander could so easily lean over and touch me. I don’t want that, of course. Not after Akim.

It’s just that maybe it wouldn’t be …unpleasant.

No. I push that from my mind. “Goodnight, Aleksander.”

“Neither of us turned off the light.”

He’s right. The overhead light is on, and the only way to reach it is to get out of bed and turn it off.

“I’m in pain,” I say.

He glances over at me with a small smile and gets up, exposing his hard, muscular chest, and turns off the light. Onceagain, I’m plunged into darkness, but this time, I’m grateful for it.

I don’t want Aleksander to see the blush on my cheeks.

MILA

The wedding reception ends, even though the bride and groom have long since left. I wonder how Vik is handling being married. I know it wasn’t something she wanted.

Meanwhile, I’ve been dreaming of my wedding day since I was a little girl. My prince charming is out there. I have to believe it.

Mikhail, Sofiya, and I leave the hotel, and as we reach the car, a man walks out of the darkness.

It’s the same man from the party—Damien, I believe.

Mikhail tenses. “What are you doing here?”

“It’s a public street. I can walk here.” Damien’s eyes slide over to me and linger for a moment. I blush. He’s handsome, but there’s a darkness to him that’s scary. I’m not sure I want a man looking at me like that. Thankfully, he looks back at Mikhail. “I heard about the wedding. Shame I wasn’t invited.”

“Of course, you weren’t invited,” Mikhail growls. “Your father killed my son.”

“But I didn’t. I was just a kid myself, Mikhail.”

“Just go. I have no desire to kill you right now, Damien. But if you continue to bother me, I can’t promise what I’ll do.”

“How’s the bride? I heard she went through a whole ordeal.”

“She did,” Sofiya says, stepping forward. Mikhail places his hand on her arm, holding her back. “No thanks to you. You saw Vik there and did nothing to stop it.”

A slow smile spreads across his lips as he glances at me. “Are you as feisty as your two older sisters?”

I gulp and step back. Mikhail moves slightly in front of me. “Just leave, Damien.”

He nods once and walks away, slipping back into the darkness.

His words leave me rattled. Why would he ask me that?

And as Sofiya said, why didn’t he try to help Vik from being sold? A man like Damien is bad news.

Nothing like the Prince Charming I have in mind for myself.

I quickly get in the car, where at least I’ll know I’ll be safe. My eyes go up to the hotel. Vik is in there—married. She’s now a married woman in the Bratva. First Sofiya, then Vik.

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