Page 34 of The Bratva King's Kidnapped Bride

“Too slow,” he said. What was with this new, playful Aleks?

I liked seeing a new facet to his personality, and liked even more that I might have helped bring it out. I nestled against his chest and sighed.

“It’s too bad there aren’t many stars out. I could show off.”

He rested his chin on top of my head. “I’d have to take your word for it. I can’t identify any constellations.”

At that moment, the clouds overhead drifted apart on a warm breeze, and the night sky glittered above us.

“Behold, I give you the stars,” he said in a booming voice. I giggled, swelling with happiness as if he’d really done it. He dug in his pocket, pulling out a small box with a silver bow. “I really do have a present for you.”

He snapped open the lid with one hand, and I gasped at the sweet gold heart rimmed with diamonds on a dainty chain. It was something I would have gazed at with longing as I passed it in a shop window, but never dreamed it would ever be around my neck.

“Wear it all the time and think of me.”

“I love it,” I breathed as he fastened it around my neck.

I turned in his arms, and he looked down at it, resting below the hollow of my throat and tracing along the edge of the chain with his fingertip. Goosebumps rose at his touch, and the tender look in his eyes, and I tipped my chin back for a kiss.

“I have another present first,” he said.

“Oh, no, the necklace is already too much,” I argued.

I loved every minute of being a pampered princess while shopping that day, but I didn’t want him to think I expected things like that. I didn’t have the courage to tell him I’d be by his side even if he was a pauper, and would have given up all my purchases in a heartbeat if he asked.

“So you don’t want it? You don’t even want to know what it is?”

His teasing made me curious, and I patted down his pockets, which were all empty. “Okay, I guess you can tell me what it is,” I said.

His smirk was infuriating as he leaned back to stare up at the stars. “Well, I was going to tell you that you could start going out on your own. I can tell you’ve been bored all alone during the day.”

“Really? Are you giving me a car, then?”

He narrowed his eyes. “There are eight cars in the garage at any given time, and a full-time driver on call.” His stern look cracked, and he pulled me close. “I suppose if you’re not satisfied with any of those models, we could go car shopping sometime next week.”

I playfully smacked his arm. “I don’t need a new car.”

“You will need a bodyguard, though,” he told me. “There’s no arguing that.”

Of course, I did argue. I couldn’t imagine the horror and embarrassment of walking around a grocery store with a big, burly man in a black suit hovering nearby.

“That’s crazy,” I yelped.

“I’m a high-profile person in this town,” he said. “It’s not public knowledge that we’re married, but it could get out. It’s not a big deal, so just accept it or keep staying at home.”

“You’re right. It isn’t a big deal,” I said, thinking I held the winning cards. “I was out all day with your sister, and nothing happened. Nothing will happen, so I don’t think I need a guard.”

Instead of caving, his smirk intensified. “Mila has a bodyguard. He went everywhere you two did.” He tapped my nose when my jaw dropped. “They’re trained to be discreet. If you want, I can tell your guard to never speak to you unless it’s necessary.”

“Well, that seems rude,” I muttered. “We really had someone following us all day?”

He nodded, and I had no reason not to believe him. He looked way too smug about it for it to be untrue. And I liked the idea of getting out and about on my own again. I only loved being cooped up in this huge mansion when Aleks was there with me, and he was gone far too much for my taste.

“Can I take a cooking class?” I asked.

“Sure,” he said. “As long as—”

“Okay, I agree. Maybe he’ll want to take a class, too.” I still thought it was going to be weird having some guy trailing after me all the time.

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