Page 21 of The Bratva King's Kidnapped Bride

“Or I’ll just call a ride,” I said when he still remained silent.

“No,” he said after what seemed forever. Ample time to just walk out, but I couldn’t. Not until he told me this was well and truly over. I looked up at him, but his face was inscrutable. “It’s late,” he continued. “Spend the night. Just get some rest. And I have guards posted this time, so don’t think about running off again.”

He gently nudged me back into the room and shut the door on me, leaving me alone. It was like a smack in the face, and I stood there staring at the glossy paneled door until my vision blurred and I swayed on my feet.

The exhaustion quickly caught up to me, and that glorious bed, piled high with pillows, was calling to me. I shrugged out of my dirty chef coat and swept back the satin cover to reveal the softest cotton sheets I’d ever run a hand across. Crawling in with the rest of my clothes still on, I was asleep as soon as my head hit the downy pillow.

It seemed like no time at all had passed when I woke up to a knock at the door. It took me a few seconds to get my bearings as Aleks walked into the room, holding a covered tray. I stretched, breathing in the delicious smells that wafted from the tray, feeling more rested than I had in ages.

He covered the big room in a few quick strides, laying the platter on the bed next to me and pulling up a chair to sit down. I had on a tank top, and my bra strap was hanging down one shoulder, the band biting into my back. I slid under the covers and straightened it out, trying to smooth my hair before I popped back out.

He looked at me with an amused expression on his face. “You’re always beautiful, Katie.”

My cheeks burned, and I pretended to be engrossed by what was under the silver cover on the breakfast platter. I lifted it to reveal fluffy scrambled eggs, two triangles of golden toast with squares of butter melting in their centers, and two strips of bacon. A little crispier than I preferred, but my stomach still growled.

“This is very nice, thank you,” I said, awkward as all heck. Yes, a very lovely sendoff, indeed.

“It doesn’t matter,” he told me.

My head shot up from where I’d trained my gaze on the bacon to avoid looking at him. His eyes caught mine and wouldn’t let them go. “What?” I asked, completely confused. The kind gesture of offering me breakfast before kicking me out didn’t matter? “What doesn’t?”

“That you were friends with Nataliye.”

“I still am,” I corrected with a snort. “And I think it does.”

Aleks shook his head, eyes sure. “You’re marrying me. It’s what I want, and I think you want it, too. Keep looking me in the eyes and tell me I’m wrong.”

I was never much good at lying, so I looked down, pretending to be engrossed with the food. I took a small bite of toast, hoping I wasn’t giving away just how much I did want it. But it was ridiculous. Nataliye would never speak to me again, and she might end up cutting Aleks off completely. She adored her father; he was her hero, but her temper was no joke. I would be responsible for destroying their strong bond.

But…

I could still feel him watching me; it was as tempting as a caress. I found myself leaning toward him even though he hadn’t made a single move since sitting down. He was waiting patiently for me to combust.

“Marry me,” he said quietly, still as a marble statue. “Have my baby.”

His low, rumbling voice set me alight. The things he said lit up my imagination. He couldn’t honestly be serious. This was his way of playing house for a while, right? Couldn’t I live out my fantasies with him for just a little while? But what if he was serious?

My mind was in overdrive as I nibbled on the burnt edge of a bacon strip. Even if he was serious, weddings took months to plan. Someone with Aleks’s standing would have to have a huge society wedding. He’d want one of the best venues, that I knew from experience were always booked solid, and he’d want me in a custom designer gown, so it might even take a year before it actually happened.

I could spend all that time with him. Nat would never have to know. He might not even be furious when I inevitably broke it off, because surely he’d tire of me. He couldn’t seriously want to spend the rest of his life with me after a one-night stand.

A fantastic, mind-blowing, perfect one night stand, but, still. It wasn’t like he was the one pining over me for the last seven years.

A side glance told me he was still watching me intently and I eased back into the soft mountain of pillows behind my back. Living like this, being taken care of by Aleks, spending time with him, even for a finite amount of time, would be such a nice vacation from my life. Memories to hold onto in the empty days and nights after it was all over.

I set down the bacon strip I’d been clinging to like a lifeline and turned to him. His face never wavered, except for the slightest lift of his brows. He made a move, reaching to take my hand in his.

“Marry me, Katie. Tell me what I need to hear.”

His voice was low and earnest, his touch feather-light. My heart raced, everything in me yearned to do what he told me to do.

The heartbreak at the end was going to kill me, though, so I had to make it worthwhile.

“I have some things…” I started.

He gently squeezed my hand. “Tell me.”

I took a breath and let it out. All of it. “A trip to DC for my sister, and her tuition paid in full through the time she graduates. My aunt is sick and needs treatment, so all of those medical bills taken care of. And the mortgage on her house in Florida paid off, so she doesn’t have to work until she’s better again.” I closed my eyes and waited for the sound of his laughter at my exorbitant demands.

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