Page 62 of Knocked-Up Bratva Prisoner

We both look up towards the stars,

The waterfall creating a soothing melody in the background.

It’s picture-perfect. And I am so happy I get to experience this moment with her.

“I feel so relaxed. I don’t really want to leave this place,” she whispers against my chest.

“We can stay here all night if you want to. A night under the stars can be part of our adventure.”

Her fingers trace patterns over my skin and she sighs contentedly.

I close my eyes and feel myself drifting toward sleep. Happy. Comfortable and warm with her by my side.

***

Early in the morning, I wake with the sun on my face, piercing through the tree branches. A bird is chirping somewhere nearby, and the waterfall is still playing its soothing song.

I stretch my arms out, expecting to feel her by my side, but the space next to me is empty and cold.

I sit up with a fright.

Fuck.

My heart hammers angrily against my ribs as I curse myself for being so irresponsible and reckless.

I was so stupid. I didn’t restrain her last night. There was nothing stopping her from escaping, and now—now she’s gone.

In a matter of seconds, I am on my feet and grabbing my clothing, pulling them back onto my body in a hurry. Looking around, I can’t see her clothes anywhere. She got dressed while I was sleeping and snuck away. I don’t even know when she did it.

It could have been shortly after I fell asleep or first thing this morning.

And because there is no way for me to know, I have no idea what kind of a head start she has on me.

She must have just been waiting for this moment, playing me the entire time. I’m such a fucking idiot.

Once I’m dressed, I glance briefly at the picnic things and the blankets. It can stay here—I will have to sort it out later. Right now, I need to get on the road and start looking for her.

If she makes it back to her uncle and tells him who took her—fuck. My brothers and sister are going to be so fucking pissed off with me.

I am rushing towards the rock wall to climb up it to go back to the house, blindly panicking and caught off guard when I hear my name.

“Alexei?”

Her voice comes from behind me and I spin around to face her.

“Where the hell were you?” I snarl, taking big strides towards her and grabbing her arm.

She jolts with fright and her eyes grow wide with shock as she stares up at me.

“I-I-I found a mulberry tree. I was—picking berries.” She holds out a bowl, the one that had crackers in it last night, now filled with dark purple mulberries.

I stare at it in confusion for a long time.

My head is still in a state of panic. I am still ready to rush out and find her, thinking that she escaped. I take a deep breath to try and stop the chaos pulsing through my body.

Calm down. She didn’t leave.

“You can’t just walk off like that. I was worried sick—I thought—I thought you’d left.” I am angry; it’s the adrenalinestill coursing through me, but now I am taking it out on her, and immediately her eyes swell with tears.

---