Page 94 of Bratva King's Secret Twins

Nik’s thrusts are hard and fast, each one driving the breath from my lungs. He pounds into me with a ferocity that leaves me clinging to him for dear life. My nails dig into his shoulders, and I can feel the muscles beneath them tensing with each thrust.

My own orgasm is so close, teetering on the edge, but Nik’s hold on me is unyielding. He doesn’t let me fall over that precipice just yet.

“Don’t you cum until I tell you,” he growls in my ear, and I buck in frustration, my release only building.

I tighten my grip, my legs locking around his waist as he continues his brutal rhythm. The water cascades over us, mixing with the sweat and the tears that have begun to fall from my eyes. But I don’t care. All I can focus on is the way Nik feels inside me, the way he owns me completely.

I gasp as his fingers find their mark. His thumb presses harder against my clit, drawing small circles over the ball of nerves. The pressure builds, and I can feel the tension coiling tighter and tighter within me. The sensation is almost too much to bear, and I bite my lip to stifle a moan. Nik’s eyes never leave mine, his gaze intense and unwavering.

I scream, my body convulsing around him as wave after wave of pleasure crashes over me. He follows seconds later, his own release washing over him, his body shuddering with the force of it.

He holds me like that in his arms for a couple of moments, his breath washing over my face, and I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him in close. I move my head so our noses nuzzle together. “I love you, Nik.”

Silence fills the air as he refuses to reciprocate my words, instead slowly withdrawing from me. His fingers trail down my body with a lingering touch that sends shivers down my spine. As I am lowered to the cold tile floor, Nik's hands steady me, but it is his piercing gaze that holds me in place.

In an instant, his warm embrace turns into a cold grip as he cups my face in his hands. I sniff, trying to keep my tears at bay, but they fall and he wipes them away. His voice is laced with pain and anger as he speaks.

“I love you, Kotik,” his voice is strained with emotion, “so much that I would move heaven and hell for you. But you…” Hepauses, searching my eyes with a mix of pain and betrayal. “You don't love me enough to tell me the truth.”

My heart constricts at his words. “Nik-”

“I can’t trust you, Gwen.”

All warmth leaves me as his hands fall from my face. "I can't." His jaw tightens, and before I can speak, he turns and walks out of the shower. I stay under the stream until the water turns frigid, alone and empty without his comforting presence. That night, I lay alone in our bed, haunted by his words. I don’t get any sleep.

46

NIKOLAI

Amonth has passed, and I’ve kept my distance from Gwen. I want to say it is not intentional, but I know it is. I can’t seem to bring myself to be near her, not without feeling the weight of everything she’s hidden from me—the twins, my own children. The betrayal gnaws at me every time I look at her, even when her eyes pulse with apologies. I just can’t seem to do it.

Gwen keeps trying to talk to me, but if it is not about the twins or her recovery, I shut down the conversation. I don’t know how to tell the mother of my child that her secrets have broken a part of me I don’t think can recover.

Instead, I focus on Mia and Gio. My interactions with them are easier, simpler. They don’t ask why I’m avoiding their mother. They don’t understand the storm that’s been brewing inside me since I found out the truth. But it’s there, burning in my chest, simmering every time I catch a glimpse of Gwen’s tired eyes watching me from across the room.

Every night, I hear the soft padding of Mia’s feet as she sneaks into my study, asking me to tuck her into bed, and every night, I rush to their sides, thinking it will make up for all the nights I wasn’t home for. She tells me about her day, about the games she played with her brother, and Gio gives me one fun fact about primates every night from his studies. The kid is a mini genius, and Mia’s voice is filled with innocent joy. I can’t help but let the knot in my chest tighten when I think about all the years I’ve missed, all the memories Gwen kept from me.

I don’t know if I can forgive her.

“The DNA results are in.” Nadia’s voice slices through my office, and I jerk my head up from the unsigned paperwork on my desk to see her and Aleksandr staring at me.

“And?” I clear my throat, leaning back in my leather chair.

Nadia strolls over, tossing the results on top of my paperwork and slumping into the chair across from mine. “We waited for you to open it.”

Aleksandr's eyes flicker to the balcony and then back to me. “When did you get a garden?”

I look out the double doors. With the Yakuza on our ass, Sho being a demanding prisoner, the Italian coming to collect on their favors, getting to know the kids and my avoidance of Gwen, I didn't notice the garden.

I shrug. “I don’t know.”

“Gwen did that.” Nadia yawns. “It was a surprise she started before the kidnapping. She finished it a week ago.”

I pull a switchblade out of my top desk drawer and fling it open as I grab the DNA test. “How do you know that?”

“I talkto her. Speaking of which, when are you going to talk to her?”

I swallow, sliding the knife across the top of the letter.

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