Page 32 of Possession of the Bratva

“Thank you, it was lovely,” I replied as he walked off. Turning back to Aleksandr, I noticed he was coming back my way. He smiled at me as he stopped by another table, greeting the people. There were two women and a man having shots between their beers.

The brunette got up as he was about to leave, taking hold of his arm. She rose to the tips of her toes, leaning in andwhispered in his ear. I felt my stomach turning, and a sudden heat wave rushed through me.

Aleksandr smiled as he turned to face her. What was he doing? What was happening there, right before my eyes? Turning back to face the bar, I felt my anger pushing up. Shaking my head, I called the bartender to pour me a shot. I had to contain this rage before it became a wildfire.

Swallowing the shot, I scolded myself. Why was this so upsetting? Ordering another, I realized I was jealous. I had developed feelings for him. I didn’t know when it happened or how. I made a fist with my hand and released it, then did it again as I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Aleksandr hold the woman’s shoulders. She was still talking and smiling seductively at him. As I was about to look away and order another shot, I caught him looking my way. He said something to the woman and then came towards me.

“Ready to go?” Aleksandr inquired smoothly as he stopped next to me.

Nodding, I slid off the seat and headed for the door. Aleksandr walked beside me, seemingly pre-occupied with his thoughts. I didn’t mind as I preferred not to talk at the moment. The drive home was quiet.

I tried to wrap my mind around the feelings bubbling inside of me. Why was I jealous? Did I have the right to be? My mind whirled as I tried to figure out what was happening to me.

Chapter 17 - Aleksandr

I had barely stopped the car when Mila basically sprang out, slamming the car door shut behind her. Getting out, I watched in confusion as she stormed inside. I wondered what had happened. I honestly thought we were in a good place. I was overwhelmed trying to figure out what I had done.

I followed Mila inside. I decided not to probe; I hoped she would open up to me. I called ahead to ensure we had snacks and drinks for our movie. Entering the theater room, I saw everything had been prepared.

Mila sat on one of the reclined chairs, staring at the screen. We had decided on a movie during dinner, so there was no need to search for something. I moved the snacks and drinks to the table between the two loungers.

Taking my seat, I pressed play. I didn’t like her sulky mood, but without knowing what was wrong, I couldn’t help her. We watched a comedy, but Mila didn’t even grin or laugh at the funny bits. Not once did I even see a smile.

I knew something was wrong. Once the movie was done, she rose quickly. “Mila,” I said, watching her stop in her tracks. Getting up I walked to her as I continued. “What’s the matter, dear?” I couldn’t leave it any longer, I had to know.

Mila turned slowly. I couldn’t figure out what she was feeling. Her expression was a mixture of pain, frustration, and what looked like sadness. As she spoke, I could hear the same mixture in her tone. “Nothing, I’m going to take a bath.”

Her words didn’t match her feelings; of this, I was sure. She turned and stormed out. I knew something was bothering her, but for the life of me, I didn’t know what it was. Walking to the room, I wondered what had happened. I replayed theevening over and over in my head. Still, I couldn’t seem to locate the point where things changed.

Entering the room, I felt frustrated. I sat down on the bed, waiting for her. All I could think was that, for some reason, she was upset about the gambling dens. I could not see any other reason for her sudden change in mood. She must think I am cheating the patrons or handling the staff poorly.

I knew I had to explain; she had to see that these things weren’t true. We had just gotten into a good place; I couldn’t let her think of me as a monster again. I had to rectify the situation. I didn’t want to invade her privacy, so I sat waiting for her to come out on the bed.

It felt like an eternity before the door opened. I sat so long that my legs felt numb. Lifting my head, I gazed at her as she entered the room. Mila was wearing a silk and lace dress. It had spaghetti straps, and the tight bodice flared ever so slightly as it ran down to her knees.

My heart skipped a beat, and I felt my breath catching as she glided across the floor. Her skin appeared to be glowing. A penetrating hunger pushed through my body. I wanted to rip the dress from her and reveal the beauty she hid underneath. She was a vision made of dreams.

Staring up into her honey-brown eyes as she came to stand before me, it felt like I was submerged in a vat of sweet wine. She was noticeably still upset, and I knew I had to clarify things if we planned to move forward. “Mila,” I whispered, taking her soft hand and caressing them. “Let me explain, please.”

She just stood there, not moving, so I continued. “Our gambling houses are all above board and legal. Most of our otheroperations are handled as close to the law as we can. I promise we are not robbing or tricking people in any way.”

“That’s not the problem,” she spat, shaking her head. I could hear some content in her tone but didn’t know where it came from. “Just leave it, I want to go to bed. Please move.”

She had not pulled back or stepped away, and I took this as a good sign. Maybe if I could get down to the root of the problem, I could fix it. “Mila, please tell me what is going on. If you are upset about the staff, please don’t be. I can assure you they are all very well taken care of. You can ask any of them.”

Mila shook her head, “No,” she protested. I could see she was frustrated. As she continued arguing, I heard a mixture of emotions. “I told you nothing is wrong. Can’t we just leave it at that?”

“But I can see you’re upset, dear,” I said softly, squeezing her hands.

“Please stop,” Mila replied in a shaky tone. “Nothing is wrong; I am tired and would like to go to bed now.”

Rising from the bed, I took her chin in my hand and lifted her face as I tried again. “Mila, please, talk to me.”

Mila shook her head wildly as she forced her words out. “It has nothing to do with any of that!” She pushed me to the side, aiming for the bed as she lunged forward.

Grabbing her around the waist, I pulled her into my arms and just held her. I hated that she was so upset and not allowing me into her world. “No, dear,” I whispered over her shoulder. Her sweet essence flooded my senses, sending my mind whirling. She smelled like wildflowers and pine trees after the first spring rains.

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