Page 13 of The Bratva's Knocked-Up Bride

He takes a step closer. His expressions cool over, and he looks down at me with an intense gaze. “I think I’ve made that very clear.”

A shiver runs down my spine at the thought of what might happen if I just turned and ran away from this. I could still picture the chaos of the casino, the shouting, the gunfire, the panic. The look on Riley’s face as I watch her being taken away in the distance. I swallow hard, fighting against the rising tide of fear.

“Why me?” I challenge, my voice shaky. “You barely know me. Why risk everything for someone you just met?”

Roman’s stern expressions ease at my words. He walks over to me until we’re inches apart, and then I have to crane my neck upwards just to look at him. “I see the type of person you are, Gwen. You’re beautiful and strong. You’re the kind of person who seems like they can handle the pressure and help me think clearly when everything goes to hell. That’s the kind of person I want to make mine. Besides,” His eyes were dark and earnest, “you can’t just think of yourself anymore. You have to think of Riley, too.”

The mention of my best friend snapped me back to reality. I thought of Riley's bright smile and how she made me laugh during the toughest days. “And what about her? How do I know you’ll keep your promise to find her? How do I know you don’t just want some claim over me and have no intention of finding her?”

He hesitates before he shrugs. “Because I take care of what’s mine. If you agree to this, I promise you, I’ll do everything in my power to bring her back.” He looks at me seriously. “I need you to be on board, Gwen, but at the end of the day, I won’t force you. I won’t drag you into this against your will.” His voice was steady, but there was a certain tone to it that betrayed him, and he told me he was already set on the idea of me being his.

“I’ll take care of you,” Roman adds. He closes the distance between us, his gaze unwavering. It makes my heart flutter, and I hate my body suddenly for reacting this way. “I’ll protect you. I’ll give you everything you want and more, including Riley.”

The sincerity in his voice strikes a chord within me. I look into his eyes, and nothing flickering in those dark, chestnut orbs makes me doubt his words. I wanted to believe him and trust that he meant what he said. But the idea of marrying a man I barely knew, a man seemingly wrapped in the chaos ofthis criminal underworld, felt like diving into a deep, dark ocean without knowing if I could swim.

Taking a deep breath, I steel myself. “Okay. I’ll think about it, but I need more than just words. I need to know what I’m getting into. I can’t just jump into something blindly.”

“Fair enough,” he replied, a hint of satisfaction washing over his features. “What do you want to know?”

He guides me, and we move to the spacious living area. The tension shifts slightly, allowing me to catch my breath. I sink into the plush couch, my body still buzzing with adrenaline. Roman takes a seat across from me, his demeanor shifting from casual to serious.

“Who are you?” is my first question.

Roman holds my stare. “Roman Milov. I’m a businessman. I belong to the Milov family. It sounds simple enough, but my family deals with dangerous people, and we’ve made a lot of enemies along the way.”

Milov family. His words wash over me, and the realization quickly sinks in. “Mafia,” I say. I don’t have to ask him the question; I can already tell. I can already guess which one he belongs to, too. And he doesn’t answer, at least not verbally. When I meet his eyes again, they tell me all I need to know.

“What kind of enemies?” I ask, moving on from the subject. My heart is racing again. The more I learn about him, the more complex this situation seems. The more unsafe. The moreterrifying.

“The kind that doesn’t play fair,” he replied grimly. “The men at the casino last night, I’ve run into their types dozens of times in my life. Lowlifes belonging to some sort of family orsyndicate, hungry for more power and a higher status. The types who think they can intimidate you by targeting your businesses and those you care about. My cousin—Luka—mentioned to my brother that they butt heads a few times, but he’s always turned them down. Seems like they’ve been waiting for an opportunity to swing at him and just so happened to find out he was out of town.”

My pulse quickened. “So, you think they took Riley because of you? They think we know each other and want to use her as some sort of… pawn?”

“Exactly. These kinds of men see you as leverage. It is a way to intimidate and show us their power by threatening everyone we love and even simply interact with. And I refuse to let that happen.” His expression was fierce. “We need to establish boundaries. You marry me, and it solidifies your safety. Once word gets around, they kidnapped the friend of a Milov…They’ll realize they’ve overplayed their hands by fucking with my wife.”

“And what would happen if I refused?” I asked, this time asking more so out of curiosity than rebellion.

“My family would tell me to let Riley go,” Roman says plainly, then shrugs. “And I’d listen. Riley means nothing to us. Of course, I don’t wish to do that. I won’t do that.” He leans back in his spot with a sigh. “They won’t be too pleased to find out about you and me and my interest in getting Riley back, but I won’t let this go. You already have my word. But it’s risky, Gwen. I won’t sugarcoat it. We have to be smart and careful. And it’ll take time.”

While everything he’s saying seems to be truthful, I can’t help but hold onto that part of me that wants to run away. After all, this isn’t what I want. No matter how sweet he makes itsound, marrying into some dangerous crime family and saving the day by getting Riley back. No, I don’t want that. I won’t have that. I’ll play this game with him now, and when I get the chance, I’ll get away. Iwillget away.

“What are the chances they’d recognize my face if they saw me in person?” I ask him, feigning curiosity when, really, I’m starting to concoct a plan to escape. “I could go back to my apartment, file a police report, and be perfectly safe.”

He paused, running a hand through his hair. "While I can't say for certain, there's a very good chance they would recognize you. Think about it—they saw you with me at the casino, where high-stakes players and VIPs mingle. They've likely already gotten Riley to speak, to tell them who you both are."

I felt my stomach drop at his words. The thought of Riley being interrogated and possibly hurt made me sick. The opulent penthouse suddenly felt suffocating, its luxury starkly contrasting with the danger lurking just beyond its walls.

I turned back to Roman, studying his face. His chiseled features were set in a mask of calm determination, but I could see the tension in his jawline and the slight furrow of his brow.

"How long?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "How long would this... arrangement need to last?"

Roman's eyes met mine, his gaze unwavering. "As long as it takes to…neutralizethe threat and ensure your safety. It could be weeks, months... maybe longer." But, yet again, his voice betrayed him, hinting at something more, something I couldn’t quite figure out.

The reality of what he was proposing crashed over me like a wave. This wasn't just a temporary solution but a complete upheaval of my life. I felt my chest tighten, struggling to breathe.

"And what about school? My job? My life?" The questions tumbled out, each one highlighting another aspect of my life I'd have to leave behind.

Roman leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "We'll create a cover story. Something crazy. It's Vegas, after all. People will believe it.”

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