Page 26 of The Bratva's Knocked-Up Bride

There’s a pause like she’s considering all the reasons she shouldn’t, but then she nodes. Her hands grip my sides, a little too tight at first.

“Hold on,” I say, starting the engine, and then we’re off.

The streets of Las Vegas blur around us as I ride, the engine's hum vibrating through me. Bright lights of storefronts become neon blurs surrounding us as we whip through the streets. I can feel Gwen behind me, tense at first, but something shifts as we leave the downtown area and pick up speed.

She starts to loosen up, her arms relaxing around me, and soon, she’s laughing.Actuallylaughing.

The sound surprises me, and when I glance back, I see her with her arms in the air, her face lit up with excitement.

Damn. My new wife is a little thrill-seeker.

“You’re enjoying yourself?” I can’t help but ask.

“Fuck, yes!” She cries out. I grin widely.

Gwen’s laughter fills the night air as we zoom down the road, and something in my chest tightens. It’s not something I expected. Her walls have been up since the moment I put that ring on her finger, but here, out in the open with the wind whipping around us, she’s let them slip for just a moment. AndI can’t help but wonder who she is underneath all that fire and defiance.

We ride for a while longer, heading out of the city. The lights of the Strip fade in the distance, and soon, we’re surrounded by darkness, the desert stretching out around us. Eventually, I take a sharp turn and steer the bike toward a hidden spot I discovered not long ago.

I bring the bike to a stop at the top of a small hill overlooking the valley. In the distance, the glittering lights of Las Vegas glow like a mirage, but up here, it’s peaceful—quiet—just the two of us and the open sky. I kill the engine, and for a moment, we just sit there in silence, the tension of the ride still buzzing between us.

Gwen climbs off the bike, removing her helmet and shaking out her hair. She’s grinning, her emerald eyes bright, and she looks like a completely different person than the one who’s been challenging me every step of the way these past few days.

“That was…” She trails off, struggling to find the right word. “That wasincredible.”

I swing my leg over the bike and stand beside her, crossing my arms over my chest as I watch her. “I had a feeling you’d like it.”

She laughs again, a real one this time, and turns to face me. “How’d you know? I’ve never been on a motorcycle before.”

I shrug. “I pay attention.”

She studies me for a moment, the laughter fading but the smile still lingering on her lips. “Thank you,” she says softly. “I… I needed that. Something to take my mind off everything.”

Her honesty catches me off guard, and I don’t know what to say for a second. She’s right, of course. She’s been through hell, and I’ve done nothing but complicate her life since the moment we met.

But there’s more to this than just getting her mind off things. She’s becoming something I didn’t plan for, something I didn’t expect. And no matter how much I try to deny or push it away, that feeling in my chest that only seems to expand by the day is very clear.

“You don’t have to thank me,” I finally say, leaning back against the bike. “Like I said before, I’m going to protect you. That means making sure you don’t lose yourself in all of this.”

She looks down, biting her bottom lip, and for the first time since this whole ordeal started, she seems a bit sad. “It’s hard,” she admits. “Not knowing what’s going on, not knowing if Riley is okay…”

“I told you, we’ll find her,” I say, my voice firm but comforting. “I’m already working on it. My family’s working on it.”

She hesitates like she’s unsure whether to believe me. “And what about you?” she asks quietly. “What’s your role in all of this? I know you’re trying to prove something, but what exactly? Why do you need to prove yourself at all? You’re Roman Milov. Shouldn’t that already mean something?”

Her words are sweet but also strike a nerve. I smile sweetly, but I clench my jaw, turning to look out over the city. This is the part I’ve been avoiding, the part I haven’t told her. Because it’s not just about her or Riley. It’s about me. About my family.

“You think being a Milov makes everything easy?” I ask, my tone sharper than I intended. “It doesn’t. Not when you’renot the one in charge. Victor is the head of the family. Anton handles most of the operations. And me? I’ve always been the younger brother—the one who has to prove himself. I came here from Russia to make a name for myself, to show them I can handle things. And then this happened.”

She listens quietly, her eyes locked on mine, and for once, she doesn’t have a quick comeback or a smart remark. She’s just… listening.

“I don’t expect you to understand,” I continue, my voice dropping. “But I didn’t come here to mess around. I came to handle business. And now, with you in the picture, it’s more complicated. Because I can’t just focus on proving myself anymore. I have to protect you. And I have to find Riley. And right now, both of those things come first.”

Gwen steps closer, her gaze softening. “I didn’t know,” she admits, her voice barely above a whisper. “I guess I thought you had it all figured out.”

I give a short, humorless laugh. “Trust me, I’m figuring it out as I go.”

She’s quiet for a moment, and then she surprises me again by placing a hand on my arm. It’s a simple gesture but enough to make my heart race in a way that has nothing to do with adrenaline.

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