Page 60 of The Bratva's Prisoner Bride

I half expected Ivan to sit, but he stayed standing with his hands in his pockets. He forced out a breath but kept his eyes on the palm trees ahead of us.

"When I first met you in Mexico, I knew I had to have you..." Ivan began, voice quiet and gentler than usual. "I thought you were the most beautiful creature I had ever seen...and the more I was around you, I learned you were intelligent, too. Sharp enough to keep up with me. Even if I came on a bit strong, I didn't care. I just wanted to see you...to have you as my own."

Unable to look up at him yet, I kept my gaze cast down on the pool while he continued.

"Then everything came out and I felt betrayed knowing the person you pretended to be was all a lie. Knowing I had been played and strung along just like Olivia, I was hurt more than I cared to admit. So much so that I wanted revenge. I wanted you to hurt psychologically so that you knew just how badly you scarred me."

I shrunk in my place slightly, feeling like he poured salt in the wound. Every reminder of what I did burned.

After a brief pocket of quiet, Ivan sighed. "But then I found myself feeling even more miserable from tormenting you. I realized it wasn't good for me to hang on to that grudge, and somehow, you got through my defenses. You reminded me of that woman back in Mexico, and while I wanted nothing more than to get back to that time, I knew we could only move forward. And now, I don't see you as Zoey. I don't even want Zoey anymore..."

Surprised by his words, I glanced up at him to find the sincerity written in his features.

With conviction in his eyes, Ivan looked down at me. "You're Daria—someone new that I've come to adore even more."

I could've broken down right then and there...

My expression softened at the sentiment, and I wanted to express the same in return, but the guilt of everything still sat so heavily on my chest.

Instead, I took a deep breath and collected myself before murmuring, "There's something I need to tell you..."

His rapt attention solidified that I was about to confess about my brother contacting me, but I didn't let the fear sway me.

He needed to know.

Because I wouldn't return to Rurik with my tail between my legs.

Chapter 25 - Ivan

The news of Rurik Kuzman somehow making contact with my wife despite supposedly being in lockup set off every alarm in me, and it led to the discovery that he had, in fact fled.

Somehow, some way, he managed to plant a rat in our ranks. They were able to break him out and slip beneath the radar, and I was furious that we had only just learned of it.

That meant he really had been steering the ship again, and we had no idea.

But since then, I bolstered Daria's security detail along with our main gigs in the hopes of deterring any Kuzmin-led ambushes, and we had eyes monitoring the situation as closely as possible.

Despite the concerning developments, though, I couldn't shake how Daria and I were making strides. She became a new constant for me through the chaos of everything else, and I found myself growing more grateful for that fact every day.

Once she came out and told me about Rurik's texts, it was like a new stage of trust had been reached, and we were able to let our connection continue as it should naturally.

Since we spoke and laid everything out, from our feelings, to what happened with Olivia, and the fact that she was pregnant, everything at home just felt better. Lighter.

Despite myself, I was delighted by the fact that she was growing new life inside her. That she was having our baby.

I never imagined myself having a wife or starting a family, but in the passing weeks, I knew I wanted nothing else more.

The slight tension between us was palpable while I guided Daria into the restaurant with a hand against her lower back, hoping the contact might soothe at least one of us.

While things between the two of us were better than they ever had been, I couldn’t say the same about her and my family.

If I didn’t care about their opinions as much as I had, then it wouldn’t have meant anything to me, and I would’ve carried on as I pleased. But it did matter. My brothers and sister were the pillars of my life for better or worse, and I didn’t want any problems between us.

Beyond that, I didn’t want Daria to feel like an outcast. Not while she was my wife.

The others were already waiting by the time we arrived, sitting at the private table with their drinks in hand and a few appetizers on the table. It didn’t take long for them to notice us approaching, and their eyes were soon on Daria and me.

She tensed slightly beneath my palm, surely bracing herself for the meal ahead of us. But with a light caress of my thumb against her clothed back, I did my best to silently ease her worries.

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