Page 90 of Ruthless Bonds

“If you die on me, I’ll kill you,” I murmured,which made him chuckle.

I pressed my lips to his. Was love supposed to feel like this? So dark, consuming… terrifying? I wasn’t sure. All I knew was I was here, offering my heart to the Devil himself, begging him to never let me go.

“And Alora.” He weaved his hands into my hair, tugging my head back. “I love you too.”

Chapter Seventeen

Alora

“It’s not here anywhere, Kreos,” I huffed, dumping the contents of my camera bag on the bed for the tenth time. “I left it in the woods, I know it. We have to find it.”

He chuckled, and I glared at his face on the screen. We were FaceTiming since he was out on “important business” all day. Whatever that meant. I’d asked if that was code for torturing people, to which he’d scoffed, but hadn’t denied it.

But I didn’t care about that right now, because my portable USB drive was missing. I knew I’d had it last night, because I had backed up a batch of photos on it before Kreos had gone all Predator and chased me through the woods. If there was one lesson I had learned the hard way, it was to always back up your files and do it as soon as possible.

“It’s not funny.” I stood with my hands on my hips. “I’ve got so many photos on there. Personal photos.” Oh, fuck. I rubbed my hands over my face. “Nude photos, Kreos. There are nude photos on there.”

His eyes darkened, and he leaned closer to the camera. “Why are there nude photos of my wife on a USB drive?” he growled.

I threw my hands in the air, rolling my eyes. “Calm down, it was before we were married. I read some stupid article about ‘self-discovery’ and how it was supposed to make you feel good to take nude photos. And well, I tried it, and I looked pretty good… so I kept the pictures.”

He was silent, his thumb rubbing across his bottom lip. “We need to find it, then.”

“That’s what I’ve been saying.” I chuckled, not sure if I should cry or laugh at the ridiculous situation. “I know I’m supposed to be a good girl and stay home, but Grig and Tash are here. They could take me to look for it.”

I could tell by the look on his face that he didn’t like the idea of me leaving. But he had to learn to trust me. Even though I was still keeping something from him. I’d had every intention of telling him about the coin and the possible connection to the old photos I had developed, but everything had been so charged last night that I’d forgotten. When I’d woken this morning, he was already gone. And this was not the kind of conversation you had over the phone. But just to make sure I didn’t forget later, I’d shoved the coin into the pocket of my jeans after I got dressed. Tonight, we would resolve this mystery.

“OK, fine. But that’s the only place you can go. Then straight home. Understood,kotic?”

I clapped my hands, bouncing on my toes. “Thank you, thank you.” See, this was progress. He was learning not to be so strict.

“If you go anywhere else except that church, you won’t be able to sit for days,” he murmured, a twisted smile on his face.

So much for progress.

I gave him a salute. “Sir, yes, sir.”

He cocked his eyebrow at my remark, and I knew I would get a spanking no matter what at this point. Joke was on him though, because I loved a good spanking nowadays.

There were people talking in the background, and he nodded at someone. “I have to go,kotic. Behave. Church, then home.”

“OK, Daddy.” I leaned closer, giving him a kiss through the screen.

“I love you,milaya.” His eyes softened as he stared at me for a moment.

I bit my bottom lip, butterflies dancing in my stomach at his declaration. “I love you too, Kreos.”

I’d have to get used to that. Telling him I loved him, even though it terrified me. Last night had been eye-opening. I’d had no idea how freeing it could be to tell him how I felt, but it was like a huge weight had been lifted off my chest. He wanted me to trust him, and I would do my best. I knew he lived a dangerous life—well,wedid. I had to trust that he would keep himself safe, as well as me. It was best not to dwell on it and just trust that the universe had brought us together for a reason, not only once, but twice.

Half an hour later I was meeting Grig and Tash in the parking garage. Grig turned his head away when I walked up, and I sighed.

“Grig, I’m sorry, OK? I didn’t mean to deceive you.”

Tash chuckled as she threw a bag into the back of the SUV. “He’s been pouting all day that you tricked him.”

“Can you tell Mrs. Zokrova that I’m ready togo when she is?” he told Tash, even though he was standing right in front of me.

“Grig, please,” I pleaded, guilt running through me. “Look, I even brought you a piece of my favorite chocolate cake. You know I don’t share this with anyone, not even the Pakhan.” I held up the little box with a piece of cake in it.

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