Page 38 of Forced Prisoner By the Bratva

I stared at him, my heart racing as I summoned the courage to say the words I'd been avoiding for a while now. “Connor, I think I'm starting to fall in love with Erik.”

His brows rose instantly, surprise flickering across his face as he watched me in silence, as if too shocked to speak.

“Yeah, I know how it sounds, and trust me, I hate it,” I said, my voice low and laced with helplessness. “But I can't stop myself from feeling the way I do.”

He heaved a sigh, keeping his face straight, his expression soft but blank. “Does he know about this?”

I shook my head. “I don't think so.”

“Does he feel the same way about you?”

I paused for a moment, wondering if this feeling was mutual. But if it were, he wouldn't have been with that woman, would he?

“I don't know,” I said, rubbing my forehead, confused about what exactly was going on with me.

“Falling in love with your husband isn't a bad thing, Tessa.” Connor's soft voice was reassuring.

I looked back at his face, my eyes boring into his as I replied, “I know…. It's just…everything's just complicated now.” I sighed under the weight of my frustration.

“You're husband and wife. Loving him shouldn't be complicated,” he said, holding my gaze.

“Maybe,” I replied, drawing a deep breath. “But that wasn't the deal.”

Connor's eyes squinted, casting a fishy look at me.

I continued, “Our marriage was strictly business, and Erik and I had agreed to dissolve it after two years.”

“Wait, you mean you two are going to get divorced in a couple of years?” he questioned, tilting his head to the side, eyebrows raised in disbelief. “Why? Remember, you're doing this—”

“For the family. I know,” I interrupted, rolling my eyes at his gentle reminder. “But Erik and I agreed that once Zoya and Liam finally got married, he and I would go our separate ways,” I explained.

He paused for a moment as if he was digesting the information. “Your divorce won’t affect the alliance because by then, Liam and his wife will be the pillars holding both families together,” he added, his tone smooth. “Clever.” Connor flashed me a faint grin, admiration flickering in his gaze.

“Yeah, it sounds like it is, but now I'm starting to get emotionally attached. That's the problem,” I said, absently swinging my hands around. My voice rose a bit higher than normal, mirroring my frustration.

He let out a sigh, rubbing his eyeballs. “Alright, uh…I'm gonna need you to try and calm down,” he urged.

“Iamcalm. This is me being calm!” The words tumbled out of my mouth in a rush, a stark contrast to my claims.

He cocked his head to the side, his eyes fixed on me as if appreciating the irony.

I exhaled sharply, burying my face in my palms. “I'm sorry.” I rolled my neck in a massaging motion. “I shouldn't have dumped all of my shit on you like that. I'm just…. I'm so frustrated, you know?” I said, my lips trembling as my heart swelled with a mix of emotions.

“I understand,” he said, daring to close the distance between us. Conner looked into my eyes, his fingers holding up my chin. “Look, I can't provide you with the answers you're looking for,” he began, his tone calm and soothing. “And I can't wave my hand and make all of your frustrations go away.”

As he spoke, I felt my tension dissipating slowly, my breathing steadying by the minute.

He continued, “But Icantell you this: The answers you seek outside are within you, Tessa. All you have to do is pay attention and follow your heart. It'll never mislead you.”

Honestly, I didn't quite understand what he meant, but he was right about one thing—I needed to follow my heart and look within.

“Everything will be alright in the end,” he added. “Just trust the process.” His lips curled into a charming smile.

Somehow, his words managed to conjure a small atom of peace and fleeting comfort for me. While it wasn't enough to erase all my pain and frustration, he may have pointed me in the right direction after all.

“Thanks, Connor,” I said, heaving a heavy sigh. “I appreciate your time.”

His response was a softer expression, and he retained a smile as he watched me rise to my feet.

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