Page 15 of The Bratva's Virgin Bride

My phone rings and I check the caller ID.

It's Gwen.

I answer it hesitantly. “Hello?”

She immediately starts shrieking at me. “What the fuck were you thinking, Viktor? Riley has been through so much and now you force her to marry you?”

“I am just protecting her,” I say, trying to maintain my calm. My patience is thin now. “I would think that you would appreciate that I'm trying to keep her safe from some gangsters.”

“Look, I appreciate that you want to keep her safe, but this is not the way. Roman says you don't want an annulment. You go get an annulment now.”

“No,” I say simply. “This is for her own good. She needs the Milov name to protect her from danger. These guys mean business, Gwen, and so do I. My reputation precedes me, and I can keep her safe.”

“We aren't done discussing this.”

“Enjoy your holiday,” I say calmly. “I will take good care of Riley.”

“Keep your hands to yourself Viktor, and don't traumatize her any more than she is.” Gwen knows. She knows there's something wrong with Riley, even if Riley is pretending that everything is fine.

“I won't do anything she doesn't want to do,” I promise.

“Like marry her?” Gwen points out.

“That's different. That was for her protection. I won't hurt her. You have my word.”

“Good, we'll see you in a few days.” Gwen hangs up.

I sip my coffee and muse to myself. I have a few days to convince Riley to tell Roman and Gwen that this was a good idea and that it's working. I will have Martin shadow her again and make sure that Jimmy has backed off. If all goes well, perhaps Roman and Gwen will come around and understand and see things from my perspective.

I finish my coffee and leave the cup on the table for Rachel to clear. I head upstairs and stop outside of Riley's room. I pause for the longest moment and just listen. There's no sound coming from inside. She must be fast asleep. I don't know if I should wake her or not. I check the time. It's almost nine in themorning. It's the weekend though, and we were up in the early hours of the morning. I feel so conflicted about what to do. It is my mansion though, and I can go anywhere I want. I open the door quietly and step into the room. The curtains are open and light is streaming in. Riley is lying in bed with the covers pulled over her head. She stirs slightly and I pause. I watch her.

She tosses and turns under the covers, and I'm again tempted to wake her. She groans in her sleep and then cries out.

Chapter 8 - Riley

It's the same nightmare again, and as it ends, I sit up while crying out. I'm struggling to adjust to the brightness of the room and notice a shadow by the door. I scream in panic and try to scramble to get up.

“It's okay, it's okay,” Viktor says. He hurries over to me and wraps his arms around me. I lean my head against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. I feel calmer just at the sound of his voice and knowing it's him in the room with me. I can feel a sob building up inside of me, but I bite it back, breathing hard. I hold on to him tightly and he makes soothing noises. He strokes my hair gently. I'm confused. What is he doing here? Why is he in my room? Did he hear me cry out in my sleep? He must've because he was already in the room.

I let him go slowly.

I feel humiliated. I never want anyone to see me as weak and I feel like I'm at my weakest. I pull away and pull the covers up to my chin, hugging my knees underneath them. “You should go.”

“It's fine,” he says quietly.

I begin to feel irritated. Yes, it's his mansion, and he can go wherever he wants, but what was he doing in my room? Do I have no privacy? He has no right to barge in unannounced! I can feel my face getting hot as I get up, head to the bathroom, and shut the door. I splash cool water on my face and brush my teeth, feeling slightly more awake and human. I feel ready to confront him once I'm dressed. I walk to the closet and shut that door. I go through the designer clothes and make a face. There's nothing here I would wear. Finally, I find some smart pants anda blouse that isn't too fancy, and I get dressed. I need to go get my clothes if I'm going to stay here. I can't wear this stuff.

I comb my hair and tie it back in a neat ponytail before walking out. I'm not surprised to see he's still there, sitting in an armchair in the corner. I begin to pace back and forth. “You have no right to come into my room unannounced. You have no right to barge in all the time and act like that's okay. You're not my keeper. You may be my husband, but you don't own me.” I pause to look at him, and it seems like he's trying to suppress a smile. I glare at him. “It isn't funny. You're making me feel unsafe. How can I feel safe if you're always hovering over me while I sleep? Or barging in when I wake up?”

“You cried out in your sleep. I needed to make sure you were okay,” he says calmly.

“I'm fine,” I snap. “I'm perfectly fine. I did what you wanted, and I married you for my own safety and I am fine. Unless you don't think I'm safe here?”

He chuckles. “I know you're safe wherever I am, but honestly, you don't need to be such a hardass about it.”

“You need to give me privacy. I can't rest knowing you're just going to come in whenever. What if I was naked? What if I had just come out of the shower?”

“Well, that would be a sight,” he teases, and I clench my fists.

---