Page 60 of Captivated By the Bratva

Knowing Nadia would be waiting for me at home, I wouldn’t suffer the distraction of worrying about her or wanting herconstantly. We’d adjust to this relationship, I was sure of it. No matter what, I vowed to stand by my choices. I chose her, and I wouldn’t ever backtrack on that decision.

She dozed after a while, and I took the peace and quiet to really think ahead. I wouldn’t make any plans for her. She’d dealt with a lifetime of others controlling her. Everything we did would be a joint decision, but we couldn’t wait too long to start planning our lives together.

Watching her sleep, I slipped into a daydreaming mode. It was all too easy to envision what my life would be like with her.

I lived at the Bratva’s headquarters, the mansion where my brothers lived. Already, they were branching out. Alek and Mila found a home but they still spent most of their time at the mansion. Nik and Amy just bought a place, too, but it needed significant renovations so they’d likely be at home yet. And Becca and Ivan, they were still house-hunting.

My brothers were settling with their wives and starting the next generation of the Bratva family. Soon, I wondered if I would be doing the same with Nadia. If she wanted to wait to have kids, that was fine with me. We’d be surrounded by infants and toddlers for a while.

Yet, the mere thought of this loving woman pregnant with my child filled me with excitement. I could see it now, her belly swollen with our baby. Her tits even bigger. If what my brothers joked about of their wives was true, claiming their hormones turned them into sex-obsessed women, then I would really look forward to Nadia being constantly aroused and needy for me. It would be a perk I wouldn’t slack off in enjoying.

We would discuss it. I was open to compromise. We’d need to marry, too, clearly, but that step would need to be handled with care. I didn’t want to risk a repeat of what Alek did with Mila, just eloping with Nadia to steal her from Lev. It sounded like that was what Nadia’s parents had done too. It was what started the whole issue with the old Avilov.

As soon as we could, we’d make it official. I wasn’t particular about the wedding itself.

I held back a laugh.Just as long as it’s not like Alek and Mila’s wedding.I was shot and wounded that day, when I’d brought the priest to officiate the wedding.

Nadia seemed more antisocial than outgoing, and I speculated that she’d probably prefer something small and intimate. Which would be perfect. Whatever she wanted. The only thing I really cared about was making hermybride.

The concept was still so surreal.

Days ago, I’d never known she existed.

Now, she was my life. My calling.

And I vowed to never fail in keeping her safe and happy.

She deserved happiness and peace now, and I was just the person to make it happen.

First, hiding in Chicago and lying low.

But soon, hopefully, we’d fly home where we could start the rest of our lives together.

22

NADIA

Islept most for most of the flight. Even though I had a full night of rest, I was still exhausted. The amount of panicking and running and hiding I’d done foryearswould take more time to fade.

With Maxim, I felt safe, but the residue of anxiety lingered.

I blinked then rubbed my eyes as we landed. Looking out the windows didn’t tell me much. Maxim told me we were going to Chicago, but I wasn’t able to tell from the view out the plane.

At the airport, it looked like anywhere else in the world, a takeoff plot of pavement that could be found at any airstrip in the world.

He was on the phone, speaking with someone named Yusef, but it might have been a speaker call on the other end because he referenced a Brandon, too. I didn’t interrupt, silently following him off the plane and holding his hand. Sluggish from the nap I hadn’t intended to take, I was drowsy and unhurried.

With him, I bet I wouldn’t have to stress about rushing away ever again.

He didn’t shy away from letting me listen to his call, and he didn’t seem bothered about speaking freely with these two men who I presumed were soldiers or workers within his Bratva.

Maxim told me that he had always been a man working “behind the scenes”, but I couldn’t tell. From the way he spoke to these guys, with firm authority and patience to listen as well, he gave the impression that he was a man with power, with importance.

Of course, he’s important in the Bratva.I tried my best to never pay attention to the Mafia world, but it was impossible not to know what was happening and who was who. My dad talked about the shakeup that the criminal world witnessed after Alek Valkov killed his uncle, Pavel, and took over the Bratva. I was limited in my knowledge because I wanted to remain as ignorant as possible. I wanted to livemylife, independent of my heritage, but I still knew enough to respect that the sexy man holding my hand was one of Alek’s brothers. One of the Mafia’s feared killers.

But he’s notjusta killer.

Unbidden flashbacks came to me of how he’d shot that thug in the jungle. Then how he’d twisted the other man’s neck to kill him. I wasn’t sheltered. I wasn’t naïve. Seeing him so capable of inflicting violence—and being so skilled to do so—was frightening. I didn’t scare easily, but those memories would be burned into my mind for a long time.

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