Page 50 of Plus-Size Curves for the Bratva

I shake my head, leaning into his touch. "Just winded. And maybe in need of a really long bubble bath."

A ghost of a smile touches Denis's lips, softening his usually enigmatic expression. "I think that can be arranged, once we're truly in the clear."

As I look up at Denis, the dim light catches the flecks of green in his gray eyes, but there's something else there too—a storm of emotions I've come to recognize as him taking responsibility for what’s not his. His jaw is clenched tight, and his broad shoulders are rigid with tension.

"Denis?" I whisper, my brow furrowing with concern. "What's wrong?"

He runs a hand through his black hair, messing it up in a way that would be adorable if not for the distress etched across his face. "I shouldn't have told the cars to park so far off," he mutters, more to himself than to me. "It was reckless. Dangerous. You could have been hurt, or worse."

I reach out, placing my hand on his arm. "Hey, I'm okay. We both are."

"But you might not have been!" His voice rises, thick with an emotion I can't quite place. "Do you understand what could have happened if they'd caught us? If they'd gotten their hands on you?"

Suddenly, it hits me. The anger in his voice isn't directed at the rivals—it's masking fear. Deep, gut-wrenching fear. For me.

My heart swells with affection. I push myself to my feet, ignoring the protest of my tired muscles, and stand directly in front of him.

"Denis Zolotov," I say, my voice soft but firm. "Look at me."

He meets my gaze, those stormy eyes locking with mine.

"I'm here. I'm safe. And do you know why? Because of you." I take his large hands in my smaller ones, squeezing gently. "You protected me. You got us out of there.”

A hint of a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth.

I reach out and take his hand. “So no more brooding, okay? Don’t think of the could-haves.”

He nods and his hands envelop mine, warm and calloused. I feel the tension slowly ebb from his body, replaced by something softer. Denis pulls me closer, and I find myself nestled against his broad chest, my ear pressed to his steadily beating heart.

Chapter 20 - Denis

I watch from the penthouse window as Natalia slips into the backseat of the black SUV. My eyes scan the perimeter of the apartment compound, noting the extra guards I've discreetly placed at strategic points. They blend in seamlessly, but I know exactly where each one is positioned.

A knot forms in my stomach as the car pulls away. I want to tell her about the security I’ve put on her tail, but I know she’ll get upset. Still, keeping this from her feels wrong. Like I'm betraying her trust.

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. It's for her own protection. After this strange new investor who dropped by her store, and with the rival gang following us at the fashion show, I can't take any chances. Not with her safety. Not with her life.

***

A few days later, I hear the main door open with a slam. Hurried footsteps come my way, and I know there’s only one person who could be this angry.

Shit. She found out.

I steel myself for the confrontation I know is coming. Natalia storms into my office, her cheeks flushed with anger.

I rise to ask how her day was, but before I can even get a word in, she starts talking.

"Care to explain why I’ve had an entourage of burly men parked outside my office? At first, I thought it was nothing—but when the same guys show up every day for three days, thinking they’re being so discreet sitting at the café across my store from the moment I arrive until I leave—it can’t be nothing, can it?" she demands, hands on her hips.

I keep my voice calm. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't lie to me, Denis," she snaps. "I saw them. They weren't exactly subtle."

I wince internally. I'll need to have a word with the security team about their technique.

"It's just a precaution," I say, trying to placate her. "Nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about?" Natalia's voice rises. "You've got strange men stalking me, and I'm not supposed to worry?"

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