Page 38 of Forced Bratva Bride

Federico and Achille stood at a helpful distance, watching over Dante and passing me things I asked for.

When we moved to Dante, the injury was more serious. The bullet had indeed gone through his shoulder, leaving an exit wound that was still seeping blood.

“This is going to hurt,” I warned him, taking the cloth soaked in vodka that Federico passed me…

“Just do it,” Dante growled with a wince.

I did what I’d been taught, cleaning both wounds thoroughly before packing them with gauze. Gio stood beside me the entire time, but I knew it wasn’t me he stood for tonight. He was with his brother.

By the time I'd finished with both the patients, exhaustion pulled at my limbs. Luca had already drifted into a fitful sleep, while Dante stared at the ceiling, his breathing more even.

“If they’re in too much pain,” I told Achille. “You can give them another painkiller. But that’s it. No more. Wait for the doctor to arrive and do what he needs to next.”

Federico nodded, and to my surprise, he pulled me into a hug. “Thank you,” he said before pulling back. He looked at Gio and Achille. “I'll take the first watch. You two should clean up.”

“And I—” I offered.

“Have done enough already,” Achille clicked his tongue. “You need some food and rest.”

“You’re right about that, Brother,” Gio said, sliding a hand around me to lead me out of the room. When I looked up, I saw nothing but pride. Pride and such immense gratitude, that it humbled me to my soul.

Gio guided me up to my room. I was too tired to resist as he opened the door and led me by the hand to sit on the couch.

“I’ll have the maid bring you some hot tea and food,” he said, then his voice softened, shifting from matter-of-fact to gentle. “For tonight, Larissa,” he said softly. “Words aren’t enough.”

“Words aren’t necessary,” I said with a small smile. “They’re your brothers. You love them. They’re important to you and your relationship… to me.”

“Thank you,” he said gently.

“They'll be okay,” I said softly.

He nodded, but a shadow crossed his face. I saw raw emotion, a fear of the what-ifs.

“Yes,” he agreed, putting his mask back in place. “Because of you.”

I shrugged, uncomfortable with his gratitude. “I just did what anyone would do.”

“No,” he said, and the next thing I knew, he was on his knees right in front of me. “Not anyone. Certainly not someone we've been holding against her will.” His eyes searched mine, as if looking for answers to questions he hadn't asked. “I owe you, Larissa.”

A strange thrill ran through me at the sound of my name on his lips, at the sight of him before me on his knees. “Do you?” I asked, testing the waters. “Enough to let me go?”

The shift was immediate, and his posture straightened. He stood, towering over me—dangerously close, but not threatening; just in a way that made it clear he was trying to reestablish boundaries and was taken aback by my request.

“Don't push your luck,” he murmured firmly, but kindly. “I can't do that. Not until I know your brother wasn't behind the attack on my warehouse.”

“Gastone wouldn't—”

“You don't know what your brother would or wouldn't do,” Gio interrupted. “You see the best in him because that's what family does. Just like I protect mine.”

I wanted to argue and defend Gastone with the fire I usually felt when anyone maligned my loved ones. But the words died in my throat as I looked past Gio to the door, thinking of his brothers in the other room—the way he'd rushed to save them, the gentle way he'd tended to their wounds beside me, the fear I'd glimpsed behind his stoic facade.

He was right. Of course I saw the best in Gastone because he was my family. What kind of a sister would I have been if I didn’t? And tonight, I understood something fundamental about Giovanni Lebedev: everything he did, he did for his family.

Just like me.

“I'm going to prove it wasn't him,” I said quietly. “I'm going to find who really attacked your warehouse.”

A quiet, respectful challenge flickered in his eyes. “Oh, Larissa,” he murmured, reaching out to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. “I have no doubt you will.”

---