Page 25 of The Bratva's Arranged Bride

Tia didn’t trust me, and I had the feeling she didn’t trust anyone else, either.

If I was in her position, I’d likely feel the same.

“A peace offering,” she scoffed to herself, and gave me an incredulous look. “Is this just another part of your game? Trying to win me over with my own things?”

A game. She still thought that was all the arrangement was—our tense back and forth.

Of course, she wasn’t going to let me off easy.

Maybe I should’ve been more careful about my choice of words.

“This isn’t a game…I just thought it might help you transition to your life here,” I said, hoping to sound as sincere as I felt. Sure, there was an underlying motive to get her to like me, but my intentions were hardly cruel. “I know it means a lot to you, and I can only assume you’ve been wanting to paint again.”

“I never asked for this,” she muttered, narrowing her eyes slightly. “And I don’t want your…charity.”

Her words stung, and those daggers she was throwing from her eyes felt even worse. But I schooled my expression and returned, “It’s not supposed to be charity. It’s me trying to be half decent.”

“The bar’s a lot lower than I thought.”

As much as she was scalding me with her resistance, a small part of me was amused by her claim—she wasn’t wrong.

“Sure it is, but consider it a stepping-off point,” I murmured, keeping my tone as steady as possible. “You don’t have to thank me, and you don’t need to praise me for trying. You can take it or leave it; it doesn’t matter to me.”

Tia seemed to consider my words for a moment, then she crossed her arms. “Knowing you, you’re just trying to manipulate me. You just want me to accept the situation, but I won’t.”

Damn her…she was making things impossible.

But at the same time, I couldn’t deny how her stubbornness excited me.

I was sure it wouldn’t be the last time she’d accuse me of manipulating her or the situation, but something about it hit me differently then.

I did have my reasons for having her supplies brought over, and in a way, it was selfish. But I wasn’t the villain. I didn’t want her to suffer.

Sure, I enjoyed watching her squirm, but I still wanted her to be comfortable.

For Christ’s sake, I wantedher.

With that thought coursing through my mind, reminded of how badly I needed her, I risked any potential progress by stepping closer.

“I see why you might think that, but maybe, just maybe, I’m trying to give you back something that was yours to begin with. Something that has absolutely nothing to do with me, or us,” I began, looking her over with an undercurrent of longing moving through me. Its presence was heavy and demanding. “Hate me all you like, take your anger out on these canvases, but don’t say I tried to take this from you. And don’t let your disdain for me stop you from pursuing the thing that separates you from so many others.”

Tia’s brows went up almost indiscernibly at my words, looking vaguely surprised once more, like she couldn’t believe that I’d care about her interests, even a little.

She didn’t say anything for a moment, then she regained herself and narrowed her gaze again. But this time, her voice came out a touch softer. “Don’t assume this will make me forget about everything.”

“I’m not asking you to forget,” I said quietly, stepping close enough to feel as those inches of space between us dwindled. “Maybe I’m asking you to see me differently than you have been…”

At that, her lips parted, but nothing passed them other than a shallow breath.

At once, I felt a shift in the air, a subtle crackle that hung over our heads.

Despite myself, I became more aware of every beat of my heart while I looked at her, watching every gentle rise and fall of her chest.

She was right there…close enough for me to touch.

She was almost too close. Certainly too close for me to restrain myself.

Unable to help myself, I drifted even closer, bending down until my face was near hers. Until our breath mingled.

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