Page 87 of Bratva's Vow
Wren blinked up at me, eyes shining. Then he leaned in and kissed me.
Not urgently. Not hungrily.
Just tenderly.
Like he was stitching something back together between us with his mouth.
When he pulled back, he pressed his forehead to mine.
“But you also love me more than I’ve ever been loved,” he whispered. “I was lonely for so long before you. Even when I hated you, I felt more seen with you than I ever have in my life. And I can’t change the fact that I’m in love with you, Maxim Morozov. Now and forever. For better or worse.”
My hands trembled as I gripped his chin.
I searched his face, desperate to find some crack, some false note. But there was none. Did I finally have my Wren back?
“Do you mean it?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“Even knowing what I am? Knowing everything?” I didn’t hide the quiver of vulnerability in my voice.
Wren didn’t answer. He was staring behind my shoulder. I closed my eyes and swallowed, knowing what he was staring at. The sledgehammer I’d brought back with me, still crusted with Vova’s blood.
“Max, what’s that?” he asked, voice low, wary.
I turned slightly, trying to see the sledgehammer through his eyes. Leaned up against the wall, the weapon was a reminder of the world I couldn’t walk away from. A reminder of what he was in for.
“It’s better if you don’t know,” I said quietly, watching his face with bated breath. I had no intention of telling him about Vova. About bribing a cop to get the evidence to disappear from the precinct. About my plan to bludgeon to death whoever was responsible for hurting my cousin.
I waited for Wren to recoil. To look at me like the monster I’d admitted I was.
But he didn’t.
He surged forward and slammed our mouths together.
The shock of it hit me hard, but relief flowed through me even harder. I locked my arms around him instantly, instinctively, moving my mouth against his like I needed to prove something.
His moan vibrated down my throat, and it fucking wrecked me. Tongues tangled. Teeth clashed. It was messy and raw and far from tender. He bit my bottom lip, and I growled, grabbing a fistful of his hair and yanking his head back just enough to break the kiss.
“Wren, stop.” I panted. “We need to stop.”
He blinked, dazed and breathless. “What?”
“This is one of those times I warned you about.”
His lips parted like he was going to argue, but I kept going.
“Too many things happened in the past twenty-four hours that I couldn’t control. I’m wound too tight. If we keep going, I won’t be gentle. I’ll want to be selfish. I’ll want to use your body for my pleasure and give nothing back. If you can’t give me that now, then please don’t tease me.”
The silence between us was deafening.
Wren scrambled off my lap.
My heart plummeted. I should have tried to be gentle instead of demanding him to be totally submissive to me tonight.
Wren took two steps back.
Then pulled his shirt over his head.
