Page 14 of Pregnant Bratva Wife
“Just one.” He gave me that maddening smirk. “Mine.”
Of course.
Inside, the place was even more overwhelming. Drop-dead gorgeous, outrageously expensive, it smelled like a botanical garden and was very, very quiet. Marble floors. Glass chandeliers. A spiral staircase that looked like it belonged in a movie.
“What do you do for a living again?” I asked, as he guided me in. I should have at least googled him before I made that call asking if the offer still stood. Should have known what the man did for a living before marrying him. But Megan was in trouble, and I was panicking. There simply hadn’t been time to do that sort of thing.
“Import export. Have a few ventures in hospitality. Run a bunch of restaurants. Own a few trucking and shipping fleets,” he shrugged, like he was telling me he graduated from high school.
That explained it. The maid who came rushing by to offer us water. The butler who took our coats. Another who insisted he’ll grab my luggage and have it sent up to my room.
My room. In his house.
The house I found it hard to breathe in. The house that was to be mine because I agreed to marry him in order to have my debts settled. And suddenly, I forced myself to get back to reality, to not be swept away by this ostentatious display of wealth. To remember that I was here on a mission.
I swirled to him, went right for the jugular. “You said you’d help with my sister. Pay off my mom’s debt. Take care of us. I need to know that wasn’t all talk.”
“And I will.” He walked closer, until his drop-dead-gorgeous eyes were all I saw. “The five thousand you need immediately will be wired today. The rest will be taken care of after the wedding.”
“Which is when, exactly?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
“This weekend.”
“This weekend?” I nearly choked. “As in, three days from now?”
He nodded, unfazed, and took one step closer. “Is that a problem?”
His perfume hit me first, and I hated that my body noticed how fucking masculine it was. I wanted to step back. Instead, my feet stayed rooted, like some pathetic part of me wanted to inhale more of him. His eyes remained fixed on mine, flickering. The air around us steamed, like there wasn’t enough for two.
“No.” I kept my voice strong and stared back defiantly, trying really hard to stop thinking about how handsome he looked. “That was the deal. But just so we’re clear? You might be used to getting your way with everyone else—but I won’t be another yes-woman in your perfect mansion.”
He let out a low, amused breath. “Good. I was hoping you wouldn’t make this boring.”
His gaze dipped—just once—down the length of me, then back up, like a silent dare. Every nerve in my body lit up in response, and I hated how alive he made me feel. Wouldn’t let him. Couldn’t let him.
I stood taller, raised my head. “And I want these promises in writing before the wedding.”
A flicker of surprise crossed his features. “You don’t trust me?”
“I don’t know you,” I countered. “And I need to know that if this... arrangement... doesn’t work out from your end, I’m not left empty-handed.”
He considered me for a long moment, then nodded. “Fair enough. I’ll have my lawyers draft something.”
“Today,” I insisted.
His mouth curved. “Today.”
We stared at each other, the air between us charged with tension from our first encounter.
“Now,” he said, taking a step back, giving me the reprieve to breathe finally. “Let me show you to your room. You’ll want to settle in before we head out this afternoon. You will find your things already there. The maid will bring you some lunch.”
“What’s happening in the afternoon?” I asked out of curiosity.
“Your bridal dress fitting.” He broke into a devilish smile.
What the actual fuck? A bridal dress fitting for a wedding that’ll take place in three days?
My stomach dropped to the floor. All of this suddenly seemed too real. But at the same time, he hadn’t proved himself to be my safe place. He wasn’t the type of man I wanted to look vulnerable to. I didn’t want him to know how unnerving the idea felt when I was the one who called him for this deal.
