Page 40 of Bound to the Bratva
I cover her hand with my own, running my fingertips against it. “You’re giving me too much credit. The only thing I do is pay attention. Your career as a pediatric oncologist...it’s not just any ordinary job. There’s something beautiful about it, and I wanted to make sure we were close to the hospital. I’m sure it will be a benefit both to you and your patients.”
Aria’s eyes begin to water and she smiles sweetly at me. “Thank you, Maxim. Thank you so much.”
Thirteen
Aria
I gaze up at Maxim, his piercing blue eyes glinting in the dim light of the living room. Light from surrounding skyscrapers filters in through the tinted windows of our home, and I might just have to pinch myself.
I can’t believe this is our reality. Not only are we getting along well, but I feel like everything he’s saying is true. It’s a far stretch from the arrogance he was spewing out the day I met him.
His broad shoulders are scrumptious as I take him in. There’s a different look in his eyes tonight. It’s softer, more vulnerable, lighter even.
I know all too well how men in the Bratva are. I’ve witnessed my father being a royal prick for most of my life—-at least whenever he made it a point to pop his head out of the ground—and I never liked it.
I thought Maxim was a pompous ass, but it seems like there’s more underneath the surface.
“Aria,” he murmurs softly, his deep voice tinged with rare and welcome tenderness. “You and I, we’re bound for life as husband and wife. While it was arranged, it doesn’t matter,” he pauses for a moment as he seems to search for the right words. “I mean what I tell you, and I need you to know that. I need you to trust everything I say, because I’m certain there will be times where people will try to pin us against each other. My loyalty is to you first and the Bratva second.”
Furrowing my brows, his words start to sink in.
Now, this feels too good to be true. “You’re putting me above the Bratva?”
He nods. “Yes, I made vows to you today, not to this fucking organization. It’s my duty as your husband to protect you, to put you first.”
Wow…he’s taking this much more serious than I originally thought.
Emotion swells in my chest at the sincerity of his words. I’m finally starting to see that there is a soft man underneath his hardened exterior shell. He’s a man of loyalty and honor, unlike most of the men I’ve known—Sasha being the only exception.
I squeeze his hands. “Thank you, Maxim. That means more to me than you could possibly know.”
My moment of peaceful bliss is short-lived. Everything comes back to the forefront of my mind—the gunshots, the screams of our wedding guests, the pounding of my heart.
I can’t help but wonder if this is what our life together will look like. Will there be constant danger lurking around every corner, or is this a one-off?
I meet my eyes with Maxim’s once more, my voice trembling slightly. “Is this what our life is going to look like, or is this a unique situation?”
He looks at me intently, licks his lips and his eyes soften up a bit more. The grace and patience he’s showing me now I think is only a unique peek into what he would be like as a father, whenever we’re ready for that.
“I refuse to lie to you, Aria. In this world, there are risks. But I will do everything in my power to keep you, and our family safe. There’s a good chance this was just sent as a message, but I can’t rule out the possibility this has happened because our families might have pissed someone off. Between my father and yours, it’ll be a little hard to tell.”
We both share a laugh.
I believe every single thing he’s telling me. “Well, you’re doing an okay job at protecting me so far. If it weren’t for you, I could have died.”
Maxim shakes his head. “You’re giving me far too much credit. But, I’m serious. Keeping you safe is my duty, and I don’t ever want to hear you thank me for doing my duty as your husband—understand?”
He reaches out and tenderly brushes a lock of hair from my face, his fingers lingering on my cheek. I find myself leaning into his touch, craving more.
“When I heard those gunshots,” he says roughly, “I didn’t think, I just reacted. The thought of losing you before we had the opportunity to see if this could work…” He trails off, clenching his jaw tightly.
My breath catches at the raw emotion in his voice. I never expected to see this powerful man so heavily invested in this scenario. Sure, I knew we had to get married. Neither of us had the option to dip out, but our marriage could very well be the two of us co-existing without any real connection.
I can see so clearly that this isn’t the case. I rise up onto my knees and hike my dress up, straddling him.
Without a second to spare, I press my lips against his, reveling in the musky scent of him. He oozes luxury, yet at the same time, his expensive cologne calms me.
Not too long ago I would have loathed being this close to him, but now I find myself rather enjoying it.
