Page 48 of Bound to the Bratva
I’ve been trying my damndest to remain positive, but for most of my life things have never really worked out my way unless I’ve walked through the depths of hell to achieve it.
But, who am I kidding? Of course our near death experience caused me to grow closer to him. No man would go to such great lengths to protect me if he didn’t care, and he wouldn’t be here sitting across from me either.
Fear still gnaws at me, and worry floods through my bloodstream. I changed my life marrying the man who’s set to inherit the Bratva. However, I didn’t sign up to have assassination attempts. I want Natalya—or whoever is responsible—to be dealt with. God, how the last few weeks have changed me. I never would have even thought about something like that before.
“I know,” I whisper, squeezing his hand. “I just get scared, Maxim. For us, for our family. I never really witnessed what being integrated into the Bratva could mean . . . but now I see the risks, up close and personal.”
He leans over my desk, pressing a fierce kiss to my lips. “Some risks are worth the reward, and we’ll show them we’re not the ones to fuck with. We’re ready for whatever comes our way, beautiful girl,” he murmurs against my mouth. “Together, we will survive everything.”
In this moment, I cling to his words, desperate to find the strength to confront the challenges that lay ahead.
God, I just want this chaos to be over with, and soon.
Sixteen
Maxim
I stroll through the opulent condo, my freshly polished shoes clicking against the marble floors. The air is thick with the scent of vanilla and cinnamon. I know all too well Aria must have a candle lit. She’s crazy about them and lights candles almost every night when she gets home from work.
“Aria?” I call out, my deep voice echoing through the expansive space. I spot her then, a vision in a white blazer with a magenta pink silk top, perched on the barstool in the kitchen. Her tumbling dark curls and alabaster skin are a stark contrast to the crimson of the wine glass in her hand.
“You’re back,” she says simply, her tone guarded. I immediately sense her unease. It could be that she’s just had a very bad day at work, but I need to check in. That’s my duty.
I stride over to her, my gaze sweeping over her delicate frame. “Yeah, just got in. I went around the city and met with some of the lower families, made sure they know I’m here to stay. One of them owns a shoe store that offers polishing services, fixing soles, and a variety of other repair services.”
Aria sets down her glass, her fingers trembling slightly. “And what did they think of the great Maxim Volkov gracing their presence?”
I chuckle, the sound dark and rich. “I think they were taken aback I’d be staying in Chicago,” I reach out, my calloused fingers tracing the line of her jaw. “They didn’t seem too pleased to know one of the big dogs is here full-time.”
Her eyes flare with a spark of defiance, but she says nothing. The tension in the air is palpable, charged with unspoken emotions I can’t quite understand. I can practically taste her aggravation, her annoyance. But there is also a hint of something else—something that tells me I’m going to have to dig to find out.
I let my hand drift down the graceful curve of her neck, feeling her pulse quicken under my touch. “What’s troubling you, Aria?” I ask, my voice laced with a dangerous edge. “I can tell something’s on your mind. You’re quiet. Distracted.”
She averts her gaze, her fingers tightening around the wine glass. “My father...” She pauses, her lips trembling. “He had words with me today.”
I stiffen, my jaw clenching. “About what?”
“The assassination attempt. I wanted an update on the matter, considering it’s been a couple of weeks since I spoke to him or Dmitri.” Aria raises her eyes to meet mine, her expression a mixture of fear and resentment. “He told me it’s not my place to worry about such matters. That I should learn to stay in line. He made it very clear why I shouldn’t continue to ask questions,” she points to the other side of her cheek, where her skin is split.
A low, rumbling growl escapes my throat. The thought of anyone daring to put their hands on what is mine fills me with a primal rage. “What the fuck happened?”
Aria flinches, but holds my gaze. “He backhanded me and his ring cut my skin,” Her voice trails off, but the haunted look in her eyes tells me all I need to know. “I didn’t expect him to do it, honestly.”
I feel the world narrow to a singular focus, the roar of my own heartbeat thundering in my ears. No one, not even her own father, has the right to lay a finger on her. God, what a fool. He doesn’t know how badly I’m going to make him pay.
“I’ll deal with him,” I growl, my free hand clenching into a fist. “I won't allow anyone to harm you, Aria. You are my wife, in turn my property, my woman.”
I know she doesn’t want me referring to her as property, but it’s just the reality of our world. In the Bratva, the women are our property. It’s an old way, but I doubt it will change until Aria and I have children. I can’t make such drastic changes within the Bratva until a good portion of the older heads die off, including my own father.
I pull Aria into my arms, feeling her tremble against me. My hand smooths down her back in a soothing gesture, even as the fury courses through my veins.
“Shh, lyubov moya,” I murmur, my lips brushing her temple. “This will be the only time your father ever lays a hand on you.”
Aria’s fingers grip the front of my shirt, her voice barely above a whisper as she roughly laughs. “It isn’t the only time. He’s done it before when I’ve stepped out of line, on my sixteenth birthday nonetheless, and when I found out I was being married to you.”
I tilt her chin up, capturing her gaze with mine. “What the fuck?”
She shakes her head and closes her eyes, “I wouldn’t say he’s abusive. I think he reacts badly when his wife has a problem with something. When I was sixteen, she told me I needed to change into something nicer because she wasn’t poor, and neither was he. She told me I looked low class, and I quipped back at her with an insulting remark.”
