Page 61 of Bound to the Bratva
Finally, we pull up to the building where mine and Aria’s condo is. It stands tall and imposing, a fortress among modern architecture. I pay the driver and leave him a hefty tip, then head into the building.
I make my way up to our unit and let myself in. Andrei is sitting at the island sipping a cup of coffee. “How’d your evening go, Boss?”
I shrug my shoulders and give him a knowing look. “I’ll tell you about it later.”
Aria pipes up from the other side of the kitchen. “With that tone, you’d better tell me now.”
I look at her, her eyes fiery and ready to take on any challenge I might bring. God, I love the stubbornness in her veins. It’s one of the first things that pulled me toward her.
There’s a part of me that wants to keep this from her, but knowing Aria, she’d find out eventually and it would be worse for me to keep the truth from her.
I run a hand through my hair and exhale heavily. “I saw Natalya Andreev tonight on the street.”
Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise, a frown tugging at her lips. “You’re kidding.”
“I wish I was,” My voice is low, bordering on a tired sigh. “She claims I have an older half-brother–a potential heir to the Bratva.”
The shock is noticeable on Aria’s face as she reaches out, steadying herself on the kitchen counter. She’s silent for a moment before speaking, her voice barely above a whisper. “What would that mean? Do you think it’s really true? Wouldn’t it change everything?” She fires questions out back and forth faster than she can catch a breath.
“She’s lying,” I state firmly, not wanting Aria to worry more than she needs to.
“What if she isn’t?” Aria’s question hangs in the air, heavy and suffocating. Her face is ashen, her eyes ringed with fear. I hate that look on her and I’m the one who gave it to her.
“Then we’ll deal with it.” The words come out more gruff than I intend them to, but the fact is, I don’t know what to say. The truth of Natalya’s words has yet to be confirmed. It could all very well be a lie.
“Deal with it,” Andrei repeats my words, his tone laced with skepticism. “Boss, if this is true, you know this will change everything. The balance of power...”
“I said we’ll deal with it!” My booming voice silences him instantly.
“You’re not alone in this,” Aria says softly, reaching out to place her hand over mine on the counter. Her touch is warm and comforting amidst all the chaos in my mind.
I turn my gaze to meet hers. “I’m sorry for snapping, I’m just a bit stressed.”
She offers me a soft smile. “There’s no need to apologize. I understand completely.”
Aria takes a step toward me and leans up, pressing her lips to mine. We kiss for a moment and I break the kiss to look back at Andrei. “You’re free to leave for the night. We won’t be going anywhere.”
Andrei gives me a curt nod and leaves, giving me the privacy I desperately need with my wife.
Aria licks her lips and smirks at me, “Where were we again?”
I can’t help but smirk back at her infectious charm. “Right here,” I whisper huskily, pulling her closer to me. I draw my fingers through her hair, securing her body against mine. She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me down for a heated kiss that momentarily erases the weight of the world from my shoulders.
Her lips are soft against mine, intoxicatingly so, and for a second, just a second, I forget about the chaos outside of this room. The taste of her lips and the feel of her body against mine feels like coming home.
She breaks away from our kiss, resting her forehead against mine. Her breath is warm as it caresses my face. “We’ll get through this, whether it’s a lie or the truth," she murmurs, but there’s a tremor in her voice that rips through my heart.
“Yes, we will,” I reply, gripping her tighter and sealing the promise with a kiss to her forehead.
Leaning back, I look deep into her eyes, but it’s only for a moment. Aria’s hands roam over my body and she captures my lips in another kiss, making exactly what she wants crystal clear—me.
A soft sigh escapes her lips, and I can’t help drowning deeper into the sea of her desire. Her fingers trace my jawline, eliciting raw need from the pit of my stomach. It’s how she always touches me— with a gentle fierceness that makes me feel like I’m the only thing that exists in her universe. I’ve fucked a lot of women, but they’ve never made me feel the way she does.
Her fingers travel down my chest, tugging at the hem of my shirt. Within seconds, it’s discarded on the kitchen floor, her hands now becoming more adventurous, roaming over my bare skin. The touch of her cold fingers sending shivers down my spine, causing an almost animalistic growl to rumble deep in my throat.
Then she’s pulling me closer, inviting me into the heat of her body. That familiar scent of vanilla and strawberries intoxicating me all over again, making it hard to think straight, let alone remember our troubles.
“Make love to me,” she whispers against my lips, her eyes staring deeply into mine. Those four words are all I need. It’s as if the world stops, and it’s just me and her.
