Page 66 of Bound to the Bratva
She gives me a curt nod and leans against my chest. I wrap an arm around her and keep her nestled against me—safe, where she needs to be.
We drive in silence for a while, only the soft hum of the car filling the void. My mind races with thoughts of retaliation, of how to keep those who wish us harm at bay, and I wonder if Natalya was working alone, or if she has people who are loyal to her.
Suddenly, she starts sobbing, trying to grapple with what she did. I know how intense the first time you kill someone can be. It’s deafening, all consuming, and it makes you think twice about the kind of person you are. I’m sure Aria’s mind is going crazy right now.
As we drive back to our condo, silence fills the air. It’s so silent and I feel the need to say something after a while, so I glance over at her, my heart aching. “Aria, I know this is hard for you. But don’t beat yourself up about this. You did what you needed to do. That’s all.”
She turns to me, her eyes brimming with tears. “I’m scared, Maxim. What’s going to happen now? Will her family come after us? Does she have people who work for her? What happens?”
I pull her closer against me and press my lips to her temple. “Whatever happens, we’ll figure it out, together. I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise.”
Aria nods, but I can see the fear in her eyes. I know she’s afraid, but I will shield her from whatever the fallout of her actions will be.
Our driver pulls up to our building and after he opens the door for us, I usher Aria inside. My hand gently guides her. The weight of what she’s done is continuing to affect her, her shoulders slumped, her usual vibrant energy dimmed.
I lead her to our condo and once we’re inside, I guide us toward our master bedroom. My heart can’t help but ache at the lost, haunted look in her eyes. Carefully, I peel off her clothes, my fingers moving slowly, sure not to scare her.
“How about we get you cleaned up?” I murmur, turning on the shower and testing the water temperature. I peel off my clothes as well, tossing them into the hamper.
Aria stands mutely, her gaze downcast, as I help her step under the warm spray. Slowly, I begin to lather up a washcloth, my touch gentle as I glide it over her skin, hopefully washing away the horrible feelings plaguing her.
“I’m so sorry you had to go through this,” I whisper, my eyes never leaving hers. She has no idea how much I hate that she was put in harm’s way.
I never want any harm to come to her, but the fact is we’ll have to deal with situations like this. Now that Natalya has been dealt with, I hope it will dissuade others from attempting to do the same.
Aria's lips tremble, a single tear escaping to trail down her cheek. “I know I did what I needed to, but I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to kill her. She gave me no fucking choice.”
I nod, cupping her face in my hands. “I know, moya lyubov. In our world, there are no easy choices. You did what you had to do to survive. There is nothing wrong with that.”
She lets out a shuddering breath, her arms wrapping around my waist as she presses her face against my chest. I hold her, stroking her hair, offering what solace I can as she fully processes what happened today.
“Do you think...?” she begins, her words muffled against the wet expanse of my chest. The rushing water drowns out the rest of her sentence.
“What, darling?” I lean back slightly, tilting her chin up to meet my gaze, so pale and wide in the steamy shower.
“Do you think it’ll ever stop? The violence? People coming after us?” Her voice is a whisper barely heard over the cascading water. Her question hangs in the air, mingling with the steam.
“As long as there’s a hunger for power, people will do anything to take what’s ours.” I answer honestly, because she deserves at least that much. As much as I want to lie to her and tell her it will stop, I can’t.
“I wish...” She trails off again, her gaze dropping away from mine.
“Hmm?” I encourage softly, twining a lock of her dark hair around one finger.
“I just…sometimes I wish our life wasn’t so crazy. Granted, every bit of us being together hasn’t been normal.” she confesses with a sigh.
I press my lips to her forehead, letting my hands drift down to her side.
“Sweetheart, our life may not be normal in the conventional sense, but it’s ours. And I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. I’d rather deal with this bloody crazy mess with you than anyone else.” I speak softly into her hair. Her arms tighten around my waist as she leans into me further, trying to find comfort in the midst of chaos.
Silently, we spend a few more minutes under the warm spray of the shower, allowing it to cleanse us, not just of the dirt and grime but also of some of our burdens and fears.
I scrub her body, every glorious inch of it and she does the same to me. When we’re done, we get out of the shower and I help her dry off.
But, there’s a look in her eyes that makes me want to ravage her like a wild animal. She’s so fucking beautiful. So perfect, and all mine.
As she slips on a silk robe, she catches me staring at her. Her cheeks flush bright red and looks away, but I can’t help but grin. I love how she can be bashful too. She’s the perfect woman for me—strong, fierce, yet has a certain innocence about her.
“Don’t hide from me, Aria.” I murmur, pulling her close and nuzzling my nose against her neck. “You’re absolutely breathtaking.”
