Page 73 of His Forced Bride
"Let me see."
I reach for him, and he scowls.
I can see the words surprise him.
I step closer before he can refuse, taking his right hand in both of mine.
The cuts are deep but clean.
"This needs cleaning."
With a scowl, I drop his hand and point down the hallway.
"Rosa will?—"
"Rosa's busy in the kitchen. I'm here now."
I lead him to his office, where he keeps a first aid kit in the bottom drawer of his desk.
He doesn't resist or pull away when I guide him to sit on the leather couch.
The silence as I clean his wounds starts as comfortable but grows tighter by the second.
What the actual fuck am I doing caring for him right now?
Rosa's words got to me somehow.
I'm being kind to a man who would otherwise destroy me.
His hands are larger than I remember, scarred from years of violence I'm only beginning to understand.
But they're steady as I work with the alcohol wipe and a gentle touch to clean them.
"The arms dealer."
He speaks quietly, watching my face.
"Kozlov. He's been targeting your businesses."
I pause in wiping gauze across his fingers to remove more blood.
"What?"
"Dominic made promises he couldn't keep. Kozlov wants me to honor agreements I didn't approve."
"So you refused."
"I refused."
"And he threatened me?"
My hands pause their work as our eyes meet.
Yuri's jaw tightens.
"He threatened what belongs to me."
The possessive language shifts something in my chest.
