Page 236 of Gilded Cage (Kovalyov Bratva 1)

“What are you laughing at?” he demands.

“Nothing,” I shrug. “You look comfy.”

He grabs ahold of me and pulls me onto his lap so that I’m straddling him.

“NowI’m comfy,” he says with a triumphant grin.

I graze my hands along his shoulders, tracing the path of his many tattoos. “I just finished the book you got me,” I tell him.

“Jesus, already? Well, I guess we can pick up more picks when we head into town tomorrow.”

“You’re not interested in going today?” I venture.

“I kinda just wanna chill at the cabin today. Maybe do some repairs.”

“Hmm, well I was thinking I might head into town on my own then,” I say.

He frowns, but I’m expecting that reaction. “I won’t be long, babe,” I assure him. “We need some groceries, too.”

“Esme—”

“It’s just a trip into town,” I tell him. “No biggie.”

“I don’t like it.” I make a grumpy face, and he smiles. “I’m serious, Esme. I don’t like sending you off on your own unprotected.”

“Please, no one knows we’re here,” she says. “I’m just a pregnant lady out here with my husband. Totally innocent.”

“Speaking of,” Artem adds, his eyes growing weary, “I would prefer you didn’t engage with every single person you come into contact with down there.”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

“The woman in the book store knew your name,” he explains.

I roll my eyes. “Oh, Daria! Of course she does,” I nod. “I told her my name.”

“That’s my point. She knows too much.”

I laugh. “She knows my name and the fact that I’m pregnant,” I say. “Not exactly the most specific of information. And before you yell at me for that, I didn’t volunteer that stuff to her. She guessed.”

“Still—”

“She’s had three children herself, so we got to talking,” I interrupt him. “It was an innocent conversation.”

“We still have to be careful.”

“You are paranoid,” I accuse him, pressing my finger to his nose.

“Possibly,” he agrees. “But in this case, I’m justified.”

“Artem, please?” I ask. “I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself for a couple of hours.”

I see the conflict in his eyes. He desperately wants to make sure I’m protected, but he also wants to give in to me.

I have to admit, I kind of like the power I have over him.

Not that he doesn’t have a fuck load of power over me in return.

“Please?”

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