Page 63 of Gangster's Empire: Leeza & Havel

“That’s what I want, too,” she whispered.

“Then let’s get married.”

This time, she didn’t have to think about it. “Okay, let’s get married.”

He took her lips in another kiss that quickly turned heated and before long they were falling back on the freshly made bed, Havel thrusting her legs apart and settling between them, his cock ready for another round.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

“I want my father to come to the wedding.” When Havel didn't respond, she looked over her shoulder. “I mean it.”

They were in the bedroom getting ready for their day, Leeza’s back turned as she smoothed lotion over her freshly washed limbs.

Havel pulled a T-shirt over his head. He was headed down to Guard Dog for the day and Leeza was meeting her sister for lunch. “Fuck that.” He crossed his arms, his tattoos dancing over rippling muscles. “Vasiliy Stanovich is considered a rival with a bounty on his head in this country, which is why he stays in Poland. Safer for everyone.”

She narrowed her eyes and turned to face him, hands on her hips. Her curves were on full display in a black pencil skirt and matching bra. To maintain a little modesty, she would add a cream boatneck sweater before she let the house. “Between you and Jozef I’m sure you’ll figure out a way to get my father safely in and out of the country.”

“You ask a lot, sweetheart.”

She smirked. “I know, but you love me so you’ll do it.”

“You think you can manipulate me like that without offering anything in return?”

She fluttered her eyelashes at him. “I do.”

He closed the distance between them, stopping so close to her she nearly fell backwards. He snaked one arm around her waist while taking a handful of her ass with his other hand. “You’re right, I’ll do it because you asked me to.” He squeezed her rounded flesh hard enough to make her gasp. “One day you’ll say the words I want to hear.”

“You don’t need to wait, lásko” she whispered against his lips. “Havel Tsotsarov, I love you.”

His face reddened as he blinked his eyes.

The responding tug in her heart was bittersweet. He deserved to hear the words long before now, but she’d been protecting herself. Now she knew, there was no one better at protecting and loving her than Havel.

“You won’t regret this,” he said, swooping down for a quick but dizzying kiss. When he lifted his head, his eyes were glowing with pleasure. “I don’t want to leave you now. I want to toss you back into bed and show you exactly how much those words mean to me.”

She grinned. “I wish we could, but you need to debrief with Halil and his team and I promised Saskia I’d go shopping with her.” She swatted his ass as she headed for the washroom.

Havel left the apartment while Leeza spoke with Oliver about his lesson plan for Kris’s day, then checked in with the housekeeper about the evening meal. She was falling into a domestic routine, and while she enjoyed it, she still had too much downtime. Too much time to think and question and worry. But Havel still refused to let her work outside the home, so she’d keep searching for other ways to make her life meaningful.

Like having lunch with her sister.

They met outside a popular cafe a few blocks from Zmatek.

Leeza kissed Saskia’s cheek while Saskia smiled brightly and squeezed her sister’s arm. She looked past Leeza at the bodyguards trailing her. “Whoa, how did you earn the entourage?”

“Uh…” Leeza didn’t want to tell Saskia about the head in the box, so she hedged. “You know Havel, he can be over the top protective.”

Saskia rolled her eyes. “You’re telling me, but this still seems excessive.” She pinned Ayaan with her sharp gaze and stepped up to the bodyguard. “What gives, lady friend? Why does my sister have the equivalent of the King of England’s protection detail?”

Ayaan side-eyed Leeza then spilled. “Your sister was the unfortunate recipient of a gift in the form of a severed head and Havel doesn’t want it to happen again.”

Saskia’s eyes bugged for a second and she whirled to face her sister, hands on her hips. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Leeza held her hands up. “Okay, sorry, I should’ve told you, but you’ve been busy and I didn’t want to upset you.”

Saskia took Leeza’s arm and dragged her into the restaurant. When they were shown to their table, Saskia leaned in close to Leeza. “Tell me.”

Leeza didn’t want to rehash her grisly discovery, but Saskia was nothing if not dogged. Leeza had always found it easier just to give in.

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