Page 55 of Bratva Queen

“I’m here,” I assured her. “For good.”

“For good?”

“Yes. Trust me. I’m never leaving again. Not without you.”

Now that I’d seen what Stepan had done, I was a boiling furnace of rage inside. I knew I couldn’t walk into his office and rip his fucking head from his neck, butblyad’! I wanted to. I had to stop this madness and give him the death he so deserved, I just had to be clever about it. Fuck bratva loyalty. If this was what the bratva “family” was all about, I was done.

Her eyes looked down and around as she processed my words. Then her fingers lifted to her cheek again, to the yellowing bruise there. “And this is how you’re seeing me for the first time in five years,” she laughed sourly, wiping her eyes and flattening her hair behind her ears.

I gave her a light smile and a wink. “I see the very same woman I first saw sliding down that pole…” She immediately blushed, but I wasn’t done. “A strong survivor, a woman who would do anything and everything to protect her family, to give them a chance at life. A chance that you, apparently, never thought you deserved.”

She shook her head, smiling tightly. “Oh, I did… I came to you and begged you for a life away from all of this.”

I frowned, feeling that guilt rise again. “I know, and I’m sorry I thought this would be the safer option.” My eyes bored into hers, and I let my anger seethe from my mouth. “It’s obviously not, and believe me… I’m going to find a way to kill thatsvoloch’.”

Her gaze deepened, her chin lifted, and her mouth set into a determined line. “Not without me you’re not.”

Chapter21

Isabel

That night I paced my room, alive with thoughts about Aleksei being back. Did Stepan really call him back? Was it because of the stunt I’d pulled? Did Stepan think Aleksei would get me back in line?

I laughed and quickly put my hand over my mouth, not wanting anyone to hear my happiness. I was still heartbroken over the separation from my children, but this gave me hope.

I knew it, I just knew it deep down in my heart that this time, Aleksei and I would finally win. We would find a way to get out from under Stepan’s thick, controlling thumb and be free. Aleksei was going to be the one to help me save my sons. I should have known that his love was true, that I could have called him and had him help me escape.

There was no telling what would happen now. We didn’t get a chance to discuss what exactly we would do; all we decided was that we were going to find a way to kill Stepan.

Finally!

A knock on my door made me swirl around in fright. The sound was way too soft to be Stepan, so my shoulders relaxed and I approached the door.

“Yes?”

“It’s me. Can I come in?” Alek’s voice was low in volume—clearly, he was making a secret visit.

“Please.”

I heard the lock of my door turn and Alek’s angular face appear under the dim glow of my bedroom lights. His dark hair and deep brown eyes set onto mine almost shocked me; I’d missed them so much. I didn’t think I ever realized just how much I actually loved this man, how much I missed having him around and always within reach, whether I needed him or not. The past five years were a slow descent into forgetting what that even felt like, and I was suddenly being reminded of that feeling with just the sight of him.

I stepped back and let him in. He closed the door, leaned his back against it, and locked it again from the inside. We watched each other for a moment, the heat rising with every second.

“Um… Did you want to talk about a plan now?” I asked, reminding myself that Aleksei probably wasn’t here to touch me, no matter how badly I wanted it. So often I’d thought about that first kiss we shared, and that one night of complete and all-consuming pleasure he’d given me. But those memories also reminded me that he would reject me until the day Stepan was dead, and then I was sure he would finally allow it. “About Stepan?” I whispered.

He shook his head slowly, his soft eyes watching me. “No.I need to feel you,” he said slowly, deliberately.

My heart skipped a beat, I forgot to breathe and just stared at him.What?

“That’s what you said to me back in Belarus. And I gave in… and I touched you.” His eyes closed momentarily with a deep breath. “I had one, long, unimaginably heavenly moment with your body.”

I blushed, brushing my hair behind my ear and lowering my eyes. “Yes… I remember.” My hopes were dropping again. He was going to tell me that it still wouldn’t happen. Not until Stepan was dead.

“My biggest regret is that I ended that moment.”

My eyes shot up.

Alek shook his head, taking slow steps toward me. “Stepan Koslov isn’t worthy of my regrets… I’m never, ever, going to let him keep you from me, ever again.” I could hear the mixture of anger and need in his voice. His eyes flamed with desire for me, and I couldn’t believe he was finally giving in to those feelings. He dropped his eyes as he reached my body and slowly took one of my hands while tucking his finger under my chin, lifting my face to his. “Isabel, I know I rejected you before… but I’m the one begging you now.”

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