Page 19 of The Bratva Bosses' Nanny

She nods, stepping aside to let me in. The air in the room is heavy with her distress.

“Emma, I—”

“I thought you were dead!” she cuts me off, her voice trembling. Fuck, we messed up big time.

“I know,” I say, stepping inside her room, closing the door softly behind me. “And I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

“Sorry?” Her laugh is bitter, “You let me believe you were killed. You were a part of this whole... this whole sick game!”

I had known about the plan, even played my part in it. I had convinced myself it was necessary, but seeing her like this—broken, scared—it gnaws at me.

“I know, and I’ll never forgive myself for what we did to you, Emma.” I take a step closer to her, but she backs away. “But please believe me when I say we did it to keep you safe. Aleksandr and Nikolai would never harm you, they just needed to know if they could trust you.”

“And what about you?” she asks, her eyes locked on mine. “Did you need to know if you could trust me too?”

I take her hand and bring it to my heart, holding it tight. “No, Emma. I trusted you from the beginning. I just didn’t have the proof to convince the others.”

She stares at me for a moment before pulling her hand away and crossing her arms. “And what about now, Dmitri?”

Closing the gap between us, I meet her gaze unflinchingly. “Emma. I trust you completely.”

Her next move is unexpected. She steps forward, throwing her arms around me in a tight embrace. “Don’t you ever do this to me again,” she whispers fiercely.

For a split second, I’m stunned, her body pressed against mine, her breath warm on my neck. But then instinct takes over. I wrap my arms around her, pulling her closer. Her scent, something floral mixed with the adrenaline of the day, fills my senses. I rest my chin on the top of her head, making a silent vow.

“Never again,” I whisper back, and I mean it.

Her grip tightens, and I feel dampness against my skin. Pulling back slightly, I see the tear trails on her cheeks. My thumb brushes away a lingering tear.

“You were worried about me?” I ask.

“Of course, I was,” she snaps back, her eyes fierce even as they swim with emotion. “You can be a real asshole, Dmitri, but that doesn’t mean I want you dead.”

I chuckle and she chuckles back. Her body is close to mine, her breath mingling with my own.

“Emma,” I say. Her lips part, and that’s all the invitation I need.

I lean down, my lips brushing against hers in a gentle kiss. She responds immediately, her mouth opening under mine. I deepen the kiss, my tongue exploring the warm recesses of her mouth. She tastes so fucking good, like honey and spice and everything I’ve been craving since the first day I met her.

Her fingers thread through my hair, tugging me closer, and I groan softly, surrendering to the sensation, to the moment, to her. The world narrows down to the feel of her body pressed against mine, to the sweet taste of her lips, to the rapid beat of her heart against my chest.

When we finally part, we’re both gasping, her cheeks flushed, my heart hammering. “Dmitri,” she breathes out.

I rest my forehead against hers, my thumb rubbing soothing circles on her back. “Emma,” I reply.

I can feel the desire emanating from her, and I know it’s not just a physical attraction. There’s something deeper there, something that’s been simmering under the surface for a while now.

I know what I want, but I’m not sure if she’s ready for it. We’ve been through too much already. What if this is just a result of the adrenaline? What if this is just a temporary release?

I pull back from her. I need a moment to think about all of this. She is the goddamn nanny for fuck’s sake. And I just kissed her. Kissed her like I never saw her before. And that’s not all I want to do with her.

I don’t want to keep my distance from Emma anymore, but I won’t ruin this before it can even start.

She meets my gaze, her eyes still shining, her lips slightly swollen and kiss-reddened.

“I should go,” I say, knowing damn well I don’t want to.

But I turn away, leaving her standing there in the middle of her room. I close the door behind me, the click of the latch loud in the silence. It’s the right thing to do, for now.

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