Page 9 of Betrayal and Vows (Bratva Vows #2)

Lena

T he estate is too quiet at night.

It’s not peaceful.

It’s watchful .

It feels like the walls have eyes and ears. It’s creepy. My parents are back at our house.

I feel like they’ve abandoned me. Thrown me to the wolves.

But I suppose two weeks doesn’t really matter.

In two weeks, this is where I will live without them. Except I won’t have the luxury of my own room. I’ll be forced to be in Mikhail’s bed.

The thought terrifies me.

I can’t do it.

I pretend I’m a good actress but I don’t think I’m that good.

He’s going to know and then what? Will he kill me when I puke all over him when he attempts to fuck me?

I’m sitting alone in my room, and it’s making me crazy. After dinner, Anton walked me to my bedroom. He pretended to be clearing the room while casually pointing out a secret passage.

I had been stunned to see it.

And just a little unnerved.

He made sure I understood there was an escape if I needed it.

And I need an escape.

I need him.

I pull on my robe and slip my feet into my furry slippers and ever so slowly open the door to reveal the narrow passageway.

It’s spooky and I don’t want to think of what creepy crawlies live in the dark. I know what’s at the other end of the passageway.

Back when the house was built, servants would use the passages to take care of the royalty that lived here. Because servants are not to be seen or heard, they would use the passages to stay out of sight. The passage connects to the hall that leads to the servant quarters.

Anton told me what room he was in—just in case of emergency.

This is an emergency.

I put my hands on the doorknob and turn. It’s not locked.

And there he is.

His gun is trained at my head but that’s not what I see. I only see him. He’s shirtless. Sweatpants slung low.

"Lena," he says and lowers his gun.

I slide inside, shutting the door behind me.

His room is as stark as I expected. A bed. A chair. The scent of him lingers in the air. Something I can’t name but crave anyway.

“I couldn’t sleep,” I say, not meeting his eyes.

“Get out of here,” he hisses. “There are fucking cameras everywhere.”

“I used the passage.”

He groans and shakes his head. “That’s for emergencies.”

“This is an emergency. I needed to see you.”

“I told you this is dangerous.”

“I know. I don’t care.”

He exhales. “You should. He’ll kill you.”

“He’ll kill you,” I retort.

“He doesn’t need a reason to kill me.”

“Why does Mikhail hate you?”

His jaw ticks. “He doesn’t hate me. He fears me.”

“Why? He told me you were the best, but I can see his loathing of you. At dinner he looked like he wanted to stab you.”

He sits on his bed. “Mikhail hates anything he doesn’t control.”

“You mean like me?”

His gaze sharpens. “He will control you, Lena. Your little act will not make him be kind to you.”

“I know.”

I sit down on the bed next to him. I can feel the heat from his body.

“If he hates you, why does he trust you to guard me?”

He huffs something that might be a laugh. “He doesn’t. Vadim does.”

I move closer. “Why are you here , Anton? You could leave. You’re not a slave.”

“I’ve got unfinished business.”

“With Vadim?”

He doesn’t answer.

“Tell me.”

“I am.”

“No, you’re dodging. ”

He looks at me. Really looks at me. “You want honesty?”

“Yes.”

“Vadim Orlov is a liar. A murderer.”

I don’t want to point out the obvious, but I have to.

His lips twitch when he realizes the irony. “Yes, I kill. I lie when necessary. I’m not climbing to the top. I’m not killing to run an empire.”

“You’re not one of them,” I say.

I know enough about the Orlov family. I know most of the men in the organization are related in one way or another.

“I’ll never be one of them.”

“Did you want to join the family?” I ask. “I suppose I’m curious. Why choose this world? If I could leave, I would.”

He shrugs. “Survival.”

“Where did you grow up?” I ask softly.

It’s silly, but I need to know the man who has stolen my heart. When I’m broken and alone, I want to think about Anton. I need to know everything to fuel the fantasies that will carry me through what I expect to be a miserable life.

“Nowhere good.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means by the time I was ten, I knew how to pick locks, steal wallets, and stay invisible.”

“Did they find you?”

“They made me.”

The air chills.

“You were recruited?”

“Stop asking questions, Lena.”

“How did you become… this? One of the top soldiers?”

“Because I was better at killing than I was at dying.”

The words are said with no emotion. Just flat, honest words that cut me to my very soul.

I know he’s holding back.

He turns away from me. “You should go.”

I don’t move.

“Lena.”

“Anton.”

“Go before you get both of us killed.”

“You’re the only person in this house who sees me,” I whisper. “I don’t want to go.”

I reach out. Just my hand, on his chest.

That’s all it takes.

He breaks.

His mouth is on mine in a blink, hands sliding into my hair like he’s starving for me. I gasp, and he uses it, deepening the kiss, devouring me.

He pushes me backward onto the bed. Our mouths never parting. His fingers knot in the sash at my waist, and then the robe’s gone. My nightgown is torn off.

It’s not slow.

It’s not sweet.

It’s frantic. Desperate.

His hands roam over every inch of me like he needs to memorize what he’s not allowed to have. I arch into him, nails clawing his back, his name tumbling from my mouth over and over.

He bites my neck when I say it again.

The bite sends lightning through my entire body. I gasp, my back arching off the narrow bed as his teeth graze the sensitive spot where my neck meets my shoulder. His hands are everywhere. Fire races across my skin.

"Anton," I breathe.

"You're going to be the death of me," he murmurs, his voice rough with need. His mouth moves lower, trailing hot kisses down my collarbone. "Do you know what you do to me?"

I can't answer. Can't think. His hands cup my breasts, thumbs brushing over my nipples until I'm writhing beneath him. The contrast between his gentle touch and the desperate hunger in his eyes makes me dizzy.

"Please," I whisper, not even sure what I'm begging for.

He knows. He always knows.

His mouth closes over one nipple, tongue swirling until I cry out. My fingers tangle in his dark hair, holding him to me as he lavishes attention on my body.

"So beautiful," he breathes against my skin. "So perfect."

His hands slide lower, moving between my open thighs. I'm trembling. Already wet and ready for him.

"Look at me," he commands softly.

I open eyes I didn't realize I'd closed. His gaze burns into mine as his fingers find my center, stroking my clit gently at first and then with more pressure. I bite my lip to keep from crying out.

When his thumb circles that sensitive bundle of nerves, I can't hold back the moan that escapes.

"That's it," he murmurs, his fingers working magic between my legs. "That's my girl."

His girl. The words send a fresh wave of heat through me. I am his. In every way that matters, I belong to him.

"I need you," I gasp, my hips moving against his hand. "Please, Anton. I need you inside me."

He groans, his control finally snapping.

In one fluid motion, he's between my legs, the head of his cock pressing against my entrance.

Our eyes lock as he slowly pushes inside, stretching me, filling me completely.

"Mine," he growls against my ear. "You're mine."

"Yes," I breathe. "Always."

He starts to move slow and deep, each thrust sending shockwaves through my body. I wrap my legs around his waist, pulling him deeper, needing more. Needing everything.

"Faster," I plead. "Please."

His rhythm is brutal and beautiful. He kisses me like he owns me, like I’m the one thing he’ll never surrender.

And God help me; I want to be his.

Over and over again.

I can’t stop the orgasm from washing over me. It’s so powerful stars explode in front of my eyes.

“Fuck. Lena.”

His deep, rumbling groan against my ear sends another wave of powerful tremors through me.

He drops on top of me. My face is buried in his chest. I feel a tear slide down my cheek.

“I’m scared,” I whisper.

“So am I,” he says.

I kiss his skin.

“You have to go. This is too dangerous.”

I squeeze my eyes closed. “One minute. Please.”

His arms wrap around me and hold me against his naked body.

And then he’s pushing me away.

I dress quickly.

Anton steps into the hall to make sure no one is moving about.

He jerks his head once.

I slip out the door. My heart is still racing from being in Anton's arms, but now a different kind of fear creeps in.

I walk across the hall to the door that hides the passage.

Then—I see it.

A shadow at the end of the corridor.

My blood runs cold.

I freeze.

It can’t be. It’s my mind playing tricks on me.

I quickly dash inside the dark passage and practically run back to my room.

Once inside my room, I press my ear to the door, straining to hear. If they saw me, they’d come to my room to verify, right?

Maybe.

I try to calm my racing heart. It could be anyone. A guard doing rounds. A servant. Someone who couldn't sleep, just like me.

If anyone asks, I'll say I couldn't sleep. That I was walking around my room. Pacing.

Nervous about the wedding.

It's not a lie. I am nervous about the wedding.

I slide into bed, pulling the covers up to my chin.

Every sound makes me jump. Every shadow on the wall looks like a person watching me.

I close my eyes and try to hold onto the memory of Anton's arms around me.

Safe.

When I was in his arms I felt safe.

But I can't shake the feeling that our secret isn't as safe as we thought.