Page 66 of Claimed By the Boss

Her lips are still warm from that kiss as I lean back just enough to take her in. The air in the apartment has shifted; it isn’t charged with pent-up stress anymore. Peace settles instead, like a breeze after a storm. She watches me, unsure if I’ll raise my walls again or keep them down.

“I trusted you,” I say, my voice steady. “From the moment I met you at that restaurant. Faster than I should’ve. That’s why I gave you that coding project. It’s why I’ve given you more of myself than I’ve ever given to anyone. So when I found out you kept this from me, my first reaction was betrayal. It felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me.”

Her shoulders lift a fraction, her brows rising as if she’s about to jump in, but I raise my hand. “I understand where you were coming from,” I say, meaning it. “It stung not to hear it from you first, but I get it now. And we obviously have a lot to discuss.”

All the fight in her eyes drains away. The tension eases from her shoulders, and I know we’re on the right track again.

“Trust is really important to you,” she says.

“It’s the most important thing,” I say. “Especially because of the world I’m part of. If you can’t trust the people around you, you might as well sign your own death certificate. Lyra, I need you to know that I trust you. And I hope you trust me.”

Her eyes go glassy again, and she swallows hard. She nods quickly before whispering, “I do.”

With those words, I remember my conversation with Alek. I think about the future I want with her, and I realize I can’t keep this to myself anymore. If I want to show her I really trust her, and that she can trust me, I have to be honest about the most important things.

“I love you,” I tell her.

I thought it would be terrifying to say the words out loud, but they come out easy. The moment they hang between us, all I feel is happiness. I’m not afraid of her reaction or nervous in the slightest. I feel calmer and more grounded than I probably have in my whole life.

She gasps in response and starts crying.

“I’ve never let myself think about things that seemed like a liability, like marriage and kids,” I say honestly. “But being with you has shown me they aren’t a liability at all. Having someone on your side doesn’t make you weak, it makes you invincible. And I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about asking you to marry me.”

“Damien,” she gasps again. “Are you serious right now? I won’t be able to deal if you take it back.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” I chuckle, pulling her in for another kiss.

The kiss is salty and shaky as she tries to calm herself. But she kisses me back with fervor, holding me like she’s afraid I might float away.

I finally pull back and put some distance between us.

“I was serious about the marriage thing,” I tell her. “Maybe it’s early, but I don’t care. That’s where I see this going.”

Her lips part, still swollen from our kisses. “You really mean that?” she asks.

“I absolutely do.” My thumb brushes the side of her hand. “But it’s not just about being with me. It’s about the life that comes with it. Can you live as the wife of a Bratva boss?”

She lets out a small laugh, the sound lighter than I expect.

“I don’t even really know what all that entails,” she says, smiling a little. “But if it’s a life with you, I’ll learn and I’ll deal with it as it comes.”

That pulls a smile from me.

She’s quiet for a moment, as if processing something she’s not sure how to say.

“You can ask me anything,” I tell her honestly. “I will always tell you the truth.”

She nods before looking me in the eye. “Would you ever consider giving it up?” I take a deep breath and lean back. “I don’t know.” I won’t lie to her about this. “But this baby changes things. Maybe not all at once. Maybe not everything. But it’s making me think about how I want them to grow up, what I want them to learn.”

Her lips curve. “I like hearing you talk about a future.”

I slide my hand over hers, pressing it gently to the place where our child is growing.

“I promise you Lyra, I’m going to be the best father I can be.”

Her eyes shine, but she’s smiling. “I know you will.”

We drift into conversation about the future. Would we move? Would we want to have more kids? At some point her head ends up resting against my shoulder, her hand still covering mine where it rests on her stomach. Outside, the city hums on, but in here it’s just us.