Page 80 of Innocent Prey of the Bratva

As the door clicks shut, Kaz pulls back just enough to study my face. “Do you feel better? Is there anything I can do?”

I nod, still a little shaken. “Just stay with me.”

“I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

I reach for the tea on instinct, but Kaz catches my wrist gently.

“Don’t,” he says.

I blink. “It’s just tea.”

“I don’t care if it’s water from a saint’s palm,” he says, his tone suddenly hardening. “You don’t eat or drink anything unless I’ve tasted it first. Not here. Not now.”

I pull my hand back slowly, surprised by his intensity. “Kaz, that’s a little extra, don’t you think?”

He cups my face and makes me look at him, his voice low and razor-sharp with conviction.

“No, it’s necessary,” he says. “Because you’re everything to me, Violet. Everything. I won’t take any more chances. Not with you. Not ever again.”

Chapter 20 – Kaz

Violet is curled into my side, warm and soft, her hand resting over my heart like she’s keeping it tethered. On screen, some rom-com she picked is playing, though I’ve barely registered a single line of dialogue. I’ve just been watching her—her sleepy smile, the way she laughs at the dumbest lines, how she sighs and relaxes every time I touch her.

It’s past midnight now. I glance at the time, then down at her again. She’s still awake, though her lids are heavy.

“I have to go,” I murmur, brushing my thumb across her cheek. “Niko’s still here, and we’ve got work to do.”

Violet blinks slowly and sits up, her hair messy, her eyes half-lidded but alert. “Work?”

I nod, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Just a few things I need to go over with him. Nothing that’ll take me far.”

She frowns a little. “You’re not leaving the safe house, right?”

“No,” I promise, dipping to kiss the corner of her mouth. “I’ll be in the office. Anytime you need me—anything at all—you just come find me.”

She studies me, then gives a small smile. “Okay. I might watch one more movie until I pass out.”

“Of course.” I press my forehead to hers. “As long as I get to be the one you fall asleep beside after.”

She chuckles softly, and I take her lips in mine—slow, deep, lingering. I don’t want to leave her. But I have to figure this out. For her. For us. For the baby we’re not ready to talk about, but already love.

When I finally pull away, she looks like she’s already missing me. It does something sharp to my chest.

“I’ll be close,” I whisper again. “Always.”

And then I leave the room, locking the memory of her warmth into my bones as I head to meet Niko in the office.

When I get to my office, Niko’s already inside, leaning against my desk like he owns the place. Typical.

“You’re late,” he mutters with a smirk.

“I was with Violet.”

“That’s the only excuse I’ll accept,” he says, straightening up as I close and lock the door behind us.

I dig out the burner phone from my pocket—the one Arina gave Violet—and hold it out to Niko. “Can you do a thorough check on this? It’s Violet’s.”

“I didn’t bring any kit….” He looks around. “Can I use your laptop?”