Page 49 of The Bratva’s Arranged Virgin Bride (Fokin Bratva #8)

“Go ahead and watch all you want,” I told him, twisting out of his grip to put my arm around my wife. “Nat’s happiness is the most important thing to me. That and her safety. I’ll be glad to have backup.”

We continued to stare each other down, and then Aleks burst out laughing. “You’ll need it with this one,” he said, holding out his arms to Nat. She walked into them, the first hug from her father in so long, making happy tears roll down her cheeks.

Aleks pulled me closer, his smile still there, but with a touch of sadness now, maybe resignation. “I will be watching,” he said. “But that would go for anyone who married my Nataliye, not just you.”

There were cheers, calls for vodka. Soon, everyone was toasting us, and the fact that we could all be a united family. The party threatened to go on for the rest of the day, but after an hour or so, Mila claimed she was exhausted and needed rest, giving us the opportunity to slip away as well.

Once we were in the car, Nat threw her arms around me. “It’s over. It’s all going to be okay.”

“I thought you were never worried,” I said, leaning back to bask in her happiness.

She swatted me, and we headed for home, but I had another surprise for her and headed toward the gallery instead. She hadn’t been back since the abduction, and I wasn’t quite sure she’d want to return, so I held my breath, watching for her reaction to being there again.

Her smile was bright, with no sign of bad memories. “You kept it,” she squealed. “You haven’t done any shows without me, have you?”

“Have I left your side long enough?”

She couldn’t dispute that. We’d been having so much fun together the last month, enjoying being a real married couple, that we couldn’t stand to be apart for more than an hour.

“You could have hired another manager,” she said as I parked in the back.

There were new security cameras installed around the back door that were controlled by me and not the incompetent shopping center.

I was in talks to buy the whole place from the overseas company that owned it, so I could implement some other things.

The place was a goldmine, ready to bring in the big bucks, but I was content to start with the gallery.

“There’s no one in this world who could make this place work like you.”

She grinned up at me, no false modesty at all. “I’ve actually been dying to get back to work, but didn’t know if…”

She trailed off, and I smirked. I guess I was being a bit overbearing about her recovery, but she wasn’t complaining too much about keeping her in bed, as long as I was there with her.

Once inside, she noticed all the changes I made right away. Most of the paintings were gone, with just the ones from artists Nat had especially liked hanging on the walls.

“Why all the empty space?” she asked, frowning over one of the remaining paintings. “And why did you change the names?”

“Those are the names of the people who actually created those works,” I said. “They should get the credit.”

Her eyes sparkled. “A legit gallery? No games? No hustle?”

“Come here,” I said, leading her out the front door so she could easily read the new name etched on the window.

She gasped when she saw it, running her fingers over the letters. Nataliye Mikhailov Gallery.

“You’re no longer just the manager. The place is yours, to do with as you wish. No more games. You’re much too good for that, and I expect to see your own pieces gracing all those blank spaces now that your hand is fully healed.”

She flexed her hand as if she was raring to get started. She’d already been messing around in her new home studio, and the one painting she had finished so far was breathtaking. It was going to be hard to let her sell it, but her talent was too great to keep all to myself.

“I—I don’t know if I can sell anything without a back story and spin. Not for the prices we’re used to getting, anyway.”

“We’re already rich,” I reminded her. “You’ll gain a reputation in time. I believe in you, Nat.”

Hurrying back inside, she inspected everything with the eyes of an owner, not an employee, then turned to smile at me.

“I love it even more than my place in Milan.”

She was happy, maybe even thrilled, but I knew her so well I could see something was still missing. We won her family over, and she didn’t have to suffer being estranged from them. I’d given her back the dream I once stole from her, and she had my heart all to herself.

“What is it?” I asked quietly, moving close to her side. A thrill of fear washed over me. What if I couldn’t give her everything she wanted? To hell with that, I’d die trying. She didn’t answer me, and I commanded her to tell me her every last wish.

She snickered at my tone, but looked up at me with raw desire in her eyes. But not just for me.

“Mila and I grew up together,” she said slowly. “We always thought our kids would, too. If you’re not ready, though, I understand.”

“You want a baby?” I asked.

“I know it’s soon, but…”

I swept her into my arms, kissing her until she melted against me. “I’ve been thinking the exact same thing.”

She could tell by the joy radiating off of me in waves that I wasn’t just saying what she wanted to hear. I pressed my hand to her belly. “I can’t wait until I feel our baby kick.”

Her hands moved up my chest, her eyes shining. “Let’s get home and get started, then.”

“No,” I told her, shaking my head. Picking her up, I carried her to the office, where I’d replaced the small couch with a long, overstuffed one. Yes, I was thinking ahead to long nights alone with Nat in her new place. “Let’s start right now.”

She giggled as I lay her on the couch, running her fingers through my hair. “Do you want a boy or a girl?”

“Both,” I said. “Multiples of both. What about you?”

“Same,” she murmured, her eyes drifting shut as I tugged her golden hair out of its ponytail to fan around her face. “What if—”

I never found out what her next question was, and I think she forgot, as our lips crashed together. Her mouth opened eagerly for my tongue, and her hands slid down my back to grip my ass. I groaned as she lifted her hips to meet my cock, already hard as iron. She was wild. I was wilder.

The simple sheath dress she wore to the meeting was hiked up around her hips, and her legs were locked around my waist, but it wasn’t enough. Could I ever get enough of her? I was happy just to keep trying.

I pulled away long enough to get the dress off her, pausing to take in her heaving chest, the ripe tits under her lacy bra, down her smooth belly where our child would soon be, and to her pink panties.

Those had to go, now. I smoothed my fingers between her thighs, sucking in a breath at how hot and wet she was for me. She arched her back, urging me on.

With a muttered apology I didn’t really mean, I ripped the panties down the side seam and jerked them off of her, sliding my fingers deep inside her slick pussy.

“Kolya,” she moaned. “Hurry.”

“I’m doing all I can to hold on,” I said through gritted teeth, my fingers locked in her tight channel. “I want to taste you first.”

Her adorable mewling sound had me flinging myself between her thighs, spreading them wide so I could lick all of her, up and down her slit, and around her swollen nub. With her hands in my hair, she pushed and tugged, her body shaking with need.

I didn’t just want her, I craved her. She was my entire life. And soon, we’d have little versions of ourselves filling our home, and this place. Little artists, maybe even little con artists, who knew? I couldn’t wait to find out.

“Kolya!” she yelped, pulling hard on my hair.

Her eyes were glazed, her mouth parted as she gasped for breath. “You know how much I love eating your hot little pussy,” I said, ignoring her outrage and getting back to work.

She mumbled something about wanting my cock, but it ended in a cry as I pressed my tongue against her clit, nudging her toward an orgasm.

God, I loved making my woman come. But I needed to be inside her, and as soon as she screamed, I shoved myself away, barely able to focus, as I jerked my pants down around my knees. My little bride was shaking, reaching for me.

I leaned down to kiss her as I sank my cock deep inside her throbbing hole.

She tasted like the sip of vodka she took after I was welcomed into her family.

Our family, which we’d be adding to soon.

Ramming hard and fast, I rested my forehead against the crook of her sweaty neck, breathing in the scent of her shampoo.

“You’re my whole life,” I told her, barely able to find breath for the words.

Shuddering under me, she held on tight, clamping her arms and legs around me. “You’re mine,” she said. As soon as the words were out, she screamed again.

I came with her, shooting my seed deep, kissing her frantically as she tugged at my hair. That moment of pure bliss made everything recede, and then I was lying on top of her, panting as if I’d run ten miles.

“I think that worked,” I said, rolling to the side while keeping a tight grasp on her so she didn’t end up on the floor.

Maybe we needed an even bigger couch, because I could see many days like this in the future.

Our future. She kissed me, long and lazy, before pulling away to look into my eyes.

I could have drowned in hers, shining and blue and happy.

“If not, we can always try again tomorrow,” she said, her cheeks rosy as she smiled at me.

“Tonight,” I corrected. “We’re in this to win it.”

Her laugh rang out like musical chimes as she pulled me close. “Yes,” she said. “Yes, we are.”

There was no doubt about it, and I would always be right there with her.

*****

THE END