Page 82 of The Bratva's Auctioned Bride

***

Lying in the afterglow of our lovemaking, naked on his sofa, I can’t stop smiling. I’m on my stomach, lying half across his chest, looking up at him. Wondering how I got so lucky.

“You never answered me, princess,” he says, tracing his fingers down my back, playing with my hair.

“When?” I ask, tilting my head to the side, trying to remember a question.

“Will you marry me?” he whispers, placing his finger beneath my chin and tilting my face up so he can see my reaction.

The smile that breaks out over my cheeks is wider and glowing. My eyes spark with excitement, and my heart beats harder against his chest.

“Yes!” I nod, wiggling further onto his chest so I can reach his lips.

“Yes?” he asks, smiling as I press my mouth over his.

“Yes, a thousand times yes,” I say against his mouth as I kiss him.

***

It’s late in the day when I pick up my phone to call my brother.

He snaps immediately into the phone when he answers. “It’s a damn long shopping trip, Angelika, and tell me, exactly which guard did you take with you?”

“Hi Jaro,” I sigh.

“Don’t ‘hi’ me, tell me where the hell you are.”

“I’m with Diomid.”

The silence on the other side of the line is electric. Sharp and weighted.

“Diomid,” he scoffs after a moment.

“We are getting married,” I say, deciding not to beat around the bush of delaying the call for longer than I need to.

“Angelika, you need to come home right n…”

“Jaroslav, I’ve made up my mind. I didn’t call to ask for your permission. Besides, you’re the one who came up with this idea; you should be happy for us. And it will strengthen the alliance, and I am happier than I’ve ever been in my life, and youknow for a factthat Diomid can keep me safe.”

Diomid grins, listening in on the conversation and apparently loving how it’s going.

“Angelika, it’s just that… I mean…” My brother sounds unsure of himself.

“Jaro, I love you guys so much, but this is my life. Diomid and I want your blessing on this. We want you to be happy for us, but it’s not a deal breaker for us if you’re not ready to accept our relationship. I’m sure you’ll come around in time.”

“Dammit, Angelika, you’re so hard-headed,” Jaroslav huffs.

“Oh, really? And who in the world do you think I learned that from?”

He chuckles, and the sound of his laughter makes me breathe a sigh of relief.

“I suppose I am to blame. And… I’m happy for you. If this is what you want. But you tell him… Diomid, are you listening? You’d better be listening. If you hurt my sister, I will burn your home to the ground. I will destroy you, I will…”

“Ok, ok, that’s about enough of that,” I blurt out, forcing him to stop.

Diomid leans close to the phone. “Jaroslav, she will be the most protected, spoiled, happy wife on the planet, and if she ever feels I’m not giving her everything she desires, or I’m making her sad—then I give you full permission to burn my home to the ground and destroy me and all those things.” He winks at me.

“I don’t. I don’t give you permission to do any of that,” I snap.