Page 19 of The Pakhan’s Forced Bride (West Coast Bratva Pakhans #3)

Belle has been withdrawn for the past two days.

I can’t blame her. The situation that played out in my office was not pleasant. I wish I’d planned more or thought ahead or—anything.

I wish I could have avoided that, but I honestly didn’t expect her to roll up with a picnic basket.

It was sweet.

But it ended up being a nightmare.

It’s late morning and I’m in the kitchen making a second cup of coffee. Belle is still tucked away in her bedroom. She hasn’t come downstairs yet. She’s been sleeping late and going to bed really early. Maybe it’s just to keep her distance from me.

Coffee steams from the spout, pouring into my waiting mug, and that familiar, rich aroma fills the air. I lean forward with my hands on the counter, thinking about ways to fix this mess.

Her brother won’t even take her calls. I gave her cellphone back, and I don’t think she’s managed to get through to him.

She hasn’t said much, but she also hasn’t asked to go back to Vegas.

“Hey, Ardi the Party.” Kira is the only person on the planet who calls me that. I turn to see both of my sisters standing in the kitchen doorway, grinning at me.

“You’re back in LA,” I say with a wide smile.

Alya skips across the kitchen and slams into me with a massive hug.

“We got back last night,” Alya says. “Longest flight ever .”

“Well, you did come all the way from Russia,” I laugh, hugging my sister tight, lifting her feet off the floor, and squishing her.

“Ugh, stop that, I can’t breathe,” she gasps, wiggling free.

Kira walks to me and gives me a gentler hug.

“Missed you,” she grins.

“So, how was it exploring our family roots? Did you see the old house our father grew up in?”

“We did, the family stuff was really cool—but the snow train was way cooler. And we went on a camping trip, and I swear we came this close to getting eaten by a bear,” Alya says excitedly.

“She’s being dramatic.” Kira punches Alya in the shoulder. “We saw a bear. He didn’t even look hungry, though.”

“Hello?” Belle says, looking at my sisters nervously.

“Belle.” I walk towards her, happy to see her. “These are my sisters, Kira and Alya. They just arrived back in LA from a trip.”

“Hi,” Kira says, tilting her head to the side. “Ardi? We didn’t know you had a house guest.”

“This is my wife, Belle.”

Kira snorts with laughter. “Funny,” she sasses, sarcastically.

Alya is staring at me with her brows furrowed.

“You’re not joking?” Kira gasps, catching sight of Belle’s ring.

Belle laughs nervously as she holds her hand up to give them a clearer view.

“What is going on? You can’t just get married and not tell us. We’re your sisters! We should have been there!” Kira scolds me, marching towards me and pulling Belle from my arm. Belle is tense, obviously nervous, caught off guard with this introduction.

Belle yelps in fright, and I step nervously forward to defend her against Kira’s boldness. But Kira pulls Belle into a tight hug and says, “I’m sorry my brother is such an idiot, and I didn’t get to meet you before you got married .” She laughs. “I’m Kira. This is Alya. I guess we’re family now.”

She lets Belle go, and Aly bowls her over with a hug, too.

“Oh,” Belle says as Aly crashes into her.

“Sorry, I’m a hugger,” Aly says, giggling.

Belle laughs as well, and the tension in the room eases.

“Can I make anyone a coffee?” I ask.

“Yes, please.” Belle nods.

“And me.”

“And me. We’ll be in the living room,” Alya says, taking Belle’s hand and leading her away.

Kira throws me a stern look before she walks out of the kitchen. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell us,” she whispers, shaking her head.

I smirk and shrug. What can I say?

While I’m making the coffee for everyone, I’m nervous, wondering if they’re getting along and what they’re talking about. My sisters can be a handful. Kira is bossy, and Aly is very excitable. Not around everyone, but around people they like.

I really hope they like Belle.

I set the coffee on a tray and carry it through to the living room. The girls are laughing and talking enthusiastically.

Belle is glowing, a wide smile on her face. A smile I haven’t seen in a few days.

“I love it in LA. The beach is amazing. I think I’m starting to get a tan, and I haven’t even spent a full day in the sun yet.”

“You have to come for a beach day with us. Maybe this weekend?”

“I don’t know if I can do a full day. I don’t go caramel tan, I go red and lobster.”

Kira laughs, and Belle rolls her eyes.

“My brother tans after standing in the sun for five minutes. It’s not fair how much more effort we girls have to put in,” Belle complains. “But I’d love to do a beach day with you guys. As long as we take an umbrella.”

“Done,” Aly says, "we have plenty at home."

I sit down and watch them, not interrupting the conversation, just watching.

Belle stopped talking to me or reaching out for me after the incident at the office. Seeing her now, laughing and enjoying herself, warm and letting her humor spill out—I miss this.

I didn’t even realize how much I missed it until right this moment.

There’s been a heavy yearning in my heart, and I understand what it is now.

Belle glances at me, but quickly looks away again. The brief moment our eyes meet, my heart flips, and a smile touches my face.

She smiles too, but it’s shy and tight until she turns back to Aly and Kira.

My sisters end up staying for a few hours.

The girls have been sharing stories the entire time. They’re clearly having a great time. I even leave for a while to grab some snacks as it nears lunch time.

The entire time, all I can think about is how it’s my fault that Belle has pulled away.

She has every right to be angry with me. I put her in a position that wasn’t fair. Her brother is angry at her, and that’s not fair, either.

All of this is my fault.

I should have reached out to Benedikt within a few days of taking Belle.

Why didn’t I?

The answer is obvious. Because the moment I had her, there was something about her I didn’t understand. I was mesmerized by her, completely taken by her. Even before I realized it was happening, I wasn’t willing to let her go.

I can’t even claim it was just physical attraction, because it wasn’t. It was so much more than that.

Right from the beginning, she’s captured my attention, and that’s the reason I never contacted her brother.

I wanted to keep her to myself.

***

I set the takeout pizza boxes on the living room table, and the girls crowd around them to choose a slice. I decide to leave them to enjoy their time together while I stay out of the way. I feel out of place. Belle is happy, and I shouldn’t interrupt that.

It’s late afternoon when my sisters say goodbye.

Belle stands at the door, waving to them. She’s relaxed and still smiling.

Once my sisters have driven away, I close the front door.

The awkwardness between us is obvious. I can’t handle it anymore. After seeing her smile all day, I want to have that side of her as well.

Belle starts walking away and hates it. I hate this space between us.

“Can we talk?” I ask, running after her to stop her, a knot forming in the pit of my stomach. We’re standing at the base of the stairs.

She sighs and tilts her head to the side.

“Okay,” Belle says, clasping her hands in front of her body, threading her fingers together.

“Walk with me in the garden?” I ask, gesturing for her to follow me.

It’s late afternoon, and the sun is still warm, spilling from the sky in long, lazy rays that pierce through the tall palm trees around the edge of my property.

Belle walks at my side, not saying anything.

I don’t know how to start this conversation, but I must.

“I’m sorry about what happened at the office. I had no idea your brother was in town.”

She nods but says nothing.

I clench my jaw and try again. “You asked me why I didn’t tell him, why I hadn’t made contact—"

“Yes, I want to know,” she says, looking up at me for the first time. Her eyes are locked onto me. I stop, pulling her to a stop as well.

I take a deep breath and say, “I’ll start from the beginning, because I never told you why I took you in the first place.”

A soft breeze catches at her hair and blows it gently around her face. I reach out and tuck a curl behind her ear. “I never meant to hurt you, Belle. I never intended to, either.

"Your brother and I have been against each other for a long time. When Nestor finally negotiated a truce, a small alliance within a larger one, I was hopeful that it would lead to a solid foundation between us. But he basically spat in my face. I did what I promised, and I helped him in his hunt for Miron, that asshole who took Ulyana. I was the reason Benedikt was able to rescue her. It was my team that found out where she was being held.”

Belle nods, listening carefully.

“After she was saved, I phoned Benedikt, hoping to feel his gratitude and start building some business opportunities together, but he shot me down. He made it seem as though what I had done for him was worthless, even though Ulyana might not be alive if it wasn’t for me.”

“Oh,” Belle says, narrowing her eyes. “I didn’t know about that.”

I lick my lips and continue. “My plan was just to make Benedikt suffer for a while. To annoy him, to waste his time a bit. I wanted him to jump through some hoops to get you back. I was angry and wanted revenge. It was stupid, a play of power—but once I had you and we got closer, I lost track of time. I stopped thinking about him and—I was focused on you.”

Belle is watching me with softness behind her eyes.

“So, you never spoke to him at all after you took me?”

“Not about you. Not like I had intended to. I’m sorry, Belle. I’m sorry it ended up like this.”

“Benedikt is furious with me.” She sighs, her voice becoming soft. “He won’t even answer my calls.”

“Your brother loves you, Belle. He was in shock to find you alive and safe. It was a huge relief and a massive confusion. I can see why he was confused, too. Most prisoners don’t walk around with picnic baskets.”

I chuckle, and Belle’s lips curl into a gentle smile.

“True,” she shrugs. “But how do I fix it?”

“I’m the one who needs to fix it. Not you. I’ll contact your brother once he’s calmed down and try and speak to him.”

“It’s not going to work.” She looks tearful.

“It’ll work,” I say, pulling her into a hug, holding her against my chest, her body pressed into mine, her warmth soaking through me.

She feels so right in my arms. This is where she belongs. I don’t know how I’m going to fix things between her brother and her, but I don’t want to lose her.

There has to be a way for her to stay with me.

Will she even want to?

“Tomorrow night we are having a family dinner to celebrate my sister's coming home. I want you to join me. It would be amazing to have you there. Give me a chance to make it up to you, all this mess I’ve created,” I ask, resting my chin on the top of her head, the scent of her body washing over me.

Her perfume, her shampoo. She smells so feminine.

“I really like your sisters,” she says, smiling as she looks up at me.

“They clearly like you, too. So, you’ll come?” I ask.

“Of course, I will.”