Page 26 of The Pakhan’s Forced Bride (West Coast Bratva Pakhans #3)

In the kitchen, I stand staring at the snack platter I’ve just made for him. I was excited to do something sweet for him, but now I’m fighting tears that are about to spill from my eyes. My vision has gone blurry, and I keep swallowing hard, trying to push them away.

I’ve been dreading the arrival of this exact moment.

He’s healed. He’s ready to leave, and he probably can’t wait to get out of here. I can’t see any reason why he’d want to stay in my brother’s house a second longer.

But where does that leave me? I’ve spent every day for the past six weeks lost in him. All over again , I became so easily lost in him. Having him this close to me is all I wanted, and now he’s leaving again.

It’s going to shatter me worse than before.

I don’t think I’ll be able to recover from this.

The thing that has me in tears right now isn’t just the fact that he will probably leave soon, maybe even tonight—it’s the fact that over the past six weeks, he hasn’t said a single word to me about us, and I don’t know who I am to him. He hasn’t even hinted at it.

We’ve been talking for hours, day after day. We laugh and we joke, and we share our thoughts and ideas about pretty much everything else there is to discuss—but he hasn’t said anything about how he feels towards me or about the possibility of a relationship between us.

I don’t understand.

It seems like we’re so close, but maybe I’m reading it all wrong.

Does he still think I betrayed him? Is he just being polite and biding his time while he’s trapped in my brother’s home? Does he feel like a prisoner here, waiting until he can escape? Playing it safe?

Maybe all this time, he was just desperate for the moment when he got to leave, and being polite to me was a way to make his stay here easier.

Maybe, just maybe, he’s trying to make me fall in love with him again through his sweetness, only so he can push me away in the end as revenge for what he thinks I did to him?

All of these worries—I’ve been able to keep them at bay because he wasn’t leaving yet, and I wasn’t ready to face them. But now he is. Now I have to accept the reality of my situation.

The person whom I have always gone to for advice is my brother. He thinks with a level head. He tells me things as they are, not as I wish for them to be. He’s not as emotionally invested, and he isn’t angry anymore.

I need to talk to him before I face Ardalion again.

Leaving the platter on the kitchen counter, I hurry upstairs to where my brother is relaxing in the sunroom.

Even if he doesn’t tell me what I want to hear, I’d rather know the truth.

As I walk towards the open doors, I hear voices, and it makes me pause. Ardalion is in there talking to my brother. Is he already making plans to leave, saying his goodbyes? That was quick.

My heart clenches tight with anxiety. I creep closer and tilt my head to listen, holding my breath.

“Ardalion, it’s not that simple,” Benedikt sighs.

“It is. We make a deal. You tell me what you want, and in exchange, you let me be with her. It really is that simple.”

What the hell? They are busy bargaining , using me in their business negotiations. Am I just a tool to both of them? Are they so immature that neither of them can get over the past and be decent to each other without getting something in return?

Anger shoots through me, and I shove the door wide open and burst into the room. Both of them turn to stare at me in shock. I don’t care. They can stare.

I march straight to Ardalion. He stands up as I near, his brow furrowed as he takes in my angry expression. “Belle, what’s wrong—"

“Who the hell do you think you are?” I shout.

“I’m not a tool. I refuse to be a part of whatever negotiations you have with my brother.

Your business is your business —but I am a person .

Someone who lives and breathes and has a heart.

How dare you treat me like a bargaining chip.

This whole time, I thought I meant something to you.

I thought maybe you’d fight for me, maybe utter one word that let me know you cared about me.

But you haven’t. You don’t care. You don’t even see me as a person .

” My voice is quivering, shaking with anger and hurt.

Ardalion is about to say something, but I ignore him and spin towards my brother.

“And you . I expected more from you. He saved your life, sure, I get it, but I’m your sister.

You don’t pay him back by negotiating with my life.

Does it even matter what I want? You’re behaving just like Mom when she sent me on those horrible blind dates.

Planning my life, pushing me here and there, and wherever you can benefit from it. ”

My cheeks are burning hot with rage, my heart racing, and my hands clenched so tightly my nails are digging into my palms. The words rush from my lips in a flood of rage. I won’t let anyone control my life anymore. This is my life. I deserve to make my own choices.

“Belle,” my brother says my name calmly, catching me off guard.

“What?” I snap, ready to fight, ready to defend myself.

“If you take a breath and sit down, I’ll explain what’s been happening.”

“I don’t want to sit down,” I snap again.

Ardalion steps towards me, reaching out to touch my arm. I smack his hand away. “Don’t touch me,” I huff at him.

Benedikt shakes his head, chuckling.

It’s not funny. My broken heart is not funny.

“Belle, Ardalion has been fighting for you since the moment you left his mansion in LA,” Benedikt sighs, leaning back in his chair and cocking his head to the side with a stupid grin on his face. Smug. Why does he look smug?

“What are you talking about?” I hiss, confused, taken aback.

“It’s true, Belle,” Ardalion says cautiously.

“ What’s true?” I ask, my eyes darting from one man to the other.

Ben shrugs. “Ardalion begged me to let him come to Vegas. He wanted to help me in any way he could, to prove that he was willing to work with me. I know he was just doing it in the smallest hope of catching a glimpse of you.” Ben glances at Ardalion.

“I didn’t know I was that transparent,” Ard mutters, clenching his jaw, looking tense.

Benedikt carries on.

“You were, but I valued your efforts, because I could see you were trying to get close to her without upsetting the balance of her family life. You were trying to do it respectfully. Belle, he’s been fighting for you the entire time, in his own way.”

“But—" I stammer, looking at Ardalion. “You didn’t say anything to me.”

He shakes his head. “Not without your brother’s approval, Belle. I’ve already done enough damage. I’ve been selfish, and I’ve put your family through enough. I wanted to work this out in the best possible way. That’s why I came to talk to your brother now. I can’t leave without resolving this.”

“But you two were discussing business, bargaining ,” I say.

Benedikt shakes his head.

“There wasn’t any talk of business. Ardalion literally offered me his entire kingdom if I would give my permission for him to be with you.”

My eyes grow wide in shock as I turn towards Ardalion. “Is this true?”

“I’d give anything,” he says, his voice deep and sincere as it moves through me. “I was being patient, Belle. Trying to be.”

My heart aches, beating hard against my ribs. Is this really happening?

Benedikt sighs, and I glance at him. “But you hate each other,” I say, scrunching my face as I stare at my brother.

“No, that ended a while ago. I forgave him when he stopped being such an asshole and I realized how crazy he was about you,” he grins.

“When was that?” Ardalion asks, knitting his brows.

“When you took a bullet for me. A man who’s willing to take a bullet for me for a chance to spend time with my sister—he’s not playing around. He’s serious. And when you came to talk to me now, it proved everything that I already suspected.”

Ardalion smiles and shakes his head. “You didn’t say anything.”

“Neither did you,” Benedikt says, smirking. “But we understand each other now, right?” Benedikt shoots daggers towards Ardalion with his eyes.

“We understand each other,” Ardalion nods as they stare intently at each other. I don’t know what’s going on, but I get the sense that there are a lot more words being shared in that glance than were spoken out loud.

Benedikt slaps his hands against his thighs. “I’m taking my wife to dinner, we’ve got to get going before we miss our reservation. I trust you two can take care of yourselves while we’re out,” he says, standing up.

“We’ll be fine,” Ardalion answers, looking at me.

And with that, Ben leaves the sunroom, and I’m standing alone with Ardalion, confused, hopeful, and scared that I’ve misunderstood something. It all happened so fast. Do I dare hope?

My eyes dart over his face, his beautiful, strong face, those dark eyes framed by dark lashes and a crop of messy dark hair, the shadow of stubble over his jaw giving him a gorgeous, rugged, sexy look.

“What’s going on?” I ask, nervously.

“What’s going on is that I can finally tell you how I feel.” He grins, sitting down and pulling me onto the sofa next to him.

At first, I’m tense, but as he speaks, I relax, realizing that everything I want is coming true.

“Belle, I came to Vegas to help your brother in any way I could because I love you. I had to figure out a way to get close to you with your brother's approval.”

“Love?” I ask, practically tripping over the word.

He nods. “I love you and I never want to lose you. That day you left my home, it tore a piece of my heart out. I lost a piece of myself. I can’t be without you.

You belong with me, little bunny. You’ve changed me.

I’m a hundred times the man I was before I met you.

I love you, and I will literally give up everything to have you.

No matter what it takes—I want to prove to you that you are all I need—"

“Ardalion, you don’t have to give up anything.

My brother doesn’t want your kingdom or your wealth.

He has his own. He just wants me to be happy.

And right now, I’m the happiest girl on the entire planet,” I giggle, launching myself into his arms. He pulls me into his lap, and I straddle him.

“I love you, Ardalion. I’ve spent every day and every night at your side because I love you, and all I wanted was to hear that you felt something for me, too. ”

“You do?” he says, barely a whisper.

I nod, and Ardalion takes my jaw in his hand. He pulls me towards him, and his lips crash into mine. The world disappears as the sun slowly sets through the wide windows, streaking bright rays of orange and gold into the room.

Ardalion groans against my lips.

“I’ve been waiting to taste you for the longest time. You are the only drug I needed to heal.”

“I’ve been dreaming of being in your arms,” I whisper. “Held against your chest. I need you, Ardalion.”

I push my hips forward, rocking against his hard cock as I wrap my arms around his neck and pull his lips tighter against mine.

He groans again, with deeper need.

He brushes his hands up my thighs, pushing my skirt higher over my legs, and the thin lace of my panties doesn’t protect me from feeling anything as he lifts his hips and thrusts his cock against me.

“Please, take me,” I whisper, urgency rushing through me.

Ardalion doesn’t hesitate. He reaches down to tug his pants open. Pulling the zipper down, he frees his massive cock.

I raise myself on my knees to hover over it, letting him rub his tip up and down over my pussy. I’m soaked, desperate. My heart is racing as he angles himself beneath me and thrusts upwards. At the same time, he grabs my hips and pushes me down onto his cock, penetrating deep inside me.

I tilt my head back and cry out, gasping with pleasure as his cock pushes my pussy open and he pulls my knees wide apart.

The relief of being with him again is indescribable.

It’s not only the desire, the lust, the pulsing heartbeat. It’s being so close to him, it’s knowing that he loves me, and he wants to be with me. Emotion overwhelms me, and tears begin to streak down my face.

Ardalion continues to fuck me as he gently brushes his thumb across my cheek.

“You’re mine, Belle. I’m never letting you go again,” he growls as his cock pushes into me, over and over again.

I push my hands into his chest, forcing him to sit back. He narrows his eyes at me, not liking the fact that I want control.

“Let me ride you,” I grin, biting my lower lip.

His hands roam freely over my body. He tugs the straps of my dress off my shoulders, pulling my dress down around my waist. He cups his hand over my breast and tweaks my nipple.

He growls with pleasure as he watches me dancing over his cock. I move my hips in slow circles, pressing myself hard against him, grinding myself into him, the base of his cock rubbing against my clit as I become more and more sensitive.

The pleasure is spreading through both of us like wildfire.

Ardalion can’t take it anymore as he wraps his arm around my waist and lifts me, hovering me above his cock so that he slams into me, faster and faster. My pussy is swollen and tingling as he fucks me, and I slip closer to the edge.

He brushes his thumb between my legs, and it’s the last touch I can handle before I explode. The orgasm knocks my breath away, racing through me like a tidal wave as I gasp for air and cling to him, digging my nails into his skin as he keeps moving inside me.

Ardalion explodes inside me, growling with desire as he pulls me down, impaling me on his cock. He’s rigid inside me, throbbing and twitching as he comes.