Page 40 of Surprise Bratva Daddy

The house feels too quiet, the kind of quiet that makes you anxious. I can't stand still, not with so much at stake. I step outside, needing the fresh air to clear my head. The air is cool, a gentle breeze rustling the trees. I light a cigar, the familiar sting of smoke in my nostrils grounding me.

My thoughts drift back to Monroe. The way she looked at me when I told her I was in love with her. There was fear, yes, but also a glimmer of hope. A future. Something to fight for. I take a few puffs from my cigar, exhaling slowly. I’ll protect that future with everything I have.

She put her trust in me, and now I must do the right thing and make sure she’s taken care of for life. It doesn’t just mean money. It means love and support, unconditional and pure. That’s what I woman like her deserves.

I take another puff from my cigar, watching the smoke float through the air and get swept away by the wind. It reminds me of that song. It was the first American song I remember hearing.

All we are is dust in the wind.

I finish my cigar before going back inside. It’s oddly quiet, but I also feel calmer now. The buzz of the shootout has faded the back of my head, and it’s been replaced by the urge to sleep. It’s not even that late, but seeing Monroe curled up on the couch makes me want to join her.

I stand over her in the living room, admiring the soft curves of her body and the way her eyelids flutter when the air moves across her face. I don’t want to disturb her sleep, but she deserves a more comfortable bed.

Carefully, I push my arms under her body, scooping her up and holding her against my chest. She stirs, but she remains asleep as I carry her out of the living room.

There are two bedrooms upstairs and an office situated at the end of the hallway. I choose the bedroom furthest from the office. I can hear Kiro in there, typing wilding on the keyboard as he puts in buy orders for our stock picks.

I put Monroe down on the bed and pull the blankets over her body, tucking her in and making sure she's nice and warm. I stand there for a few moments, watching her sleep, feeling the warmth in my chest that comes from being close to her. I smile, and the world feels like a better place.

Or maybe I'm just a better person now. She makes me a better man, and I know that no matter what happens, she'll always have my heart.

I want to sleep with her, but I leave the bedroom, joining Kiro in the office to check how things are going. "How's the information?"

"Incredible," he says, clicking the buy button under another stock. "This is going to be explosive. A lot of these tips expire in a few days. We're going to know how good the data is very soon. I think Tema is going to be pretty happy."

"Yes, he'll get his cut," I say, looking at the computer screen. All the numbers are starting to blur, and i don't really understand what I'm looking at.

"We should make millions, if not billions, from this," Kiro says, unable to hide the excitement in his voice.

Somehow, it means nothing to me. The only thing I can think about is my future with Monroe. Never before have I been so distracted by another person that I don't even care about business. There are a lot of people who depend on me, including Kiro, so I can't tap out now, though. I have to see this through, even if it means trudging through more hardship for the next few weeks.

"We need to stay here, then," I say, rubbing the back of my neck. "Just lay low and let the money come in before we make our next move on Maksim. If we have billions at our disposal, we shouldn't have any issue taking him down."

"We'll be fine. We're not sitting ducks," Kiro assures me, continuing to move money into various brokerage accounts. "This place is as secure as they come, and much more unassuming than your mansion. Maksim won't be able to find us."

I lean against the door frame. "That's what we thought last time, but somehow, he managed to follow us all the way to the bar. We should be careful."

Kiro is distracted by the computer, and I'm a bit annoyed at him. Maybe it's the lack of sleep, but it feels like nobody cares about their safety and it's pissing me off. Was I this way before I met Monroe? Come to think of it, I was. I almost got killed barging into her house the day that we lost the flash drive.

"I'm going to rest," I say, stepping out of the office.

"Sleep well," Kiro replies, not bothering to turn around.

I sigh, closing the door behind me. Something about all this doesn't feel right. I should be happy that we're getting everything we wanted from the flash drive. I should be thrilled that things are finally going my way, and that Maksim's days are numbered. But there's something weighing on my mind, and I can't shake it. Something I need to hear from Monroe.

I go into the bedroom, taking a moment to remove my clothes before sliding into bed next to Monroe. She doesn't move when I pull her closer, her body curled tightly. She's still fast asleep, her breath slow and steady against my chest. I hold her close, and my body begins to relax. It's like she's able to absorb my stress, wicking it away and tossing it over her shoulder like it's a ball of crumpled paper.

I kiss the top of her head, and she stirs, snuggling deeper into the blankets. I smile, and my eyelids grow heavy. I let sleep claim me, holding onto the warmth of her body against mine.

27

Monroe

Ihear a gunshot, then another, and my eyes fly open. I sit up just as a black figure charges toward me from the corner of the room. I scream, but nothing comes out. My lungs are empty, and I’m sinking deep into the bed. I’m being swallowed whole.

I gasp, blinking my eyes as I sit up for a second time, sun streaming through the window to my right. I look toward the corner of the room, but there’s nobody there.

I put my hand on my chest and let out a deep sigh. It was just a dream, but it felt so real. If Maksim doesn’t find us and kill me, my imagination might just do it for him.

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