Page 68 of Born into Chaos

“I started working for the local Bratva, nothing major, just smalljobs here and there, and Seryozha tried like hell to talk sense into me. I didn’t listen to him. We needed money, and this was the quickest way to get it. Even though I wasn’t an official member, I still managed to make some enemies, and one day they decided they wanted revenge for someone I’d killed.”

When his eyes meet mine, they’re glassy with unshed tears. “The bullets were meant for me, but Seryozha stepped in front of me at the last second.”

I don’t wait for him to tell me more. I just hug him. I wrap myself around him, trying to comfort him the only way I can think to. I kiss his neck, whispering how sorry I am against his skin and squeeze him tighter. He returns the hug, burying his face in my neck and kissing me back.

“It wasn’t your fault. I know you’re not going to believe me, but it wasn’t, and from what you just told me about your brother, he would hate for you to carry around this guilt. He’d want you to let it go and be happy.”

He’s quiet, but I feel the soft nod he gives.

“Thank you for telling me about him.”

“He would’ve liked you. I wish you could’ve met him.”

“Me too. Is the photo by your bed of you and Seryozha?”

I feel a huff of air against my neck before he says, “Do a little bit of snooping while I was taking a nap,pcholka?”

“I just had a quick look around.”

“It’s the last photo that was taken of us together. Did you look in my nightstand?”

“No. That felt too invasive. I just walked around. I wanted to see your bedroom.” I smile and add, “I did sniff your pillow and peek into your bathroom.”

He gives a small laugh and kisses my neck again. “If you had looked in the drawer, you would’ve found your old sketchpad, the one you threw away about a year and a half ago.”

I pull back in surprise. “What? How’d you get that?”

“I saved it from the garbage can you’d thrown it in.” He reaches upand drags his finger along my jaw. “You’re so talented, Sveta. I couldn’t stand the thought of your work being in the trash.”

“Vitya.” I whisper his name, stunned by his confession. This whole time he’s been keeping how he feels a secret from me, and even though it was killing him, he still came to watch over me every day, putting up with my shit and all the grief I gave him. I’m not much of a crier, but I feel my eyes start to burn, and that annoying constricting feeling in my throat is making it hard to swallow.

He cups my face and pulls me closer. “I’ll be damned,” he whispers, pulling a small laugh from me, even though I’m having to bite back the tears that are threatening to fall. “If I had known my cock would tame you, sweetheart, I would’ve given it to you a long time ago.”

I laugh and smack his chest while he smiles and pulls me closer. “You know I’m going to win every argument now, right?”

“As if,” I tell him, but he just laughs and kisses me.

“I am. All I have to do is give you my dick and make you come. You turn into a giant sweetheart after sex.”

“I’ll still win arguments,” I tell him. “All I have to do is get naked and bend over. That seemed to stop you in your tracks earlier.”

“Jesus,” he sighs. “You’re right.” He runs his hands over my breasts, letting my nipples drag along his palms. “You will always hold all the power, Sveta.” Giving one of my nipples a pinch, he grins and adds, “Most of the time.”

He keeps holding me, running his hands over my body as we talk until the water grows too cold and he carries me to bed again. I’m not at all surprised at how easily we’ve morphed from the relationship we had to this more intimate one. We’ve been working towards this since day one, and the transition is as natural as breathing. We were always supposed to end up right here together. Neither one of us realized there’d be a baby involved, but I wouldn’t change anything. She’s captured my heart just like Vitya did, and I can’t imagine not having her with us.

“I wonder how Samantha is doing,” he asks while I curl up against him on the large bed.

“I’m sure she’s doing great. I haven’t heard her crying, and Yelena is very good with babies.”

“Do you want kids?”

I lift my head at his question and smile. “Little late to ask me that, isn’t it?”

He grins and gently tugs on a strand of my hair. “Answer it anyway.”

“Yes, I want kids.” I smile and ask, “Do you?”

He lets out a soft laugh. “Not until I met you, but I didn’t think it would ever happen. I used to watch you holding Isabella and Roma, and it was impossible to not imagine you holding our baby.” His fingers run through my hair as he says, “Sometimes it was so damn painful to be around you.”

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