Page 11 of Plus-Size Bratva Bride

I start to giggle again.

Radmir glances at me and starts laughing too. He picks up a napkin and touches it against my lips. I reach up to take it, but our hands touch, and it sends bolts of electricity through me.

Damn, this guy is so fucking good at being charming.

I really need to watch myself.

I pull the napkin from his hand and nod a thanks, swallowing the bacon mostly unchewed because I can feel my cheeks flushing red again.

After a while of eating quietly Radmir does what I’ve been expecting him to do—he starts fishing for information.

“This boss that asks you to deliver documents to the Enzo family, does he tell you what the documents are?”

I shake my head. “Oh no, I’m just an intern. Mostly, I haven’t even worked my way out of the mail room yet. I run all the errands, delivering paperwork around the city.”

“What kind of company is it?”

“It’s a company that helps other businesses restructure so that they can run better.” I nod enthusiastically. “I studied business in college. I want to start my own business one day, I just don’t know what yet.”

He nods, smiling at me, encouraging me to carry on.

“So, I thought if I could work at a company that teaches other companies to run better, well I could learn the most from them, right?”

“That’s clever.” He grins. “How often do you deliver documents to the Enzos?”

“Mm. Maybe once a month. Usually, it’s during the day, but there was a mess up or something. My boss looked stressed, so I had to deliver those at night as soon as they were ready.”

I sit quietly for a moment while he is lost in thought, then I reach out and touch his hand. “Radmir, please will you keep me safe. I didn’t know they were bad people. I just—I don’t have anywhere else to go. I don’t—“ tears spill down my face as I stammer over my words, begging for his help. His dark grey eyes are soft when he looks at me. He gently takes my hand in his and reaches out to touch my cheek, brushing a tear away with the pad of his thumb.

“I promise you, Jade, I will protect you. My home is your home,” he says so sincerely, and with such a deep and sexy voice that I practically swoon out of my chair.

For the rest of breakfast I am careful to avoid physical contact, even when I help him tidy up a bit, despite him insisting I don’t need to. I am a polite houseguest. I will play that role perfectly.

“I need to go do a few things for work in the office upstairs. Feel free to explore the mansion. Shout if you need anything,” he says, then disappears from the kitchen.

I guess this is my first opportunity to start exploring his home and trying to gather whatever information I can.

I push away from the counter and head down the first passage I find to roam through his ridiculously oversized home.

Chapter 4 - Radmir

Downstairs I can hear Jade pacing around the house again. She has been pacing for two days now. It must be annoying, being ripped out of your life and thrown into a stranger's home in a world you don’t understand.

I peer up the stairs towards where I can hear her ruffling about. She must be in the library again. It seems to be her favorite room. That and the upstairs sun room where I keep my collection of rare orchids.

Mostly she’s been in the library though, which is directly opposite my home office, so I can hear her while I’m working, which is why I know she’s probably in there now.

I’ve been struggling with, but also enjoying, having her around. I’m not used to living with a woman. And especially not one so beautiful. And of course the fact that she is an innocent and doesn’t belong in my world makes it harder for me, even if I thought there was a connection between us—I can’t pursue it. It’s not fair to her.

I climb the steps in the late afternoon sun, spilling down from the skylight above me, and walk down the upstairs landing.

Turning into the library I find it empty, then a sound behind me draws my attention to my office.

What the fuck?

I walk more quietly out of the library and stand in the doorway of my office, watching Jade scratch through one of the drawers.

“Jade?” I ask, filled with concern for what her true motives are. “What are you doing in here?” My voice is edgedwith warning because she’s crossed a line by snooping around in my work.

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