Page 29 of Plus-Size Bratva Bride

“Just drive. I don’t want to speak to you right now,” she snaps.

I smirk, even though it’s a terrible time to be smirking, but her fierce side is just too cute. Luckily, she’s not looking at me but rather glaring angrily out of the window.

We drive home in silence. In my heart, I think I’ve done the right thing to keep her safe. My brain keeps whispering that I did it for other reasons, but I keep pushing that rubbish aside. I just wanted to keep her safe.

Then I remember—she left the mansion. That’s how this whole thing started.

“Jade, why did you leave and go home?” I ask. It must have been because of the kiss.

“I have a life, you know. Before all of this, Ihad a life. And I have financial responsibilities. I didn’t know the asshole I was working for was linked to the mafia, but at least I had money coming in and I could pay my bills. I had to go home. I had to sort out some payments. But now, well, I’m screwed,” she huffs. Clearly still fuming and now also venting other frustrations.

“I can help you with money,” I say gently.

“I don’t want your charity,” she snaps.

“Fine, then work for it. I’ll give you a job, one where you can work and still stay safe at the same time.”

She leans her head back against the car seat and rolls her eyes.

“You just have a solution for everything, don’t you. Like Mr. Perfect coming along to solve everything and fix it all,” she blurts out, almost shouting.

I try so desperately to hold back the grin, but I can’t.

“You think I’m perfect?”

The looks she throws me is one of pure, heated, unfilteredwarning. She looks as fierce as I have ever seen her look and she looks fucking sexy. This is a side of her I have not seen yet. A side that I think I really like.

I’m still grinning, not even bothering to hide it and she realizes her death stare is not having the effect she wanted it to have on me, so she lets out an annoyed breath and looks out the window again.

Knowing I have already pushed my luck today, but enjoying this fire I’m playing with, I mutter, “You’re really cute when you’re angry, Mrs. Kuznetsov.”

From the corner of my eye, in the reflection of the window, I see the slightest, smallest smile flicker across her face before she pushes it away and continues to fume.

I can’t stop smiling.

All the way home.

Chapter 9 - Jade

It’s the morning after our apparent marriage. I still can’t believe that happened. How in the world did things get so far out of control so quickly? How in theworlddid I end up married to the man I am here to destroy? And what the fuck is going on with my emotions?

I huff in agitation as I tug the brush through my hair, too rough, pulling and hurting myself.

“Ouch,” I say to the girl in the mirror.

A girl with long dark, beautiful hair. Slightly wavy, pitch black and tipped with fire red. Her hair is beautiful. And her eyes. They have always been my favorite features when I look at the girl in the mirror.

But her body… I pull my mouth to the side and scrunch my nose. “Whatever,” I sigh, not wanting to start going down the road that leads to wild rollercoasters of self-doubt and self-consciousness.

I glance over my wide hips and thick thighs.

Why did Radmir say I was perfect?

Ugh. Like it evenmatters, silly girl. You are here to destroy his life, or did you forget somewhere along the way? You are supposed to be ruining his life by infiltrating the things and gathering information and somehow he has taken control and married you.

I blink at my own reflection, shaking my head. I have to regain control. I need to do it quickly.

I need to kill this attraction, or whatever it is, that I feel towards him. He’s not all that.He is.He’s not that nice.He really is though.He’s not hot at all.Oh fuck, he really, really is.

---