Page 67 of Torn Souls

My men freeze around me and then they start laughing. What the fuck? I look at them like they’ve lost it, but I can’t deny that their laughter is contagious.

“You’re perfect, Little Bee,” Baker’s amused words pull my attention back at him.

I fist my hands at my sides and grit out through my teeth, “You better not ever get shot again, grazed or anything else.”

“You better listen to her,” the rumbled words come from behind Baker and have me jumping.

Baker rolls his eyes and lets out a huff of annoyance. My men step away from me just enough to face whoever has walked into our house. They aren’t worried, but it takes me a moment to realize it’s because the man is one of the men Huck pointed out to me as working with us.

“I’m fine,” Baker insists.

The man smirks and when I look closer, I can see the resemblance between them. This must be Baker’s older brother.

“I would hope so,” the man taunts, “since it’s just a graze.”

“I’m going to get snacks,” I whisper as two more men step into the house.

Without waiting for a response, I almost run into the kitchen. I need a moment to collect myself and I’m sure that they have things to talk about. I’m not sure if it’s a conversation I should be in on or not.

My father is no longer a threat, thankfully.

Does that mean my men won’t want or need me anymore? I try and push the doubt aside, but it’s difficult.

I put together a quick charcuterie board which isn’t hard since they make sure to keep the fridge stocked with all sorts of ingredients which are always the highest quality. When I carry it back into the living room, the conversation quiets and I try not to let awkwardness take me under.

Maxim takes the board from me at the same time that Kirill leads me deeper into the living room. I should probably pull away from him considering he killed my father, but I’m not scared of him. I’m grateful for him.

He whispers against the shell of my ear, “Feel better?”

I nod and swallow hard. “Yeah,” I rasp, “I just needed a moment.”

With a kiss on my temple, he sits next to me, his dark eyes boring into me. I get lost in the depth of the emotions I see in his eyes when I meet his gaze. This man is intense. He makes me feel alive; they all do.

“Solnishko,” he says like a prayer, “I know this might not be the right time, but there may never be a right time. Not now.”

My eyebrows pull together in confusion. “I don’t understand.”

Kirill pulls a box out of the inside pocket of his suit jacket, and I suck in a breath. “I’m going to be honest with you. We’re about to face a war. The man who was pulling your father’s strings wants to kill us. Not only is he seeking revenge for the death of his father, but he wants our power because he thinks it is owed to him.”

“You won’t let that happen,” I whisper.

The smile that Kirill flashes me is mesmerizing. “No, we won’t. We will also protect you with everything we have.”

“You already have. You avenged the pain my father has been inflicting on me for so long.”

He leans over and kisses my forehead. “We will always avenge you,” he promises.

When he pops the jewelry box open, my mouth drops open. Inside is one of the most beautiful rings I have ever seen. There are four diamonds configured in such a way that it looks like one giant gem, the light hitting it in such a way that it sparkles.

My gaze snaps up to his and can see the love he has for me. Can he see the same when he looks into my eyes?

“What are you doing?” My voice cracks with the weight of the moment.

“We never wanted to marry you because of your father or the threat he posed to us. The moment we walked into that private dining room, we knew you are the only woman destined to be our center, our heart. Blood will be shed in the war we’re about to embark in, but I need to know that we can always come home to you so that we can find our light again.”

I look around the room, ignoring the men on the fringes, and meet the intense and sure gazes of Huck, Baker, and Maxim. “We all want this,” Kirill assures me. “The thought of not having you as our wife tears at our souls, but if you say yes, we will be whole.”

A laugh bubbles up in my chest, and I find myself nodding even as my hands shake while Kirill slips the ring into place. “If you still want me, I’m yours,” my voice is barely a whisper.

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