Page 36 of Forced & Knocked-Up Bratva Bride

Something had unlocked inside me. I didn’t know what it was, but I knew it had everything to do with this little intimate moment.

Chapter 25 – Alessia

I should hate him.

He stole everything from me: my life, my happiness, my family, my studies, and even my future. He did that, Nikita Tarasov. What other reason did I need to loathe his guts? What more must he do to me before all I felt was complete hate for him?

But despite all he’d done, all he’d put me through, a part of me couldn't bring myself to hate him—at least not in the way that I knew I should. He’d crawled his way under my skin, and now, I couldn’t seem to get him out. Nik was an unpredictable soul. One minute, he was harsh and cold toward me, and the next, he was all nice and kind.

The way he pulled me against him in the garden the other day left a lasting impression on me. At first, when he caught me standing all by myself at that ungodly hour, I thought he was pissed and that I was so much trouble. I didn’t lose my will to fight back when confronted. But with time, I’d groomed myself to be conscious enough to avoid whatever might lead to a conflict between us.

It was useless to go against his will in his own house, especially after I’d promised to do anything he wanted. My unborn child was my primary concern, and I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize my chances of being a part of his life. This was the reason I was more than ready to be Nik’s zombie, doing only whatever he said.

However, his arms around my waist and the manner in which he stared into my eyes awakened something in me. I’d melted like ice cream at his touch, my racing heart steadying with each passing second. It was ironic how I felt safe in his arms that night; I felt protected and maybe even…adored. He hadpulled me into his arms, and I found myself resting my head on his chest.

His hold was as possessive as it was protective. I didn’t mind; in fact, I loved it. I shouldn’t have felt the way I did, but unfortunately, I couldn’t help it. It was peaceful in his arms—so peaceful that when I shut my eyes to sleep that night, I didn’t wake up until the next morning. It’s interesting how a brief moment of an intimate hug could tamper with my feelings and serve as therapy for my insomnia.

This ruthless mafia boss was slowly slithering through my system like poison. He was breaking all of my defenses, bringing down the high walls I’d built to protect myself from him. Nik was infiltrating my heart like a trained assassin on a mission to end my fucking life.

Like a moth to a flame, I found myself being drawn to him. Ever since that night, each time I sensed his presence or found myself around him, my heart would skip a beat. My pulse would spike—not from fear or hate, but from something I was too scared to name. Whenever we were both in the same room, I’d steal hidden glances at him, and on more than a few occasions, I’d catch his eyes. It was almost like he, too, was stealing glances at me when I wasn’t looking.

Could this mean that the maid, Olga, was right when she assumed that Nik had feelings for me? Was it really an assumption? It didn’t sound like it when she made the declaration. Olga spoke with so much conviction in her tone, like she was certain. But was she?

Damn it, Alessia! You shouldn’t even be considering this as a possibility, a voice said to me.We’re talking about a man who kidnapped you, ruined your family name, and sent your father and brothers running like fugitives. Not to mention, he’s turned you into his own personal zombie—his fuckin’ 4 p.m.booty call. There’s no way you’re seriously developing feelings for him.

The voice was harsh, my own words piercing my heart like arrows. Maybe this was the reminder that I needed, the perfect wake-up call that would set me back on track.

Besides, he was only using me to pass the time until he married his precious fiancée. Then what? What would happen to me once he married her? Would I have to live in the house with them while raising my son? Would I live like a maid in his house—a maid he’d fuck at will and discard once he’d cum?

My heart shattered again just by imagining how terrible my life was about to become. Fear and hatred came creeping back inside, leaving me vulnerable and confused. How long would he keep me prisoner after our baby was born? For how long would I continue to do as he wanted? What exactly was the conclusion of our arrangement?

Shit. I just realized that I was still very much in the dark, unsure of anything. And the moment he married his fiancée would be the moment the real torment would begin. As his prisoner and the mother of his son, I’d be the concubine, the invisible mistress whom he’d come to whenever he grew bored of his wife.

This was the life I was subjected to—a life of pain and humiliation. Was it a crime to be born into the Romano family? Did I ask to be brought to this world? Why was my life ruined when it hadn’t even started yet?

All my goals and dreams, all my aspirations, gone in a flash. Now, I was carrying the child of my father’s worst enemy.

Shoot, my father!

I’d thought about all the possible ways this would pan out in the end, but I didn’t even consider my father’s comeback. Dante Romano was not dead; neither were his two sons. His brother, Roberto, was also still alive. Nik didn’t kill any familymember of mine; he only destroyed the structures my father had built.

The fact that the Romanos still had air in their lungs meant that they’d never abandon me. They might be hiding at the moment, but one thing was certain: They’d assembled and were already cooking up plans to attack the Tarasov empire. Dad wouldn’t hide forever from a fellow man. He’d never do that. Another thing that was impossible for my father to do was abandon me, his precious jewel.

He'd burn the world to free me from this prison, and Uncle Roberto would be solidly behind him. My brothers, too. The Romanos were coming to get their own; it was only a matter of time.

But the million-dollar question remained: What would happen when they found out that I was carrying the enemy’s child? If their plan lingered until I gave birth to the boy, how would they react to the situation? The truth would reveal itself then that I had slept with Nik the first time he kidnapped me, and that that was the reason I fled to Montana.

Dad would be furious, shocked, and disappointed, as would the whole family. What would be my fate, then? Would the Romanos accept the child, or would the Tarasovs let go of the child?

Fuck! It would be an all-out war between two powerful families, and I’d be caught in the middle of it.

***

That night, I lay in my bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. It was loud in my head, and my mind wouldn’t quiet because I was thinking about a million and one things all at once. The more I stayed in bed, the closer I came to fucking losing my sanity.

So, I decided to leave, to step outside and at least wander the halls like a pregnant ghost. The mansion was vast, empty,and eerily quiet tonight, but it was also peaceful. I liked the peace and quiet, the serenity and calm that came with it.

Parched, I headed to the kitchen to grab a glass of water to help cool my throat and my body at large. However, what I didn’t anticipate was who I’d run into at this ungodly hour. Honestly, nothing could have prepared me for this encounter—this unplanned confrontation.

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