Page 21 of Bought & Bred By the Bratva

His eyes flash to the screen behind me.

He sees everything.

And when his gaze returns to mine, it’s nothing but fury and something darker.

“What,” he growls, stepping closer, “were you doing?”

“I—I was just looking. I didn’t actually—”

“You were planning to leave.”

He says it like a death sentence. Like I stabbed him in the back and dared him to feel it.

“You thought I was done with you?” His voice is quiet. Deadly.

“You’ve been gone, Aleks,” I whisper. “I thought maybe… maybe you got what you wanted, and—”

“You mean when I fucked a baby into you raw and whispered you were mine?” he snaps, stalking closer. “You thought that was a phase?”

“I didn’t know!” I cry, voice cracking. “I haven’t heard from youin weeks—what was I supposed to think?”

He stops right in front of me, breathing hard. Then softer—softer it chills me—he murmurs, “You were supposed to wait for me.”

He grabs me before I can speak. Lifts me off the floor. Carries me out of the office and down the hall, not saying a word. The silence is terrifying.

He kicks open the bedroom door and slams it behind us.

—-

He drops me on the bed.

Stands at the foot of it, eyes burning.

“I bled for you,” he says low. “Tore apart every threat. And while I was out there making the city safe for you to breathe, you were in here planning your escape.”

“I was scared—”

He pulls his belt loose with one hard yank. The sound makes my whole body jolt.

“You should be.”

“Aleks…” My voice shakes.

But I’m wet.

Soaking wet.

Because I know what’s coming.

He yanks me to the edge of the bed, rips the shirt open down the center. My nipples pebble in the cool air, the soft under-curve of my belly exposed.

“You’re lucky I love you,” he says as he drops to his knees.

Because what he does next?

Isn’t mercy.

It’s punishment.

---