Page 97 of Secret Bratva Baby
I sit up, holding the towel against my chest. My face is set in determination. I won’t hold back anymore. I won’t let fear stop me from trying.
Staring into his eyes, I can see right into his soul. He’s a beautiful, kind man. I’m not wrong about this. And itisworth the risk. He might say no. He might turn me down. But I don’t care. I have to try. If I do this, then at least I won’t leave with regrets for severing knowing.
Luka’s eyes are piercing into me. He’s waiting to hear whatever I have to say. My heart aches for the worry he has for me.
I take another deep breath.Now. Tell him now.
“Luka, I am completely in love with you,” I blurt out.
My heart skips a beat.
No filter, no easing around the words. Just plain, blunt truth.
I hold my breath. Terrified.
For a moment, it looks like he hasn’t heard me. Did I speak too fast?
Oh no.
He’s trying to figure out how to let me down gently.
Oh no.
His expression looks like he’s stuck somewhere between shock and confusion.
He starts laughing. It sounds like he’s laughing with relief.
What is happening right now?
Luka reaches for me and drags me onto his lap, hugging me close.
“Rose, I love you too,” he says.
“You do?” I ask, my face squished against his chest.
He threads his fingers up the back of my neck, through my hair, knotting them tightly. He pulls me back so he can look into my eyes.
“I love you more than life. More than every star that has ever existed in our universe.”
My mouth drops open. “Why—why didn’t you tell me?”
“I thought I was suffocating you. I wanted to give you the space to make your own choices this time, instead of me controlling the narrative and forcing you into a situation you didn’t want to be in. I am so angry at myself for ghosting you in the past. Everything I did—I just wanted you to choose for yourself, Rose.” Emotion spills through his words. “I thought I lost you tonight. I can’t even describe the fear I felt. I can’t—” His voice tightens. “I love you.”
My eyes fill with tears of happiness.
“You’re an idiot,” I laugh in disbelief. “I thought you just wanted—physicalstuff. I’ve never stopped loving you, and I was so scared to tell you because I thought you didn’t want me.”
He shakes his head, pulling my face closer to his.
“I’m an idiot,” he laughs, agreeing with me. “I should have screamed it from the rooftops. I should have painted it in the sand on the beach. I should have had some fancy plane write it in the sky.”
He presses his lips into mine and kisses me.
His mouth moves over mine and my heart overflows. All this time, we both felt the same way. He was trying to give me gifts instead of using words.That’s why he was spoiling me.
I didn’t realize what he was doing.
I can’t believe it.
