Page 29 of Cruel Russian Monster
Now that Jaroslav was awake, standing here, talking, my body sagged with the weight of the last two days.
And before I could stop them, the tears rolled down my cheeks.
He kissed my forehead, then pulled me into his arms.
I slid my hands beneath his arms, gripping his shoulders as I let him hold me, the scent of the soap he used filling my nostrils.
One of his hands pressed firmly against my upper back, the other tracing slow, gentle circles at the small of my back, sending shivers through my spine.
I tightened my hold on him.
He whispered into my hair, “It’s okay, Vera. I’m fine. Tomas won’t be fired. You’re amazing…thank you.”
He kept murmuring soft reassurances, sweet words just like he used to, all those years ago, until my tears finally subsided.
I looked up at him, and he pulled away just enough to look down at me, but my gaze was plastered on his lips, not his eyes.
Those lips.
The lips that, in the past, devoured my mouth, pleased me until I screamed his name, who caressed me with butterfly kisses when I was nervous.
Those lips…in the present.
They called you selfish…
A coward…
Told you his feelings for you died…
Not so graciously informed you that he didn’t give a fuck about your family or you…a week ago.
So you had better wake the hell up and smell the coffee. He is just thankful you didn't leave him to die, which you should have, to weaken the Safin faction even more.
Or are you now your rival’s keeper?
You are a Safin by forced marriage. A Rykov by blood! Your loyalty is not to him. Get it together, Vera.
Focus on getting him not to go after your family. That's what you should be focused on, not his damn lips!
I stepped back, gently pushing myself out of his arms, and they fell away from me.
You're smarter than you were three years ago, act like it!
“I'd like to make a deal,” I stated firmly, continuing to not give him a chance to respond. “I won't try to escape again, if you promise to give me a bit of freedom, and promise not to hurt my family. Leave them out of it.”
In real time, I watched the walls shoot up behind Jaroslav’s eyes. The concern in his expression hardened, and his smile disappeared into a thin, tight line.
“Fine,” he stated. His voice hardened, and his eyes grew two shades darker. “I'll agree to the deal, as long as I can announce that we're married soon. The alliance between our families must be instated so Artyom will stop the war betweenour families and, particularly, cease from isolating us from the other Bratva factions.”
“Fine.”
Jaroslav extended his hand. “Let's shake on it.”
I placed my hand in Jaroslav’s, ignoring the fire that trailed along my arm as we shook hands firmly. But, instead of letting go after that handshake, Jaroslav tightened his grip and stepped into my space.
He growled, “If you decide later on to go back on your word, since you have done it in the past, I promise you…it wouldn't end well for you, or your family.”
Jaroslav dropped my hand and walked out of the room.
