Page 87 of Cruel Russian King
“I heard what you told your brothers at the warehouse after I had been shot…” His voice trailed off.
I tilted my head and waited for him to finish speaking.
“Did you mean what you said…that your place is with me?”
My knuckles caressed the side of his face. I knew I had to tell him the truth. It wasn’t enough to show him physically. Yes, our sex was mind-blowing. Yes, I was pregnant for him. But if I wanted him fully, he needed to know my heart, even if he hadn’t fully realized how he felt yet.
“Yes. My place is with you. You are my husband. I love you, Artyom.”
I held my breath as his fingers paused mid-stroke along my back.
“You love me?”
I nodded. “I do.”
I braced myself, expecting him to dismiss it, to say I was only his in the bedroom. That he'd never be able to love me because he was too scarred…too broken…too Bratva…
But it never came.
He cupped the back of my neck, pulled me close, and kissed me with a force that stole my breath. When we finally broke apart, both of us panting, he said, “I love you, too, Printsessa. I’ve loved you long before I married you.”
My eyes widened.
He chuckled. “You seem surprised that a manipulative Bratva bastard like me can love someone.”
“Not just someone,” I whispered, “that you could love someone like me when you probably had so many options.”
He growled, “No one else was an option until I set my eyes on you.”
His thumb wiped away the tears that I didn't realize were falling from my cheeks.
“I love you, Ninel Rykov. I want to do life with you. I want you to be mine…in and out of the bedroom. I may be cruel and manipulative to the world, but I’ll never lift a hand to hurt you or our children, neither will my words. I’d rather stand in front of a firing squad than bring you pain.”
“Oh, Artyom.” A sob tore through my throat.
He placed his hand on my cheek and I leaned into it. “Ninel Rykov, will you take me, Artyom Rykov, to be your lawful husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health? Will you surrender your will to me in the bedroom but stand up to mewhen needed outside of it? Will you love all of me and stand by me when the world tells you to walk away?”
“I will.” I leaned forward and kissed him, tasting the salt of my tears.
A devilish smile curled his lips and his hand curled around my throat pulling me towards him.
“Now…” His hot breath whispered against my lips. “Sit on my face. Let me taste that sweet cunt of yours. I may not be ready to take you hard and fast, but I’ll take you how I can.”
My heart raced and my pussy instantly moistened.
I positioned myself over him, and his mouth closed down on my clit. A loud moan escaped me. “Yes…Artyom…”
As I gripped the headboard for dear life, melting into the rough pleasure only he could give me, I couldn’t wait to see what our future held.
Epilogue - Artyom
Three months after leaving the hospital, I called a meeting with everyone. I apologized for widening the fracture between our factions, owning my part in the chaos. I told Lev that I wanted to be truly united with them, no schemes and no tricks up my sleeves, and I hoped that one day we truly can be. The women forgave me openly, but the Safin men were reserved, their expressions hard and unforgiving.
Then I turned to my siblings, including Katya, and apologized for how I had mistreated them over the years. I told them that, while my childhood shaped me, I had to own my mistakes as an adult. I thanked them for having my back all these years, for never giving up on me. One by one, they forgave me.
After the meeting, when Ninel told me that she was proud of me my heart damn near exploded. No one had ever said those words to me before.
That night, we didn’t sleep. I gave her orgasm after orgasm until she lay limp in my arms as the sunlight began spilling into our bedroom window.
