Page 87 of Married to the Don (Kornilov Bratva Duet 1)

He is conflicted, and I still see that, even if he’s holding back now. Fedor is his brother, but Viktor has had to come to terms with the fact that his brother is irredeemable. His entire life has been spent saving Fedor, but finally, Fedor has proven himself to be beyond saving. The only thing Viktor can do now is mitigate the damage Fedor can cause and move on without him.

* * *

A week after the fight,Viktor is well enough to leave the apartment, and he asks me to come with him.

I don’t ask where we’re going because I don’t really care. Even if it makes me a fool, I trust Viktor. I trust that he won’t hurt me.

We drive into the pink and orange of the sunset until we’re on the outskirts of town. The buildings and industry give way to more open space, and I think we might be leaving the city altogether, when suddenly, Viktor pulls off on a narrow two-lane road into a park.

I can’t imagine Viktor taking me on a walk through the park, but it’s the only thing I can imagine until I see the metal archway that spans the road and the stone blips spread across the ground.

“The cemetery?” I ask.

He nods. “I have to do something, and I want you to come with me.”

He opens my door for me, even though he’s the one still recovering from wounds, and holds my hand as we walk across dry, crunchy grass to reach one large headstone spread across two graves.

I see George sitting in his car a long way off, sticking close enough to intervene should anything happen but giving Viktor and I space.

“Your parents,” I say. Viktor doesn’t respond because Kornilov is carved in large letters across the headstone. It’s obvious. Then, I notice the dates. “They died on the same day?”

“They were killed. It is a brutal world I have chosen for myself.”

I hold my breath. I don’t know what to say.

“I’m sorry,” Viktor says softly, and it takes me a moment to realize he isn’t talking to me, but to them.

I move to pull away and give him space, but he holds my hand even more tightly and continues, his eyes never leaving the headstone.

“It was my duty to look after Fedor, and I tried. I really tried.” His voice doesn’t break or waver, but I can still hear the subtle changes in it. The sincerity and the sorrow. “But I can’t anymore. I have a family of my own to protect now, and as much as I will always love Fedor, he isn’t my top priority anymore. He can’t be.”

My heart races at his meaning.

He is talking about me and Theo. His family.

I wrap an arm around his elbow and tuck myself into his side, and Viktor responds by turning and kissing the top of my head. It’s a tender moment I never would have expected, but now will never trade for anything in the world.

Viktor holds my hand the entire way home, glancing over occasionally to give me a nervous smile. I know he worries I’ll leave again—maybe it’s a fear he’ll have for a long time. But I’m not going anywhere.

He sends George away to rest and leads me into the apartment and upstairs, one hand firmly pressed to my lower back.

I know where we’re headed, and I do nothing to stop him.

Theo is out with the nanny, the house is empty, and it has been a long time. A couple weeks, almost. I’ve ached to be with him again, even though I tried to hide it.

He keeps the lights out as he leads me to his bedroom. To the place where we consummated our marriage and have been sleeping together for the last week. My phone charger is plugged in on the left side and my pajamas are folded in the top drawer … and it seems easier to just stay here beside him than to move back to my own room.

As soon as the door is closed, I turn to him and wrap my arms around his neck. “You’re still healing.”

“I’ve heard love is the best medicine,” he whispers, gripping my waist in his strong hands.

I freeze. He’s never used that word before. I’m oddly worried I’ll say the wrong thing and ruin the moment, so I say something more lighthearted instead. “That isn’t what that phrase means.”

He smiles and pushes me towards the bed. “I’m not sure we’ll know until we try.”

Viktor’s arms are thick and strong as they wrap around my waist, and I fall back onto the mattress, comforted by the weight of him over me.

The last time we were together like this, I was angry. Angry with my circumstances and my life, angry with Viktor for forcing me into yet another situation I couldn’t control. But more than anything, I was angry with myself for wanting him despite it all.

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