Chapter 27

HOLLAND

MY HIGH FROM the recent orgasm is gone. Completely obliterated. Walking into the house, a home that I didn’t think of as mine a few weeks ago, but very much feels just like that right now. I throw my handbag across the room, then kick off my shoes and stomp upstairs.

Danill follows behind me, but much less dramatically. Once we’re in the bedroom, I spin around, cross my arms just under my breasts and narrow my gaze at him.

“I can’t believe that you said not only that you own me but that you’ll kill someone who touches me. You’re crazy.” “Yes, I know this,” he says with a nod.

“You didn’t tell me you were in the Mafia,” I point out. He shakes his head, his brow arching and I roll my eyes to the ceiling. “Bratva, whatever, same damn difference.”

Danill doesn’t say anything. His gaze finds mine, holding it, and he just watches me in silence for a moment. I want to fill the deafening silence with words, so many words, but I don’t. Instead, I stare at him, wondering how he’s even here with me. Thankful that he is, and also, wondering how long we’re going to fight because I want more of what we just had at that club.

“I wasn’t going to tell you… ever. I liked that you didn’t know. That’s done now. But I will not give you any details. I will not bring you into this life.”

“Why not?” I ask, feeling a million different sensations, doubt being the biggest one.

He takes a few steps toward me, closing the distance between us. He lifts his hands, cupping my cheeks as his eyes hold mine.

“I liked having something pure. For the first time, I had something good in my life, even if I got you there under false pretenses.”

“Do you care about me at all?” I ask, feeling very vulnerable, very self-conscious. I don’t know why, but this is a constant feeling when it comes to Danill.

His lips curve up into a small smile and his eyes search mine. “I love you, kroshka.”

I can’t stop myself, my initial reaction to his words is to gasp, loudly. He lets out a chuckle, dipping his chin and touching his mouth to mine in a brush of a kiss before he lifts his head again.

“I do. Somewhere between stealing you, marrying you, jail, and that picture that I saw of you and the DA’s fuckin’ son, I fell in love. I’m serious though, Holland. I see any man touching you, he’s dead, no questions asked.”

“Robert was congratulating me on my marriage and told me if I needed any help with his father and your court case, to just ask and he would see what he could do,” I say.

“I had forgotten that I even saw Robert. It was in passing, shopping while with Grisha, Eriks, and Marie. We were meeting with Tasha for lunch and headed toward her when I ran into him on the street. Nothing happened at all. Robert and I were in the same circle, but only acquaintances. I didn’t even remember his name at first when he stopped us.”

It must be enough for Danill. I watch as his eyes almost light up. Then he shifts his gaze to the side before bringing them back to meet my own.

“You’re mine,” he says, as if he’s trying to remind himself as much as he is me.

Turning my head to the side, I touch my lips to the palm of his hand before my gaze finds his. “I’m yours, Danill.

Even if you scare the shit out of me. I am yours.”

“Do I?”

“I don’t know you. Not really. You have this whole life that I’m not allowed to know about. It’s a little intimidating.”

He leans forward and touches his lips to mine again. His tongue slips inside of my mouth, tasting me, all of me and I melt toward him. He nibbles my sore bottom lip, then focuses on me.

“Never wear this dress or anything else like it in public again, unless I’m at your side. Don’t be intimidated or

scared of me. I’ll tell you what I can.”

“Do you think that you stole me?” I ask him. His lips twitch. “I know that I did.”

Shaking my head, I lick my lips and watch him for a moment. “You can’t steal someone who goes willingly.”

His hands grip my hips and he squeezes them as his eyes search mine. “You don’t even realize I stole you,

kroshka, I’m just that goddamn good.”

Standing on my toes, I touch my mouth to his. “Show me again just how good you are. I missed you, husband.”

I don’t just hear his growl, I feel it. It consumes me completely. Then he does exactly what I dared him to. He shows me with just a kiss just how good he is, and he truly is the best ever.

I’m not so sure that he stole me the way that he claims, but I don’t care either. It doesn’t matter because I’m his and he’s mine. That’s all that really matters. I push aside the things about him that I know would probably cause me to lose sleep at night.

They are not the man that I know, they are a part of him that doesn’t sleep next to me. That’s the man that I care to know.

The man that loves me.

The man that consumes me.

The man that takes care of me.

The man who bought my apartment building because he knew, without even asking me, that I loved it. That it had been my home since I was fifteen.

He just knew.

And that is why I don’t ask him more about the Bratva. He’ll tell me when and if he ever decides. None of it matters anyway. I’ve dealt with my feelings on it. I’ve dealt with everything and how it affects me. And I’ve weighed it all. He could go back to jail, he could end up in prison, but I would still be right here waiting for him, because as much as he loves me, I’ve fallen even deeper in love with him.

“Kroshka?” Danill calls out.

I’m brought out of my thoughts and thrust back into reality as I lift my gaze up to meet his.

“Danill.”

He rests his forehead against my own. “Let’s go to bed.

We have a missed honeymoon to make up for.” “Yeah, we do,” I breathe.