Page 32 of Bratva King

“None of those women matter,” Alexei said after the kiss. “Only you matter.”

He tugged her closer, and she didn't bother to resist. She settled against him, resting her head beneath his chin while he wrapped his arm securely around her shoulders.

His heartbeat was slower now, she realized. She listened to it in silence, while he stroked his fingers absentmindedly through her hair. He kissed the top of her head.

“If tonight’s incident taught me one thing, it’s this—I won't ever let you go again,” he told her.

The promise settled over her like another blanket. He tilted her chin upward just enough to kiss her once more, a gentle kiss that carried no urgency, only affection and quiet conviction.

Natalia returned it just as softly before nestling back against him. She said nothing, not because she didn’t want to. Happiness had never stayed.

She had learned that lesson young, when everything she'd loved had been torn away in blood and fire. Every good thing had carried an expiration date, and each moment of peace had eventually given way to violence.

Promises were beautiful. Life had taught her they were also fragile. She wanted to believe him. God, she wanted to. Natalia wanted to believe that this room, this warmth, this man holding her as though she were something precious instead of something broken, could become her future.

But hope had sharp edges. It cut deepest when it was lost. So she tucked the feeling quietly inside her heart instead of giving it voice. She couldn't trust happiness, not yet and perhaps not ever.

What she did trust was the steady rise and fall of Alexei's breathing, the strength of the arm around her, and the quiet certainty that, for tonight at least, he was alive. That was enough.

And though she would never tell him, she made a promise of her own as sleep slowly crept over them. She would remain at Alexei Volkov's side. She would stand between him and every bullet, every assassin foolish enough to come for him.

Natalia would stay until the day he looked her in the eye and told her he no longer needed her, or until the day her presence became the very thing that endangered his life. Only then would she walk away, but until that impossible day arrived she would guard his life with her own.

Chapter Ten

The week had been a long one for Alexei. Natalia noticed he had spent most evenings with his phone pressed to his ear, issuing instructions in that deceptively calm voice. There had been meetings, problems within the family, and a shipment delayed at the docks.

Two men who had apparently forgotten the importance of keeping their mouths shut. Then there had been a meeting with lawyers that had lasted nearly four hours and left Alexei angsty afterward. When he announced on Saturday morning that they were leaving the city, Natalia didn't argue.

They drove for nearly an hour before the buildings thinned and the road began winding through thick woodland. The air itself seemed different out here. It was cleaner and colder. The trees stood in dense clusters on either side of the road, their branches shifting gently in the wind.

Alexei drove with one hand on the steering wheel. Natalia sat beside him, watching the scenery while simultaneously watching everything else. It was a habit she had never managed to break. She could relax, but never completely.

The parking lot was nearly empty when Alexei pulled in. He switched off the engine, and Natalia immediately swept her gaze across the area. She noted three cars, one family with two children near the trail entrance. An older couple loaded backpacks into the trunk of their vehicle. A man stood beside a silver SUV, apparently checking something beneath his hood.

She studied the trees beyond them. There were no obvious threats. Still, something prickled between her shoulder blades. She turned slightly, looking toward the woods. Alexei watched her for several seconds. Then he leaned across the console and kissed her.

"What was that for?" Natalia asked.

“We’re here to relax,” he reminded her.

"I'm relaxed."

"You've been scanning the parking lot like you're waiting for someone to attack.”

Despite herself, Natalia almost smiled. "The trees could be hiding something."

Alexei laughed quietly, and the sound eased something inside her. He reached for her hand, squeezing her fingers.

"The chances of someone attacking me in the middle of a public hiking trail are slim,” he told her.

She rolled her eyes. Alexei grinned before getting out of the car. His two guards had followed in the vehicle behind them. They joined them near the trailhead, both dressed casually enough to blend in.

Natalia noticed one of them checking the woods. At least she wasn't the only paranoid one. They started along the main trail. For the first mile, the path was busy enough that Natalia began to relax.

Families passed them, couples walked hand in hand. A group of teenagers laughed loudly somewhere ahead. Birds called from the trees, and sunlight slipped between the branches. Alexei seemed lighter here. He breathed more deeply. His pace slowed.

At one point, he stopped beside a small stream and simply stared at the water.