Page 82 of Bratva and Betrayal: Kirill

Surprise flickers across her face. “All your guards are coming on the date?”

I glance at her, the corner of my mouth lifting. “Yes. Always. This is the life you knew waited for us.” There’s no apology in my tone. “It’s to keep us safe.”

She nods softly, and for a moment, I catch a glimpse of the woman who once belonged in this world. And loved it. Loved me. I guide her toward my SUV, sitting in the middle of the formation. My hand hovers at her back, resting softly, even though my muscle memory wants to press into her. Show her what she’s doing to me all over again.

Inside the SUV, Sandrine’s thigh brushes mine. She’s sitting close enough that I can feel the warmth of her against my leg. It’s a small thing, but it lands like a whack to my system. It’s these small things I stopped hoping for.

“Where are we going?” she asks softly as the SUV accelerates down the driveway.

“A private dinner and then a surprise.”

“What kind of surprise?” She faces me.

“I can’t tell you.”

“Kidnapping me from another state, telling me I’m your wife, and that I had a child I don’t remember wasn’t enough of a surprise?”

Her humor makes me smile, although I guess it’s not funny. “Poor choice of words. Trust me.”

“Trust you?” she says, opening her mouth to perhaps deliver the same response with a different spin.

I do the only thing I can to stop it. I pull her into me and kiss her before I can overthink it. Sliding my hand around the back of her neck, I draw our mouths together, giving her the slightest chance to pull away.

She doesn’t. Her breath catches instead. My kiss isn’t rough, but it’s hungry. God, I was so hungry for her, and I didn’t even know it.

My tongue slips past the seam of her lips, and she lets me in. God, that little groan in her throat has my cock hard as iron. I can still hear the way she moaned for me in our bed. The taste of her is old, but her reaction is new.

I never kissed this woman.

Devouring her like this, the last five years fall away. But that’s a dangerous leap to make. When I break the kiss, we’re both breathing too hard for something so innocent.

I stare into her eyes, not sure what I’ll see there. “Are you mad I did that?” My thumb brushes her jaw while I hold her in place.

Eyes glassy, she whispers, “No, I liked it.”

“And there’s been no one else for you?” I ask.

She gives a soft laugh, the curve of her mouth pink from my kiss. “No. I was busy dealing with a skull fracture.”

“And I was dealing with a life fracture. We both lost you, Sandrine. And my priority was Violet.”

“She’s my priority now, too,” she says with strength. “You brought me here to be a mother. I expect to be one. Starting tomorrow. I want to be the one who wakes her up, gets her breakfast, takes her to school, and picks her up.”

“Slow down,” I say gently. “I hired a nanny for that. We’re still assessing the kind of therapy you need.”

She thinks about that. “This is the best I’ve felt in years. The strongest.”

“We are here, Pakhan,” the driver says.

I look up to see the side entrance to a restaurant where Drago and I conduct meetings. The owners give us privileges and don’t bother my guards who keep us safe.

“We can finish this conversation over dinner.” I squeeze Sandrine’s hand and help her out of the SUV.

“Good evening, Mr. Volkov.” The hostess greets us at the door. “Miss.”

Her smooth voice lifts Sandrine’s eyes. I watch for the flinch, a hint of jealousy or doubt. Jealousy, I don’t mind. Doubt has no place here.

Sandrine lifts her chin, proud to stand at my side. “Hello.”