Page 121 of The Bratva Betrayal

“Lisichka. Fine. All of it. Whatever you want.”

I look at him, and I think about waking up next to him every morning in a place that belongs to us.

A place with no one’s history in it but ours.

Our sanctuary and peace.

“Okay…” I say.

He kisses me before I can say more, and I let him. When he pulls back, he’s looking at me with a smile.

“Are you scared?”

“No,” I reply honestly. “Which is the weirdest thing about this conversation.”

“Ah, well—” He stretches his legs in front of him. “Let me fix that.”

“Oh, God,” I moan, feeling my heart race. “Now, what?”

He smirks. “A man confessing his love shouldn’t make you scared. I thought you were tougher than that.”

I sit there shocked for a moment, because I didn’t think he was that kind of man. I never let it go that far in my head.

“I love you,” he says plainly.

“You do?”

“I wouldn’t say it if it weren’t true.”

“I know, I just… me?”

“Lisichka… now, you’re making it weird.”

I choke out a laugh.

I stare at the man who walked in on me spying on his mob boss. The same one who entered my penthouse, ate my sandwich, turned my life sideways, and somehow made it better in the process.

Who has made me open up and become comfortable with him.

“How much?”

His lips brush against mine, indicating that he’s done talking. “How much what?”

“How much do you love me?”

“More than anything, Lisichka. Happy?”

“Not if you’re just saying it to get in my pants.”

“You don’t wear pants often. Thank God.”

I press a soft kiss to his lips, and when he chases it, I pull back a little. “What’s this talk about marriage?”

“I thought you didn’t want to talk about that.”

“I want to hear your plans.”

“Not until I know you’re ready. But, one day, you’ll have my name, and people will call you by my name.”