Take Me Under (The Bratva Chronicles 2)

She rested against him and closed her eyes. The water moved down Alexa’s sore body. The heat and steady pulse of the droplets stung, but also felt good, relaxing. Yvgeny had his hands on her body, soothing her, bringing immense pleasure and comfort to her, even if he didn’t know it.

He turned her around, and she rested her head back on his chest. Yvgeny’s hard body was pressed behind her, but this moment wasn’t about sexual gratification. He was taking care of her.

Goosebumps formed along her skin, and she sighed.

“Let me wash you,” he said against her ear.

“I wanted to be the one to take care of you.”

She felt him run his hands down her arms. “Let me take care of you. I need to do this, Alexa.” He grabbed the soap, ran it between his hands, then started rubbing his fingers along her body. He moved his soapy hands down her arms, over her chest, her belly, and continued their journey down her thighs. As the water washed the bubbles away, she turned back around and rested her head on his chest again, hearing his heart beating. His skin was smooth and warm, and his heartbeat was exactly what she needed to hear at that moment.

“I could kill him again for touching you, or even looking at you.” Yvgeny’s words were low and menacing as he spoke, but all she felt was the love he had for her. “Do I frighten you?” he asked.

She leaned back and looked up at him. “No. I love you, and I knew what I was getting into by being here, Yvgeny.” The sound of the water beating against the tiles didn’t drown out the emotion in her voice. She rested her head on his chest again.

His arms tightened around her. “I don’t know how to be a good man, Alexa.”

“You are a good man.” Although he did “bad” things, the Bratva didn’t hurt women and children. They avenged them, made sure they were safe.

“I don’t know how to be good enough for you, Alexa. I won’t ever be good enough for you. But I can’t lie and say over time I can change, be the man that you deserve.”

“You’re good enough for me.” She hated that he said these things, that he didn’t think he was worthy of her. “This is about you and me, and it’ll work out no matter what, because we’re in this together.” She wasn’t into the whole fluff of things, the romance that came along with a happily ever after. She didn’t need any of that. She could live with the dark and gritty, could be in the middle of it, the thick of it wrapping around her like a second skin.

As long as she had a man that loved her, a man that would do anything to make sure she was protected, and that her sister was protected, Alexa was exactly where she was supposed to be.

“You’re mine,” Yvgeny said with possession in his voice.

Yes, yes she was.

“Zvyozdochka,” Yvgeny whispered and kissed Alexa on the lips. She stirred softly, but otherwise stayed asleep. He had her in his bed, her dark, damp hair spread out across the stark white pillow.

He rose and went into the bathroom. Resting his hands on the counter, Yvgeny stared at himself in the mirror. Despite the killing he’d done, the shower to help relax him, and the fact he’d made Alexa safe from one enemy, the fact remained he was still juiced.

I’ll always be that way when it comes to her. I’ll always worry about her safety, especially since she’s in my life.

The fact remained that his life wasn’t safe, wasn’t ideal or perfect in any sense. He was dangerous, and the world he lived in, the people he associated with, made it so each and every day might be his last. But after tonight, knowing Alexa had been hurt right under his nose, in the same fucking building he was in, told him it didn’t matter whether he fought this or not.

She could be hurt at any time, by anyone, and if he hadn’t been there, things would have been far worse. There was no point in fighting himself or how he felt for her, because having her in his life was safer than trying to keep her at a distance. He was a strong man, could fight off a lot of demons, but when it came to trying to bury what he felt for Alexa solely because he thought she’d be safer without him, it wasn’t the answer.

And he wouldn’t try to stop himself anymore.

After leaving the bathroom, he stood and watched Alexa sleep for long seconds. He could have done it all night long, just watching the rise and fall of her chest, knowing she was safe now, healing, and he was here to make sure she stayed that way.