I didn’t think he realized what a terrifyingly close call his rescue had been, or perhaps he didn’t want to contemplate it. Neither did I, but the truth was, that revolting scar-faced guard had been mere seconds from penetrating me, raping me, when chaos erupting through the fortress had my uncle fleeing with Rafiq.
The guard wouldn’t be waylaid, though, not even as the screaming noise of gunfire got closer.
I remembered the stone cold fury on Aris’s face when he’d blasted into the dirt-floored cell.
The sound of his voice when he called my name.
The feeling of his arms as he gently embraced me.
And, later, back at the penthouse how he’d taken such gentle care of me.
Then I’d lost it on him, going mad and hitting him, shouting out blame and accusations only to find it all . . . an unbelievable love with the one man whom I never should’ve met, the one who meant everything to me.
As for the gold bangles with the miracle tracker chips, Aris had removed them after the first night, saying my wounds needed time to heal and breathe.
I’d begged him not to, pained at the thought of that most tangible connection to him being broken.
The hammered gold cuffs had been the one thing linking me to Aris when everything else had been lost.
They were back in place, locked upon me now, on both my wrists and around my ankles. The cuffs covered the fine white lines of scars.
Aris covered the scars with his love.
He was in love with me, and I him.
Aris Volkov.He still took my breath away every time I saw him.
He was a merciless, magnificent lover. All male hardness and dominating power.
The most delicious combination of coolly controlling and wildly carnal.
Except I hadn’t really seen that side of him again since the kidnapping and rescue mission.
I was dying for Aris to stake his claim on me in the fiercely hot, aggressive way that made my insides quiver and my body liquify.
While I sat at the table in that courtyard, I listened to the ongoing banter and toyed with the bracelet on my left wrist. Zain watched me before tipping a smile in my direction and continuing to peruse the menu. I wondered if he was trying to fathom the true meaning behind the four matching pieces of jewelry, but that was a secret for Aris and me alone.
The three of them—Zain, Yasmin, Konstantin—had all witnessed me at my lowest. Naked, humiliated, and degraded. The forlorn state they found me in was never mentioned, of course. My pride and modesty intact.
It amused me that Aris had succeeded in poaching Zain from the palace and my father’s employ. Zain had always been careful and cordial with me. I now knew he had a great sense of fun and humor, although that darkness that lurked within Aris was in him too.
Aris strolled back to the courtyard and eased into the seat beside me. He moved the chair even closer, whispering a kiss against my cheek and running an arm across my shoulders.
“Daisy and I were just trying to snag Roya for a threesome.” Yasmin goaded him, ever up to her tricks.
I laughed at the bawdy idea. She had not been saying any such thing, but it was fun watching Aris get all riled up with jealousy.
He narrowed those intense blue eyes. “Keep it up and you’re fired.”
“Da. Fire her. I could use a promotion with another baby on the way,” Konstantin mentioned, and Lina blushed profusely.
Everyone chimed in with congratulations for the expecting parents, but I covertly studied Aris, gauging his reaction. We hadn’t gotten as far as discussing solid plans for the future, and we definitely hadn’t talked about the possibility of having children.
With his unorthodox father and my awful, jail-like upbringing, parenthood might be too much to ask, but as he clasped Konstantin’s hand and grinned at Lina, genuine happiness radiated from him.
Shortly after the surprise announcement, a waiter appeared to take our orders, and I tried to conceal the grumbling of my stomach. After more drinks were delivered, Daisy whispered something to Yasmin and then jumped up.
“I almost forgot!” She came around the table, tugged Aris from his seat, and wrapped her arms right around him. “You did it, didn’t you?”
“He did what?” I asked as Daisy’s exuberance spread and she clasped his hands.
“Got me legal citizenship so I can stay with Yassy because my visa was almost expired.”
I glanced at my lover, smiling and shaking my head. Undoubtedly, he’d coerced some official or other in order to make Yasmin and Daisy’s dreams come true, but the reason behind the criminal activity was pure.
“I admit nothing,” he said, returning to his chair.
“He’s just a big softie. I told you.” Cruising an arm around Daisy’s waist, Yasmin tugged her closer.
“I am not.” Aris frowned in affront.
“Yes, you are,” I purred, running my fingers down the front of his shirt.
His low, sexy growl made me shiver then he strategically placed my hand on the very hard part of him under the cover of the tablecloth. “You will take that back.”
“Hmm.” Humming, I slowly stroked him all the way to the bulging tip before removing my hand.
Yasmin wasn’t at all what I thought she was. She was brutally honest, but she was ruthlessly loyal. Funny in a sarcastic way . . .
I knew she’d guard Aris’s back even when bullets were flying. One constant of the Bratva existence was life-threatening, lifelong danger, which made my heart lurch and my stomach drop.
It didn’t matter though.
I’d made my choice and this time I’d had a choice.
Aris and I belonged together.
With the dowry in my possession, I’d put the money to good use, even selling off some of the precious heirloom jewelry bequeathed to me. Aris had allotted me an office upstairs in the club, and I had free access to come and go from the hotel as long as a guard accompanied me, which was, more often than not, him.
And while Aris conducted business for The Lykos and his other, well, illegal enterprises, I started my own venture, bankrolled by Father’s dowry. Oh, Aris had also given me seed money. When I’d refused, he told me it was an investment and he wouldn’t take no for an answer.
I’d taken the amassed funds to start a fledgling network for women like myself . . . Those who’d been chained to a life not of their choosing simply because the men—the fathers, brothers, husbands—controlled every option and made every decision.