“I’m very sorry you had to find out this way.” He pulls me back against him and goes back to stroking my hair. “Do you know the men who did this?”
“No. The first man wore a ski mask both times. The others showed their faces, but I don’t know their names. I’ve never seen any of them before.”
He’s quiet for a long time before asking, “Do you need me to get in touch with your family? Your mom or dad?”
“No,” I quickly say and tighten my grip on his shirt again. “I never want to see them again.”
I know he wants to ask me more questions, but when I yawn, he kisses the top of my head and relaxes back against the headboard. “Try to sleep, Nina. You’ve been through a lot and need your rest.”
“Please don’t go. I know I’m being selfish and that you’re probably uncomfortable, and I’m so sorry that this is nothing like the wedding night you imagined yourself having, but please don’t leave me alone.”
“I’m very comfortable, actually, and I never imagined myself having a wedding night, so you’re not competing against anything. I promise I won’t leave you alone.”
I nod against his chest and whisper a thank you. He keeps stroking my hair, lulling me to sleep with his gentle touch and the comforting beat of his heart. My wedding ring feels strange on my finger, and I keep thinking about how he’d taken the time to get one of his men to buy us rings. He didn’t have to risk himself to get me away from Ruby’s, he sure as hell didn’t have to marry me, and the fact that he did all that and still thought to send someone out for rings confuses the hell out of me. Everyone calls him a devil, but he’s been nothing but kind to me. I fall asleep easily in his arms, and it’s the first time I’m not plagued by nightmares. It’s a deep, dark sleep, and when I wake, the first thing I notice is the beat of his heart thumping steadily in my ear and something very heavy pressed against the back of my legs.
I start to lift my head, but Vasily tightens his hold on me and says, “It’s just Ruslan. He doesn’t like to sleep alone.”
With the early morning sun streaming in through the windows, I suddenly feel embarrassed for how needy I was last night. I’d basically forced him to hold me all night long. Mortified, I sit up and then feel my face turn red when I see how stunningly gorgeous he is. Last night had been hectic to say the least, and my mind had been on other things, but seeing him in full light makes it impossible to ignore how good looking he is. His eyes are the deepest blue I’ve ever seen, and his jet-black hair just makes them stand out even more. Dark stubble covers his face, accentuating his chiseled jaw, and there’s no denying that every inch of him is hard, sculpted muscle. The man is perfect, so gorgeous I find it difficult to look straight at him, especially after the fool I made of myself last night.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, trying to disentangle our bodies. God, I must have been mauling him in my sleep.
“Nina.” He gently grabs my hand and brushes my hair off my shoulder. “Look at me.”
I turn to him but keep my eyes on his chest instead of his piercing blue eyes. I’m not surprised when he sits up and hooks a finger under my chin, waiting for me to bring my eyes to his.
“What’s wrong?”
When I hesitate, he says, “Just be honest with me. I’ll never get upset with you for telling me the truth.” He gives me a soft smile. “I promise I can take it.”
“I’m embarrassed,” I admit. “I feel like I forced you to sleep in here with me, and then on top of that, I apparently just laid over you like a human blanket. You were probably miserable all night.”
He surprises me by laughing. He has a nice laugh, deep and infectious, making him look younger. I realize I don’t know a single damn thing about my new husband, not even his age.
“How old are you?”
He gives me a small smile. “I’m thirty-two, and you don’t need to be embarrassed. I slept fine. Great, actually. You make a very nice blanket. I wasn’t cold at all.”
“Thanks for staying.”
“Anytime, or I can take one of the other bedrooms up here. Just let me know what you’re most comfortable with.”
I shake my head and decide to tell him the truth like he wanted. “I don’t understand why you’re being so kind. I know you’re a dangerous man, and it’s hard for me to wrap my head around these two very different sides of you.”
“All you need to know is that you’re safe with me. Don’t worry about the other stuff. I’ll do my best to make sure you never see it.”
“But what about our marriage?” I ask.
He lets go of my chin and rubs a hand through his tousled hair. “I’m not exactly sure yet. For now, let’s just take it one day at a time, okay?”
I nod and run my hand through Ruslan’s fur. He rolls onto his back so I can scratch his belly, and I can’t help but laugh at how huge he is.
“He trusts you,” Vasily says, watching me pet his dog. “He doesn’t roll onto his back for anyone but me.”
I smile at Ruslan, wishing I’d had him with me at Ruby’s. I’m guessing those bastards would’ve thought twice about touching me if he’d been there. I keep petting him while Vasily goes into the bathroom and then comes out a few minutes later with his hair in place and wearing jeans and a black, long-sleeve tee that fits him like a damn glove. The sleeves are pulled up enough for me to see that tattoos cover almost every inch of his arms and hands, making him look like a living, breathing work of art. No wonder Bruce had looked like he was about to shit himself. Vasily is toned and hard and carries himself like a man who knows how to fight. There’s a gracefulness to his movements, and something tells me he’s fast as hell when he wants to be.
“Do you mind if I shower?”
“Of course not. Here, let me take off your bandage.”
