He turns to face me, leaning against the counter. "What about it?"
"Did you mean it?" I ask quietly, head down, unable to look him in the eyes.
"Every word."
"But... we've only known each other a week. You can't possibly want—"
He lifts my face up so I have no choice but to look him in the eye. "I want everything, Lily. You. A child. A future. All of it."
My heart is racing. "This is different. A baby is... permanent. Life-changing. You can't just decide—"
"I'm Bratva," he interrupts. "My uncle, the Pakhan, gave an order months ago. Every one of his nephews has one year to produce a legitimate heir."
The words land like ice water. Everything stops.
"What?" I choke out.
"One year. Twelve months. To find a woman, marry her, get her pregnant. Secure the line or we lose our place in the family."
I'm standing before I realize I've moved, backing away from him. "So that's what this is? I'm just... convenient? The woman stupid enough to let you in, to patch you up, to spread her legs on command?"
"No—"
"You needed an heir. I was here. An easy solution." My voice is rising, panic and hurt warring in my chest. "God, I'm such an idiot. You probably planned this from the first night—"
"Lily, stop."
"No! You want to breed me because your uncle told you to? Because it saves your position? I'm not—I won't be—"
"LILY." His voice cracks like a whip, stopping my spiral. He crosses to me in three strides, gripping my shoulders, firm enough to ground me. "Listen to me."
"Let go—"
"No. You're going to listen." His eyes bore into mine. "Yes, the Pakhan gave that order. Yes, I need to produce an heir. But that's not why I want you."
"Then why?"
"Because I've never wanted anything the way I want you. Because the moment you opened that door, something changed. Because I could, and would, walk away from the Bratva entirely if it meant keeping you."
I shake my head. "You don't mean that."
"I do." His grip gentles, thumbs stroking my shoulders. "If you told me right now that being with me means I have to leave the brotherhood, abandon my family, start over with nothing, I'd do it. For you. With you. Forever."
I shake my head from side to side, still not believing him.
"I want you, Lily. I want you pregnant with my child. I want you in my life, my home, my bed. Forever. But not because the Pakhan ordered it. Because I can't imagine any other future. Even if that means I have to learn to bake and run this place with you."
His words break something open in my chest. All the fear, the resistance, the desperate need to stay in control, it cracks wide.
"You’re holding onto everything too hard, Lily," he says, pushing a strand of still wet hair from my face. “Don’t try and push me away over something stupid. Take it, own it, make it yours.”
“What if it doesn’t work out?” I whisper.
"It will. But we can put something in place as a reassurance for you until we do have children. A prenup of sorts. But you won’t need it. You’re mine already, Lily, whether you’re let yourself accept it or not. I will never let you go, and I’ll never let you down.”
Zakhar
Lily is curled up on the couch with a book she said she's been meaning to read for months. She looks peaceful for the first time since I've known her, hair still damp from the shower, wearing soft clothes, her body finally relaxed.
