Dropping my eyes to his lips for a moment, I remember the relief I felt when I saw him. “I’m not scared of you. I was relieved when I saw you behind him.” I whisper.
He dips his head until his lips are just a breath away from mine. “No matter what, I will never hurt you. Da li mi veruješ?” [do you trust me?]
Pinching my eyebrows together, I shake my head. “Do I what?”
“Do you trust me?”
Keeping my eyes on his, I nod my head once.
His eyes volley between mine before he softly presses his lips to mine. Letting go of my face, he snakes his arms around me, the embrace and the kiss are gentle. His big, powerful hand on my lower back pulls me into him, and then he wraps me up in a protective hug.
It’s all a silent message to me and the world.
Mine.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO
Brooklyn, NY
Eighteen in Two Days
Jax
“Brana, you don’t have to do this. We can figure it all out.” We are all three standing on the sidewalk and Dimitri has his hand on my shoulder, speaking in Serbian.
Vasilei is standing a few steps away, a cigarette in his hand, scanning the area around us.
He’s pissed at me.
The Navy Recruiting Office is behind me. The small office with all windows in the front looks like any hole-in-the-wall office, which is over twenty years old and has never been updated.
“It’s already done. I have to be at Fort Hamilton tomorrow for check-in and testing. And stop calling me Brana, call me Jax.”
Anger moves across his face and his fingers squeeze my shoulder a little tighter. “Brana is your name, and you are under my protection. I’velet everyone know that Nikolia’s death was his own fault, you were acting in the girl’s interest.”
We have a stare-down on the busy sidewalk as people walk around us. For the first time, I’m defying my cousin’s orders. He’s always taken care of me and Vasilei, along with his little sister, Sasha. I know part of him feels like he has failed me.
Putting my hand on his shoulder, I take a deep breath. “We both know this isn’t the first time it’s happened, and I don’t think it will be the last. I can’t expect you to always take care of me.”
He interrupts me and barks, “Yes, you can! We are family and we take care of each other!”
With a laugh, I playfully put my other hand on his other shoulder. “You do have broad shoulders, cousin.” I squeeze the large muscles and shake him playfully. “But I don’t want to be your burden. I won’t be your burden.”
His hazel eyes that look just like my dad’s eyes stare back at me, anger and helplessness churning in their depths.
Vasilei and Dimitri got our father’s hazel eyes. I got my mom’s blue eyes. Vasilei and I got our respective mother’s lighter features, but Dimitri has our father’s dark, intimidating features, as well as their ruthlessness. He wasn’t chosen by the captain to fill his seat for his charming personality.
Vasilei flicks his cigarette into the street and crosses his arms over his chest as he looks the other way. Since I told him I’m enlisting, he’s been giving me the cold shoulder. He tried persuading me when I told him the other day. Dimitri ordered me not to and assumed I would listen.
So he was even more pissed when he found out I defied his order and enlisted.
I got up early and came to the recruiting office before he could stop me, but he followed me here, anyway.
Keeping my hands on his shoulders, his hard eyes boring into mine, I sigh. “I can never repay you for everything you have done for me.” He starts to interrupt me again, but I give his shoulders a shake. “But I need to do this for myself. I don’t have to remind you of what I have in myhead.” I tap my temple.
His lips press together in a tight, frustrated line and the frown lines between his eyebrows grow deeper. He’s only twenty, he shouldn’t have frown lines yet.
