Page 123 of The Bratva Enforcer and His Virgin Bride

“Let’s get married again,” he repeats, stepping closer until the heat of his body completely envelops me. He reaches down, gently taking my hands away from the keyboard and holding them securely in his massive palms.

“The first one was forced. You weren’t happy, and you looked at me like I was your executioner. I want to marry you again, Sofia. With your blessings this time, and with your family around you.”

My heart instantly softens, expanding with a warmth so profound it brings a sudden rush of tears to my eyes. The sightof this ruthless, powerful man standing before me, completely stripped of his pride just to right a past wrong, leaves me breathless.

“Lukyan…”

“You spoke highly of your Uncle Alec, the one who took care of you and raised you after your father’s death,” he continues, his gray eyes searching mine with a vulnerability he shows only in the dark. “We can fly him to the States for a ceremony, or we can do the wedding right here in Russia. I don’t mind the logistics. But I want new vows, Sofia. I want to marry you the right way.”

The sheer beauty of his devotion completely obliterates the last remnants of the fear and pain we’ve waded through to get here.

“Yes!” I cry, the word bursting from my chest before he can even finish.

I throw my arms around his neck and jump into his arms. Lukyan catches me effortlessly, his powerful arms locking around my waist to lift me entirely off the ground, holding me against him as if I’m the only thing of any true value in his world.

We kiss—a deep, desperate, and beautiful collision that tastes of survival, promises, and a brand-new beginning. The screen behind us continues to flash with rows of endless wealth, but neither of us looks back. We have already won the greatest prize.

He pulls away slightly, his hands sliding up to cradle my face, his thumbs gently wiping away the stray tears of joy on my cheeks.

“And this time, I want you to have fun planning it. You’ll choose everything, Sofia. The dress. The hall. The flowers. The music. The guest list. Everything. I want you to laugh, to go shopping, and to have fun with your girls while doing it. Youhave all my resources at your disposal. If you want an island, I will buy it for the weekend.”

I let out a soft groan, my heart swelling so much it physically aches, and I rest my forehead against his broad chest. “Careful, Lukyan, or I’ll fall even harder in love with you.”

A rare, brilliant smile breaks across his rugged face, his eyes flashing with a possessive, dangerous warmth. “I’m counting on it.”

Before I can say another word, he shifts his weight, easily scooping me up fully into his arms. He holds me tight against his chest, a deep, rumbling growl vibrating in his throat as he looks down at me. “Now, I know one way you can reward me for being so patient.”

I scream with laughter, my arms looping securely around his neck as he turns on his heel and stalks directly toward our bedroom, leaving the computer and the billions of dollars completely forgotten in the study.

As the bedroom door clicks shut behind us, a brilliant smile stays locked on my face. Through the blood, the secrets, and the terror, we made it to the other side. This is, without a doubt, the happiest day of my life.

Epilogue – Sofia

The late afternoon sun dips low over the horizon, painting the sky in brilliant strokes of bruised gold and deep amber. The gentle, warm tide of the Mediterranean laps at our ankles, washing over our feet and leaving a fine dusting of wet sand between our toes as we walk.

My fingers are tightly laced with Lukyan’s, our palms warm against each other. Two years have passed since the smoke cleared from that Moscow shipping terminal, and looking out at the endless blue expanse of the sea, the blood and shadows of our past feel like a lifetime away.

We’re on vacation—completely disconnected from the relentless pull of the Bratva, deep-cover operations, and global accounts. We walk slowly along the shoreline, heading toward the secluded beach house nestled against the cliffs just ahead of us.

“I was just thinking about our old master bedroom in Moscow,” I say softly, leaning my head against his massive shoulder for a brief second as we walk. “And how terrified I used to be just walking down the hallway. Now look at us. It’s hard to believe life could actually be this peaceful. This good.”

Lukyan slows his pace, his gray eyes turning to look down at me. The harsh, rigid lines of his face have softened beautifully over the last two years, a deep and unyielding contentment taking their place whenever we are alone.

“It is good,” he agrees, his thumb rubbing soothing circles over the back of my hand. “You deserve the peace,zaychik. You earned it for both of us.”

“Weearned it,” I correct gently, smiling up at him.

He stops walking entirely, tugging lightly on my hand to pull me around so I’m facing him. The ocean breeze catches the hem of my sundress, swirling it around my legs. Lukyan looksdown at me, his gaze dark, heavy, and suddenly shifting into something thick with an entirely different kind of intent.

“The peace is nice,” he murmurs, his voice dropping into a low, rough rumble that vibrates straight to my core. “But my favorite part of this vacation is knowing that the walls of that beach house are soundproof. Because the moment we get inside, I’m going to bend you over the edge of that mahogany dining table, strip this dress off you, and remind you exactly how loud you can scream my name when I’m buried deep inside you.”

My breath hitches, a sudden wave of heat rushing straight to my face. I roll my eyes dramatically, though my heart takes a violent, fluttering leap against my ribs.

“Lukyan!” I hiss, snapping my head around to frantically scan the empty shoreline and the distant cliffs, making absolute sure none of our perimeter guards or random beachgoers are within earshot.

“What?” he asks, a rare, wicked smirk pulling at the corner of his lips as he takes a predatory step closer, completely unbothered by my embarrassment. “There’s no one around for miles, Sofia. And even if they were, I don’t care. I’ve been patient all afternoon.”

“You are absolutely filthy,” I mutter, a flushed grin breaking through my mock irritation as I hook my arm through his and pull him along, quickening our pace toward the house. “Come on, let’s just get back to the villa before you say something else to give me a stroke.”