Page 78 of Caught By the Bratva Boss

Moving into her room, I went to stand next to her. She didn’t lift her head to look at me.

“I see,” she gave a weird little sniffle. Taking her hands, I lifted her to her feet and wrapped one arm around her.

“I am sorry if I worried you, Lily,” I said softly. “I didn’t mean to do that. Did you sleep well?” I asked again. I already knew the answer. She didn’t sleep well at all these days. Her slumber was full of nightmares that caused her to scream out and cry. Usually, it woke the whole house up, and I had to stroke her hair and hold her until she calmed down again.

Had that happened again last night? Was that why she was sitting so stiffly in the dark?

“Lily?” I prompted when she didn’t answer me.

“You’ve been gone a lot recently,” she mumbled. And there was a new note in her voice. “And I know that I shouldn’t be jealous because—”

Surprised I held her out at arm’s length and searched her face. “You are jealous?” I queried. “Why are you jealous?”

“I know I haven’t been—” she began to say, and it hit me all in a rush. Throwing back my head, I chuckled. “Oh, sweet Jesus. You think I have another woman?”

Still laughing I pulled her back into my arms. This time, I didn’t hold her loosely.

“Don’t you?” she whispered.

My laughter died. Resting my chin on the top of her head, I sighed again. “No, Lily. I don’t have another woman. I am a one-woman kind of man, believe it or not.” Loosening my grip on her, I tilted her chin up. So she had no choice but to stare into my eyes. I wanted there to be no doubt.

“And you are my woman. My only woman.” I stressed.

“But we haven’t been intimate in ages, and I know you have needs.”

I hated this uncertainty. It was so unlike her.

“My need is for you and you alone. I can wait until you are ready. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that, Lily. And I know you try to pretend not to hear me when I say this to you, but I have real feelings for you.”

She blinked slowly.

“No, that’s not right either,” I added quickly, and my eyes glued themselves to her chapped lips. They were still kissable, though.

Still perfect.

“I am madly and deeply in love with you.” I smiled because her eyes widened. “I don’t expect you to say it back, but I’ll take your jealousy as a good sign.” The corners of her mouth twitched in a half-smile, and I beamed down at her. A smile at last. A real one. I’d take that as well.

“There you are,” I murmured huskily. Lifting my hand, I smoothed my fingers down her cheek. She leaned into my hand for a second before her eyes snapped open and her button nose wrinkled.

“What?” She pulled away slightly. Her fingers brushed against my cheek. “Is that blood?” She stared down at her fingers. “Oh my God, Daniil. Are you bleeding?”

Worry made her voice higher. She grabbed my wrist. Urgently turning it over and over as she searched for a cut.

“I’m fine.” Pulling away from her slightly, I yanked down my jacket sleeve over my shirt. Because there was blood on the cuff. I just hadn’t realized it until now.

“What is this?” She caught my wrist and held it up. Looking at the wet crimson splodge. “Whose blood is this, Daniil?” Her voice shook.

“It’s nothing to worry about. I’m going to jump in the shower and then—”

“Whose blood, Daniil?”

Blowing out a breath, I thought about lying and then thought better of it. She was always hiding things from me, and I hated it. I didn’t want our relationship to be built on secrets.

“It’s not my blood, Lily.” I shrugged off the jacket and began to unbutton my shirt.

“Then,” she swallowed hard, and I wasn’t sure if that was because she had realized what I had just said or because I was stripping off in front of her.

“A bad man’s.” Bundling my dirty clothes up in my hands, I turned towards her. “A man who deserved more than what I did to him because—”