Page 79 of Caught By the Bratva Boss

“Because he hurt me?” She asked in a tiny voice.

I nodded my head. “Yes.”

“That’s where you have been disappearing to? You’ve been hunting them all down.”

I nodded once. “Yes. Every single soul that was involved will die. But.” We stood there with no less than a foot between us, but it might as well have been a chasm. She had never felt so far away from me. And only a few minutes ago, it had felt like we were making progress.

“I should never have touched you with their blood on my hands. That was wrong, and it’s something that won’t happen ever again.”

My fingers itched to run down her cheek. My mouth watered with the need to taste her lips again. I wanted Lily to look at me with something other than fear in her dull eyes.

“Have you,” she swallowed hard. Her voice was kind of choking. “Have you found them?”

It might have been my imagination, but I was sure I heard hope in her voice.

“Not all of them. But I will. I swear to you, Lily. I am going to wipe every single one of them off the face of the earth for you.” Losing control, I pulled her into my arms. Crushing her face against my naked chest. “Every single person who hurt you will pay for it.”

“You can’t protect me always, Daniil. That’s not how life works.”

“Maybe not for other people.” I smoothed my hand up and down her back. “But for you. Yes, I can, even if I have to wrap you in cotton wool and lock you away. I will keep you safe from the horrors of this world.”

I meant every single word.

“Greg and—”

“I’ll find them, Lily. I promise you they will never hurt you again. Now we have a few hours before we need to be up. Why don’t you go back to bed and try to rest? It’s an important day today.”

“Ok?” She headed to the far side of the bed. “Are you going to leave?”

“I’m going to shower.”

“I mean after that.” Yanking off her sweatshirt, I eyed the little sliver of skin that was bared hungrily.

I was starving for her, not just for sex, but just to hold her and feel her warm, soft skin against mine.

“I’m not going out again. Honestly, I’m exhausted, and just want to lie down for a few hours before Anya’s big day.”

She nodded her head. Climbing under the covers. I waited for her to turn her back on me like she always did these days, but she kept staring at me, chewing on her already chapped lip.

“Try to get some sleep.” I tore my eyes away from her because looking at her just made me want things that I couldn’t have right now.

“I’ll try, but I sleep better when you are close.” She bit down on her lip so hard that I winced back.

“Would you like me to rest in here with you?” I asked because that’s what it sounded like.

“If you would prefer to.”

“Do you want me to sleep next to you, Lily?” I asked again more forcibly.

She nodded slightly. “Please.”

“Then, I’ll sleep next to you. Let me shower, and I’ll be right out.” I tried and failed to keep the excitement out of my voice.

“You don’t mind?”

I almost laughed, but somehow I kept it back. “No, I don’t mind, Lily. I won’t be more than a few minutes, ok? Get comfortable, and I’ll be right out to hold you.”

“Ok.”