Page 93 of Caught By the Bratva Boss

“They deserved every minute of it, Lily. My only regret is that the pain didn’t last longer.”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Daniil

I knew the moment she ripped her hands away from me that I had told her too much, and when she vomited through her fingers, she looked pale enough to faint.

I shouldn’t have told her. I should have kept the details from her, but I had promised her that I would never lie to her. Around and around her back, my hand went. When she finally stopped being sick, I silently moved the bin outside and went to crouch next to her. Again, I took her hands in mine. They were clammy.

“I do not regret hurting them,” I said honestly because I didn’t. I had revelled in every second of their agony. Their screams of pain had been music to my ears. Their faces as they watched each other burn would forever make me smile.

They deserved more. If I had the chance, I would bring them back from the dead and do it all again, but slower, much, much slower. If that made me a psychopath, so be it.

“I regret that telling you hurt you,” I whispered.

Finally, she lifted her head to me. “I never wanted you to have to do that for me. I’m not crying for them.”

I reached for her, running my fingers up over her tear-stained cheek and into her silky hair. The urge to kiss her was overwhelming. It didn’t even matter that she smelt faintly of vomit.

“I told you, Lily, that I would burn the world to keep you safe.”

She looked at me blankly.

“Well, maybe I said it to myself, but I meant it. I meant every single word. You are my entire world, you, Timothy, and the baby you are carrying.” My hand drifted to her stomach, she nodded her head, and I pressed my hand to it. It was the smallest of bumps, barely perceivable, but there.

The life we had made was growing in her belly. It was the second-best gift she could ever give me. The first was her love. I wasn’t sure I had that yet.

“I know,” she said softly. “I know you would do anything to protect—” she paused—“the children.”

With a grunt, I gathered her into my arms, holding her as tightly as I dared. “This isn’t about the children. It’s about you and me. I would do anything to keep you happy and safe.”

“Anything?” She whispered against my shoulders.

I chuckled. “Anything but let you go. I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.”

I felt her smile. “How about coming to bed with me tonight?” she asked in a small voice. “The chair you’ve been sleeping on can’t be very comfortable.”

It wasn’t, but I would never complain. Sleeping next to the bed meant I could watch over them as they slept. “Timothy—”

“Is asleep in his own bed.”

I held her out at arm’s length. “Really?”

Smiling, she nodded. “Yeah, he wanted to, but he was worried I would be afraid alone. And maybe I will be, but not with you next to me.”

God, I wanted to kiss her. Instead, I swung her up into my arms, honeymoon style, and carried her upstairs.

“You don’t have to carry me,” she giggled. And it was like music to my ears. It had been so long since I had heard that musical sound. Did that laugh mean she was happy and that things were good between us? Or was she just getting better at faking things?

“It’s good practice for when I carry you—” I hesitated on the top step. Glancing down at her face. She was smiling up at me. Her eyes were still shining with tears, but she didn’t look sad.

She looked happy.

She wasn’t faking it. Lily was finally starting to heal. My pace quickened as I strode down the hallway to her room, our room, I reminded myself quickly, although it had been a long time since I had shared her bed.

Tonight felt like a massive step in the right direction. And I would get to hold her. Nothing else, as much as I ached for her, I wasn’t about to push her after what she had been through. But just holding her right now would be enough.

“I don’t mind carrying you,” I finished.