Page 78 of Reclaimed By My Ex’s Bratva Brother

Her accusation before she left my office that day hit me again.

I thought I loved Brinny. I'd believed it for years. Because turning my back on that meant betraying everything I'd been. But now? What the hell was love anyway? Or had I lost the ability to feel it a long time ago?

My head had never been this scrambled.

"Sir, Miss Vasilieva is here." The butler knocked on my study door.

"Send her in."

When Brinny walked in, she looked worse than usual. Red eyes, dark circles underneath. But even like this, she wouldn't let herself fall apart.

"Varlam, I haven't seen you in days." She crossed to me, mouth pulling into something like a smile. "Are you avoiding me?"

"I've been working."

"From home?" She stared at me, eyes going glassy. "I know I messed up the other day."

Brinny rarely apologized. Apologies and weakness weren't in her vocabulary. Someone always cleaned up her mess. Usually me.

"I shouldn't have lost my temper with you. Or moved Briony to another floor without asking." She paused like the next words would cut her throat. "And I used your email to make her plan our wedding."

I'd never confronted her about it. But she admitted it now. That meant she'd actually thought about what she'd done.

"I know it was wrong, but I couldn't help it." Tears came as she spoke. "I love you too much. Seeing her in your office—I was jealous. I wanted her to know that no matter what happened between you two, the only person standing beside you in the end would be me."

A princess raised on everyone's worship, admitting jealousy. Admitting she'd lost control. Admitting she'd used dirty tricks on another woman. Her honesty was almost brutal. Something cold and hard in my chest loosened.

"Don't do it again." I sighed.

Not the first time I'd said those words to her.

She nodded fast.

"I thought about this for a long time before I came back. Varlam, this wasn't impulsive. I gave up my life abroad, gave up that freedom. I made a real decision." She went on, voice dropping. "I don't know if I came back too late. I don't know if you still want me. I'm just... so insecure. That's why I lost it. Why I said those things."

She was right. I'd been the one to propose marriage first. She'd accused me of being too controlling back then, but she'd never outright said she didn't want to marry me. Now she'd come back on her own, admitted her fear, admitted she wanted marriage—and I'd given her nothing but "I'm not ready."

She'd been part of my life since before I became Pakhan. I shouldn't make her cry.

"Stop crying." I lifted my hand, thumb sliding across her cheekbone to wipe away tears.

Her shoulders trembled slightly. She leaned into me carefully, face pressing against my chest. The position was familiar. Years ago when her heart bothered her, she'd lean on me like this. I'd slow my breathing, stay still—like any movement might disturb her fragile heartbeat.

"You're still the same as before. Even your comfort sounds like an order." She laughed softly against me. "But I never really hated it."

I looked down at the top of her head. Her perfume drifted into my lungs. But what came to mind was Briony's blonde hair and that clean lemon scent. Thinking about Briony at a moment like this was the worst possible timing.

Brinny suddenly wrapped her arms around my waist and rose on her toes toward my mouth.

"Kiss me, Varlam." Her warm breath ghosted across my jaw. "Let me know nothing's changed between us."

I looked at her pale lips. All I had to do was lower my head and I could kiss her. I'd kissed her before, when we were together. But I'd forgotten what it felt like. One thing I knew—it wouldn't be like kissing Briony, wouldn't get me hard with excitement.

"Go lie down." I knew damn well this was just an excuse. "You just cried. You need rest."

Brinny's body went stiff.

"I'm fine."