Page 139 of Violent Pawn

I don’t hate that anymore. Not when it comes from him and only him. Having a partner isn’t a weakness. Belonging to a man isn’t submissive when he’s mine in return.

Over the days, the bruises go through every imaginable shade possible, and my aches clear up. My nose will take the longest, but eventually the cast gets removed, and after a week-long stay, I’m cleared to go home on bed rest.

Nero took that to mean his bed and refused to allow me to board the Bratva plane to go home, instead locking me in the villa in Rome where he continues hovering. Plus, I refuse to take “bed rest” as seriously as he is, so after a lot of arguments, I win. He’s been taking me out on walks around the property, out to the pool to sit by—since it’s still too cool to swim—or sitting out on the porch.

Zeno and Vanessa ended up going to the United States for another wedding. A couple of days after his own, he received an invitation for an impending ceremony of another Cosa Nostra Capo, so yesterday, they flew out for it.

Nero and I bicker about my health, but there’s a lightness as we spend time together. He refuses to leave my side for work, and the look he gave Zeno said it’d be another argument if he went. Together, I’ve been learning everything there is to know about him and his childhood, as well as what he’s been doing since the day I walked away from him. All his healing and revelations.

In return, he’s asked about my childhood, so with a lot of mental battles, I open up. I haven’t been as happy and calm as I’ve been this week. Nero goes through every stage of grief in my stories, and more than once, he’s walked out of the room. Sometimes his exit is followed by a crash.

But he never touches alcohol.

He doesn’t leave my side to attend an AA meeting, though I insist he does, to talk through the current stressors. After convincing Elio and Gabriella to sit with me in the villa, he attended one in record time.

Things fall into place with us as my healing continues improving, until finally their private doctor gives me the all-clear to return home and to work, with the recommendation of taking it easy. Nero sees that as more bed rest, but one spat later, he’s trailing me home to Moscow.

Two days after arriving, and now three weeks since Vanessa’s wedding and the unfortunate reception, my body still aches but is overall doing well. My nose is set correctly, though it shows indication of injury, and Nero learns how far my determination not to be ordered around goes when our next verbal spar ends with him driving me downtown to the brothels for work.

He parks in my spot behind the building and reaches my door to help me out. “I really wish you’d stay home and rest.”

“It’s been weeks since I’ve done anything work-related, and I’m going nuts. Besides, this isn’t really your say. Sasha mentioned an interview she wants me to do, so it’s happening.”

He cups my neck and pulls me to him for a heated kiss that quickly ends the rest of my fight. We haven’t been intimate over the weeks of my healing because I didn’t like how things looked. The bruises and markings don’t say sexy, despite Nero’s argument.

I miss him, though. It’s been too long, and I’m ready to begin the rest of our lives.

Nero fists my hair, keeping me in place. My nails sink into his shoulders, hauling him closer as his tongue strokes a whimper. When I’m about to beg him to come inside, to allow me to show him one of the private rooms, he breaks off with a smirk. “If you insist. I’ll pick you up in a few hours. Call if things start to hurt.”

“As if. It’s like you don’t even know me.”

“Sasha’s watching out for you and has orders to contact me if you’re ignoring your needs.”

My gaze flits to the building behind us. “How the fuck did you⁠—”

He smashes a finger against my lips, silencing me with a crooning shush. “Don’t ask. Your safety and well-being are everything to me, so no matter how many rules I need to break to ensure it, you’ll always come first.”

That burning emotion of affection knocks at my knees again until I’m gripping his shirt. “It’s like you’re a whole new man from the one I got to know. But not one I hate either.”

“I stopped holding back. You could have had this the whole time, Ana.”

“Anastasia.”

“Cara mia.”

“Better.”

He waits until I’m inside before driving off. I turn to watch him leave the lot only to be practically tackled by my manager, who fiercely hugs me and drags me down the hall.

“When your brother called and told me what happened, that it’d be a while until you return to work…blyat, Ana, you took a few years off my life.” She reaches up to rub at a still-healing cut on my forehead with a frown. “Your life is too dangerous.”

“All our lives were.” A vision of her protecting other girls in the cages fills my mind. “It’s all over with now.”

“That sexy man who phoned me yesterday is the same one who visited you months ago before you turned all moody?” She leads me down the hallway, towards the office. We’re hours before opening, so none of the girls are here yet, which I’m grateful for.

“How would you know I was depressed?”

“It was your demeanour. Two minutes back and I can already see a change in you.” She releases me with two snaps of her fingers—by my shoulders and waist. “Go sit. There’s a stack of paperwork I need you to sign off on, and the girl to interview is scheduled to be here in a few.”