Page 36 of The Bratva's Forced Bride

A nervous chuckle escaped me, I ignored the blanket of dread that settled over me. I wasn’t stupid; there was only one explanation for this. With Logan, we were always careful. With Mark, it was unplanned, passionate, and we were careless. No birth control or condoms. Nothing.

No.

Yes! My inner voice screamed back. What had I expected? I had given myself to him and allowed him to do whatever he wanted with me, to worship me, oh how he worshipped me, and I was so blinded that I didn't think to protect myself. That night, it was more important to feel and to have him.

I punched a pillow, then held it to my face and screamed into it.

Fear tugged at my nerves, and the world before me spun in twisted circles. If I were pregnant with Mark’s child, what would happen to me? What would happen next?

My life would change drastically, this pregnancy was like pouring gasoline on an already raging fire between the two men and I would most likely end up alone. So be it. I couldn’t tell Logan, not yet.

As if on cue, he came into the bedroom with a tray of cookies and freshly squeezed orange juice. The smile on his face was precious and could light up a whole room. It provoked the guilt that swam in my conscience, and I forced a smile on my face as he handed me the glass.

“Thanks.”

He dropped the tray on the bedside table and kissed me on the cheek before sitting down next to me. The admiration in his eyes as he beamed at me was clear, and just looking at him hurt me more deeply than I could have imagined. My grip on the glass tightened.

“Are you okay?”

I nodded, took a sip from the glass, and returned it to the tray. Leaning back on my arms, I shrugged. “I’m okay. Sometimes, like now, I find it hard to believe this is what our lives are like now. Like fugitives on the run.”

He groaned and rubbed his eyes. I saw the stress in his eyes and heard the strain when a sigh left his lips. His biceps flexed when he rose and dropped his shoulder. “Except we’re not fugitives. This is all that bastard’s fault. He’s the reason we can’t even leave this place. Leaving would be a challenging task. The Varkovs ... they are powerful, you know? They have eyes everywhere, especially in this city. We must keep laying low until things cool off and when it’s time, my resources will help us clear a path.”

Shuffling closer, he tipped my chin up and dragged his gaze down to my mouth. “We’ll be out of here soon, My love.”

“I know. I trust you.” I gulped, feeling a sinking feeling in my chest like an anchor going down. The contact between us made my stomach dip, and it wasn’t in anticipation.

He stroked my lips with his thumb and pressed himself closer. The warmth emanating from him should have relaxed me, but it had the exact opposite effect and made me nervous. I wanted to be anywhere other than there, on that bed, with him.

His eyes became cloudy, and I felt his heart pounding against his chest. “I’ve missed you so much,” he said. “I’ve missed your beautiful eyes, Addi. Your skin, your hair. And your lips, God.”

He kissed me and groaned softly as I closed my eyes. He tasted like oranges. But I wanted vodka and cigarettes.

I’d seen it coming. Hoped it would be different than it was the last time. But it was the same; numb and unmoving. And I knew why it couldn’t be the same. Everything in me craved and yearned for him.

I forced myself to kick him out of my mind, but he just stayed there. All six feet three of him, with stark blue eyes, watching me, whispering vulgar words in my ears, telling me how much I missed him. Taunting, teasing, biting, scratching.

My body grew hot, and my nipples tightened. For him.

“I love you so much, my beautiful angel,” Logan murmured, and my heart clenched harder. His fingers ran into my hair, he pressed his hard body against mine, and his mouth moved, begging with fervor, but I could not bring myself to part my lips.

He stopped, withdrew, and watched me. Then, after a moment, his eyes reflected confusion and anger.

“Addison—”

“Look, I’m sorry. I was distracted, thinking about the escape plan and everything that had happened ... you have to tell me more, Logan. Why is all of this happening?”

“You were distracted, Addi? Come on, now. That’s B.S, and you know it. What the hell was that? You were rigid. Like, so fucking stiff. And your mind, I could tell that you weren’t even with me. That ... That has never happened before. What’s wrong? Did I do something? Don’t you love me anymore? Or is it the poison thing? Are you still mad at me about that?”

I fidgeted with my fingers, shaking my head. “It’s not the poison thing. Don’t overreact, please. Let’s try again.”

“Try again?” He was baffled. “What is this, sports? We aren’t trying to invent something here—See, you can’t even look at me.”

That was enough to set me on my feet. He wasn’t an idiot; he could tell when something was wrong. He got up after me and gripped my arm.

My heart pounded harder and louder than his voice. I only heard a loud ringing somewhere at the back of my head. “Nothing is wrong, Logan. We’ve had a lot to deal with, can’t you understand that?”

Darkness covered his features and I blinked to avoid his blazing stare, which burned my skin so badly that it must have left a mark.