Page 7 of The Bratva's Forced Bride
Yuri held a car door open for me and I tipped a salute at Roman before getting in. As I got behind the wheel, I couldn’t help but notice Yuri’s surprised face. But I didn’t need to say a word; he knew just as well as Roman did. This was my fight, and I would see it through to the end.
Chapter 4 - Addison
“It’s all flowers and fun until it’s not.”—Anonymous.
The fan spun slowly above my head, the air conditioning hummed from the wall in the corner, and I pulled the fluffy comforter up to my cheeks and snuggled deeper into the soft sheets. There was a small but wistful smile on my lips as I remembered the expensive rock on my finger. I felt it, stroked it, and tried to imagine my life with him.
With Logan.
My heart warmed. I had heard a saying that it is impossible to know a person completely. I agreed but as far as my fiancé was concerned, five months was a long time to pretend. His kindness of heart was genuine, I had experienced it firsthand.
So kind, so affectionate, so loving ...
The ringing of the bell, which echoed in the hallway, shook me awake and my eyes snapped open. I had fallen asleep and was dreaming of him. Smiling, I leaned over and picked up my cell phone from the bedside table as the screen lit up.
My heart was beating up to my throat.
The doorbell rang again.
On the locked screen of my smiling fiancé was a bold 00:45.
It was after midnight. After midnight! Panic gripped me and my nails dug into the comforter. If I had expected anyone, it would have been Maria. Only Maria. But she would never show up on my doorstep this late. It wasn't her. Who else would it be?
With the help of the faint moonlight streaming in through the windows, I squinted and scanned the room for anything that could pass for a weapon. Jesus, Addison. After tonight, I'd have plenty of Tasers and pepper sprays in my drawer. I fumbled around and found nothing but a pen on a chair. Well, that’ll have to do.
Ding, dong ...
Cautiously I stepped out of the room, my heart raced, and the blood rushed in my ears. I held the pen close to my chest. The pen was mightier than the sword, wasn't it? Tonight, it had the chance to prove itself.
When I got to the living room, I turned on the lights. Anxiety clawed at my guts, and it didn’t help that I was alone in the house.
My father was in the hospital, receiving treatment from some of the best doctors in the country. His health had been deteriorating for some months now, and they said he was getting worse and wasn’t coming back home any time soon.
I had the house to myself most of the time and Logan tried to be there as often as possible. He really did. It was just ... Work. At least that's what he said. He was always busy, even if I didn’t know where he worked or what kind of work he did. I tried to tease it out of him several times, but he always found a way to dodge the question. It's best to respect the man’s privacy, isn't it?
So, I stood behind the locked door and was scared to death.
No one said anything from the other side of the door. No “Hello,” “Addison, are you there?” That might have calmed my nerves. But this ... this was worse, like something out of a horror movie. Various thoughts ran through my head: what if it was a burglar or worse ...
The bell rang again, taking the next beat of my heart with it, and I swallowed and was about to reach for the steel knob when the door slowly opened. My heart sank from my throat to my stomach, like a bowling ball dropped into a half-full bucket of water. I almost screamed.
Until his blond hair emerged, followed by his familiar, charming smile, which I had grown to love and dreamed of every night. His tall stature—all of him in his six-foot-two glory—entered the house and closed the door behind him. He wore a crisp white shirt, straight navy-blue pants, and rolled-up sleeves that revealed a glimpse of the light baby hairs on his arms.
“Jesus, Logan!” The mighty pen slipped from my grasp and my arms willingly wrapped around his neck. He scooped me, naughty legs-around-the-waist style, and peppered kisses on my cheeks. The second his scent hit my nose; I relaxed in his arms. “You scared the living daylights out of me. Why did you ring the doorbell? How did you get in here?”
“My beautiful angel, I’m so sorry, I just thought I'd ring to give you a heads up,” he murmured into my neck, stroking my back the way I liked before setting me on my feet. A silver bunch of keys dangled from his finger and the corner of his mouth moved upwards. “Don’t tell me you forgot. You gave me spare keys, remember?”
I had forgotten it. But the memory that I had handed him a bundle of spare keys reassured me. He had proven himself over the months, so it was easy to trust him. He smoothed out a crease on his shirt and covered the space between us.
I liked it. I liked the closeness. Being so close to him; being able to touch him, play with the button of his shirt, or kiss him whenever I wanted. Even now.
On tiptoe, I brought my mouth to his, and he cupped my cheeks. When he parted my lips with a flick of his tongue, I pressed myself against him and enjoyed the warmth he gave me unreservedly. I pulled away with a smile. He tasted like peppermint gum. Not my best flavor, but because it was him, I was willing to accept it.
He stroked my chin, grinning even brighter. “I take it that you’re happy to see me.”
“Very happy.” I fumbled with his buttons and looked up at him. “You don’t know how much. Today was long and tiring, and I went to bed thinking about you.”
He lifted a hand from my hip, revealing a velvet box resting prettily on his palm. When I opened it, I gasped. It was a set of jewelry—glittering round earrings and a necklace with a heart-shaped pendant. I stared at it open-mouthed and then looked back down at the gift in my hand.