23. Alek

23

ALEK

T hree more times, late into the night, I fucked my wife.

My wife.

I didn't know if or when that phrase would stop getting to me. I'd never thought I'd get married. I would've been content to be a bachelor and remain unattached for the rest of my life.

Now that I was married, I couldn't get enough of that phrase.

My wife. I was addicted to the fact that she was mine. Mine to possess, to fuck, to protect. Mila was sworn to me, and I would never forget it.

As she slept in, well into the morning on the day after our wedding, I sighed and let her catch up on her rest. I'd worn her out all night long, making good on showing her how hot it could be between us. The chemistry sizzling between us was an unstoppable force. All it took was one heated look, one delicate brush of her skin against mine, and I wanted her again.

The wound stretching over my shoulder and onto my back held me back from taking her as roughly as I wanted, but we still made it work.

I worked her . Bouncing on my dick with her tits jiggling. On her hands and knees as I pounded into her from behind. Then fucking her pretty mouth before I ate her sweet cunt again.

In the quiet of the morning after, I thought back to how else she'd blown my mind.

At that office complex, she hadn't hesitated to rush in and save me. When I'd tried and failed to twist and reach for my gun, she'd taken care of it. She had the courage and bravery to fire my gun at Andrey for the sake of saving my life, and I would never forget her sacrifice. For me.

My brothers and fellow soldiers wouldn't have hesitated. But Mila? I felt like it was a prudent chore to dissect why she would feel the same loyalty to the man who'd kidnapped her.

She chose to save me, to marry me, and now that I had a chance to think without lust ruling my dick and mind, I wondered about her motives. Sure, she wanted me, but she wasn't a brainless, sex-addicted idiot who'd obey her body over her mind. She was intelligent.

Can she really care? This much?

It seemed too soon. We hadn't known each other for long, and the time we'd shared was peppered with violence and antagonism. Until I kidnapped her from her wedding, we were enemies, children of rival bratvas.

Or is she up to something?

I was too jaded to just trust her, and it annoyed me that I wanted to. Lowering my guard would be a huge mistake. I'd married her, but it seemed trust would need to be earned again and again until the concept penetrated my brain.

Instead of lying there and letting my shoulder and back ache further, I got up and stretched to work the skin into moving again. I was tender and sore, but I would live.

Thanks to you.

I glanced back at her sleeping in the bed, trying to harden my heart to her.

After I dressed, I went through the folded papers Maxim had given me. I didn't learn anything I hadn't already guessed or known. The Kastavas were setting up the Valkovs with this first big shipment received at their Colver dock. As I read through the lines of coded abbreviations and terms, I saw how clearly they wanted to stage this as a sting. It was obviously a setup so they could take over our turf.

My first thought was that another Family could be helping the Kastavas. We had many enemies and rivals, but no one entity came to mind.

The Ortez Cartel was a serious contender, but they wouldn't want to work with another bratva to bring us down.

The Italians… I rubbed my jaw, thinking back to how Ivan and I caught that Rossini spy at our warehouse. They were too small now. The Rossinis were weaker from their losses due to infighting.

I wished I could be sure. If I could figure out who this "Doc" was supposed to reference, because I felt certain that once I figured out who that identity belonged to, I would be able to pinpoint this third party who would be involved with this setup.

Reviewing the papers left me in a sour mood, and when Mila woke up, looking rested and so gorgeous as my thoroughly fucked wife, I failed to keep from directing my attitude toward her.

"It's fucking bullshit," I said as I paced, letting her watch me in my fury. "The Kastavas are trying to set us up."

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. It didn't sound like she was apologizing for any fault of her own, but merely sympathizing.

I had no right to be mad at her . She hadn't started this. Her father did. Still, she represented the enemy, and my thoughts got twisted and kinked in a nasty knot that left me unsure what to believe or think.

"Where do your allegiances lie?" I demanded. She was my wife now. She belonged to me. But I wondered, nonetheless. I'd never shaken all of my suspicions about her. She came from the enemy, and she had to have something lurking back there in her mind or heart about her family.

"With you, Alek. My husband. Haven't I made that clear by killing Andrey when he wanted to end your life?"

"Did you marry me to be a spy? Was that why you wanted to marry me?"

She stood, narrowing her eyes with fury as she wrapped the sheet around her body. "Why I wanted to? Don't you dare talk to me like that. Like I had a choice in any of this!"

"Why did you want to marry me?" She had to have a motive beneath it all. "What are you really after?"

"Nothing!" She fisted her hand and shoved it low to her side. "Nothing, Alek! I was never allowed to want anything. I knew better than to ever have a fucking dream."

I stared at her panting and seething after her outburst.

"My father ordered me to marry Andrey. You took charge, kidnapping me. Then when I was tied up and bound, you gave me no choice but to go along and marry you!" She stabbed her finger at her chest. "I've never been allowed to make my own choices."

I stepped up close, hardening my heart to the sight of tears building in her eyes. "You did. You could have run, but you chose to marry me."

"Because standing with you was the smart way forward."

Smart? I wondered at her choice of words. "Did you marry me to be a spy?"

"For whom ?" she sobbed, losing her composure. "Who the hell would I be a spy for? My father? He wishes me dead!"

She spoke the truth, but I refused to let her tears sway me. I knew she was telling the truth. The women in the bratva world had no real futures. They called no shots and were not trusted with any lasting decisions. I almost softened to the sound of her crying as she slumped back to sit on the edge of the bed, but I refused to be that moved and gullible.

All my life, I'd been exposed to deceit and liars, and I refused to be stupid now. Even with my wife.

I grabbed a jacket and picked up my phone and gun. I felt her tracking my movements, but I didn't do more than glance at her as I bade her farewell. "I'm going to speak with my brothers." I pointed at her tear-streaked face. "Don't think about leaving. The building is guarded and watched by men loyal to me."

She lowered her face, glancing down and away as she sniffled louder.

And with her tears dripping to the sheets, I strode out into the hallway, slamming the door shut behind me.

If only I could slam the door to the wall guarding my heart, too, then all would be right in my world.

I wasn't supposed to… care. Love wasn't in the cards in this hard life. It was a weakness, a distraction, but she tormented me to consider that it could be building between us regardless.