Chapter 40 - Brooke

A few weeks went by after my ordeal, and I was still pinching myself to see if any of this could be real. As far back as I cast my memory, there was never a time in my life that I was so happy, so content and fulfilled. Not even getting that all important scholarship compared to the life I was living now. My life with Max had just begun, and he somehow managed to make every day better than the last.

Really, had I been dreaming it all? Was I going to wake up on the plane with Jenna, just about to start the visit to LA? Or was the hottest mafia kingpin around really mine, all mine? Every day when I woke up next to him, showered with his kisses, reminded me of how lucky I was to have finally come to my senses.

I was all in now, recognizing Max’s love for what it was and fully giving it back. So far, I had been too shy to say it, wanting it to be the perfect moment, and he had been busy in the aftermath of my second kidnapping by the world’s most popular psychopath. There were still times when I got cold all over, feeling like I was being watched. I had so much more freedom to move around, and had been tagging along with Max sometimes, as well as doing a lot of shopping with Olivia to fill the San Diego house with personal touches.

With Max, I always felt completely secure, but out and about without him was when I’d get the creepy crawly feeling that someone might drag me away from my perfect life. I didn’t want to burden Max or make him think I needed even more guards than he still had to surround me, but Olivia saw I was struggling, and the next thing I knew, I was pouring it all out to her. Since she had grown up in the Bratva, she understood it all and helped me work through it.

And, of course, I trusted Max wholeheartedly. Even if something else happened, he’d find me and save my life. Again.

On top of that, I got myself enrolled in some online courses and was spending the last weeks of summer getting my credits from Berkeley transferred. My plan was to go whole hog and dive into as many different classes as I could to hopefully nail down my interests and declare a major. Even though Max had encouraged me to apply at the UC campus down here, I wanted to be at home to catch him during his rare moments of free time.

He promised things would slow down once everything was finalized with Luca, and we spent some of our time in bed together researching trips for the perfect honeymoon. Olivia tried to get me to have a proper wedding now that we could be out in the open, but all that planning didn’t sound fun to me. Choosing caterers in my time when I wasn’t studying instead of snuggling up with Max was a hard pass.

As much as I loved having his assistant as a new friend, I still missed Jenna terribly, and I finally got my stubborn husband to agree to let me tell her everything, because I had a brilliant idea about how to get rid of Luca once and for all.

Max and Dima had him stowed somewhere, and at first, I wasn’t allowed to know anything about it since Max thought it would only retraumatize me. I had Olivia to thank for that since she squealed about me being antsy when I was out without him. But I wanted more than revenge against Luca. I wanted justice.

There was no way we could turn him over to the police. He’d only use his connections and influence to wriggle out of any charges. Max was adamant about me never having to face him again, and as far as I knew, I was the only one willing to testify. Until Max spilled the beans about an ex-girlfriend who’d helped him find me in the torture house.

After a three-hour phone call explaining everything and assuring my best friend I was better than fine, that I was ridiculously happy, I put her in touch with the ex, praying she would help. Jenna was thriving in her investigative journalism classes and worked tirelessly to uncover new stories before the baby was born and she’d have to take a break. She not only got his ex to agree to help, but Danielle was able to convince a few other victims to come forward.

Luca was already a topic in the news since he’d mysteriously gone missing and when Jenna’s story hit with all the proof, his reputation was in tatters. He lost his brand deals, and his newest movie’s release date was canceled, along with all his upcoming projects. As soon as the story hit, Max called in some favors with his law enforcement contacts, and they raided the house where he had kept all those home videos. It was the final nail in the coffin, and even his staunchest fans jumped ship after that evidence came to light.

A week after Jenna’s story was still sweeping the world, Luca’s body washed up on the shores of Santa Barbara. Everyone assumed it was a suicide, which was exactly what my ruthless husband meant to happen, and the only thing anyone was sorry about was that he wasn’t brought to justice.

“What a coward,” Max said facetiously, shaking his head as he clicked off the news story announcing Luca’s demise.

I felt a shiver go up my spine and squeezed his hand. “I’m just glad you’re on my side,” I told him.

“Hey, we couldn’t have destroyed him that completely if it wasn’t for your idea to get Jenna on board.” His grin faded, and he turned serious. “You’ve got to be the bravest person I know, not just going through all that, but helping those other women get at least some sense of justice.”

“I wouldn’t have been able to if it weren’t for you,” I said, climbing onto his lap, one of my favorite places to be.

He kissed me soundly, pulling me close. “Tell me you’re mine,” he rumbled.

“You know I am.”

“Not good enough.” He tried to look stern but ended up smiling.

“I’m yours,” I told him.

He dumped me unceremoniously and got up to pour us some wine, one of our nightly rituals. I wasn’t just glad Luca was taken care of because he was a menace to society, but because it meant Max was going to have much more free time. He held up two bottles for me to choose from, and I swelled with pride, since I had become a bit of an aficionado. Pointing to the Chenin Blanc, I hopped up to run to his side, wrapping my arms around his waist as he pulled the cork.

“I was going to sit back down,” he teased.

“I couldn’t wait.”

I had wanted the perfect time to tell him how I felt, and had planned so many different scenarios, from a fancy dinner to a day at the beach, but the way he made me feel so warm, complete, and utterly safe, I couldn’t wait any longer.

“I love you,” I blurted, my face pressed against his chest.

He set the wine bottle down and went completely still. “Say that again?”

Since I had my face mashed into his shirt, he hadn’t heard me. Maybe I could still salvage this. Embarrassment and shyness battered me like the waves crashing against the shore outside the back deck. Jumping from family to family, I had never made many close connections, certainly never loved anyone with the force of what I felt for Max. The words didn’t come easily, even though the feeling burned in my chest with the strength of the sun.

He moved me away from him and tipped my chin up, looking down at me with all of his own love pouring out of his eyes. And just like that, I was no longer self-conscious. This was Max, the man who’d not just saved my life, he gave me the best one I could have ever asked for.

“I love you,” I said, loud and clear.

“I know,” he said smugly, picking me up and bringing me back to the couch, where he dumped me once again.

I yelped and finally lapsed into giggles as he returned with our wine glasses. “What should we toast to?” he asked. “The fact you finally admitted I’m like a god to you?”

“Can you Fokins ever be serious?” I said.

His laughter faded as he leaned close, dark eyes intense. “I’m very serious about us, Brooke. Are you happy now?”

“I guess I’m pretty happy,” I said with a shrug, giving him a taste of his own medicine.

He growled and began kissing my neck, nearly spilling wine all over the new couch that had just been delivered a few days ago. “I’m not going to stop until you admit you’re really happy,” he said.

“Wrong threat,” I told him, letting my head fall back and enjoying every second of his mouth on my throat.

He pulled back, raising a brow. “Then I’m not going to do it again until you admit it.”

I couldn’t stop beaming as I reached for him to drag him back. “I’m really, really happy. I don’t know how it can get better than this.”

His smug look returned in force. “Just wait,” he said, a promise that he sealed with a kiss.