Page 65 of The Russian's Stalked Bride
“You leave just before midnight and come back cut up because you had to.”
“Unfortunately, that’s par for the course,” I murmur, bracing myself through the discomfort. “It can’t always be sitting pretty in an office.”
Mila scoffs to herself, but keeps her touch as gentle as possible, even if I deserve a bit of rough handling right now. “I don’t like that answer.”
“I know you don’t.”
“You told me you just had some things to handle, not that you’d be out fighting,” she adds, looking vaguely annoyed, but not so much to make her stop. “I’ve never seen you come back like this before.”
“To be fair, I wasn’t supposed to be, but plans had to change once things went wrong.” I know it’s a poor attempt at defending myself, especially given the unimpressed look I receive, but it’s all I’ve got. I sigh. “I was vague because I didn’t want you to sit here worrying all night.”
Mila pauses her tending and narrows her eyes. “I did that anyway.”
She definitely has a point.
“I’m fine,” I repeat more gently as I reach out, resting a hand on her hip while she fusses. “I promise.”
Not arguing, I can tell she’s still not entirely convinced. Once she’s satisfied with the cuts along my upper half and has enough blood scrubbed from my skin, she takes my free hand in hers and lightly wipes the blood from my knuckles with damp gauze.
“This is a normal part of your life,” she begins, frowning slightly. “Something that won’t stop.”
I nod, already having the feeling I know where this is going.
Mila glances down at her stomach, and while it hasn’t noticeably changed yet, the presence of life growing inside her is heavy enough. “And when the baby comes…will it be like this then too? You're leaving, getting hurt, and acting like nothing happened when you come back? How will you explain this when they’re old enough to ask questions?”
Immediately, the bathroom suddenly feels much smaller than usual, and I sigh to myself. Just like how conflict is inevitable, so is this conversation.
“Look at me,” I say gently, adjusting my hand in hers. When her eyes meet mine, I lightly brush my thumb against the back of her hand. “Regardless of what I endure, I won’t let anything touch you or the baby. You’re safe here, Mila. I’ve meant that since the very start.”
Her eyes search mine closely, both looking for lies and honesty, but of course, she won’t find the former. Not when I mean this with everything I have.
“What I’m involved in has always been dangerous, and I won’t pretend it isn’t. But I know how to navigate it, and I know how to protect what’s mine.”
Mila softens at the words, not flinching when I lift a hand to gently stroke her cheek. Though a touch of sadness fills the cracks in between. “What if something happens to you?”
“As long as I’ve made sure you’re safe long before anything does, then I’ll have kept my promise,” I say, well aware of how oppressive it feels to admit. Injury and even death have always been a possibility, but voicing it, especially with her in my life, makes it a little harder to bear. “But I want you to know I’ll do everything in my power to always come back.”
Blinking back the emotions, she glances away and takes a shaky breath. “You better not be reckless.”
After feeling her iciness before, it’s almost strange to see her so concerned for me now. With the change of circumstances, she has every right to be. In promising to provide for her and the baby, that also means being around, and frankly, alive. It only makes sense that she’d want me to be careful.
Admittedly, knowing she cares makes me feel like I matter, too.
“I can’t promise that…but I have more reasons to be careful now,” I murmur, thumb gently brushing against her lower lip, causing a faint shiver to move through her.
Mila’s quiet for a long moment, silently processing. His skepticism is still there, but a new warmth moves through her. I can tell she wants to believe me, even if she’s not fully there yet.
Then, with a soft breath, she leans her forehead against my shoulder, careful to avoid any wounds. When I wrap my arms around her, pulling her closer, I don’t wince at the sting of pressure against them.
Her slight surrender is small, but intimate enough to feel like a blow to the chest.
Regardless of the dangers that surround me in life, or the way it makes her worry for me, everything I do is for her now. For us.
Chapter 24 - Mila
Allowing myself to blend into Ivan’s world is a double-edged sword.
On one hand, it’s easy to enjoy the benefits of his work and the life it provides him, and me by proxy. There are so many luxuries he treats me to without hesitation that other people will never experience. There’s security in knowing Ivan is capable of protecting us, as are his siblings and the people they employ for exactly that reason.
