The Bratva’s Auctioned Bride (Levov Bratva #10)

Chapter 19 - Alexander

While it wasn’t a revelation to know that Lara’s presence tended to make any moment feel a bit more special, I never expected myself to enjoy something as mundane as cooking dinner.

Yet as we stood in the kitchen together while she chopped up vegetables and I prepared the meat, I found myself feeling more and more satisfied with the opportunity that presented itself to us. I was more than happy to have that time to spend with her and to think about something other than work.

Gentle music filtered through the space as we sipped on wine and chatted, glancing at one another despite trying to focus on our tasks.

“Do you have much experience cooking?” Lara asked as she poured olive oil over the bowl full of chopped vegetables and added seasonings before laying them out on a pan.

While I trimmed the excess fat off the chicken and made sure it was well seasoned, I pulled out a pan to start frying it, humming gently. “Nothing special, but enough to get me by. I started with instant ramen, eggs, and whatever else I could get my hands on to keep myself fed as a kid, then eventually worked my way up as my siblings started growing. When I was off on my own once I was of age, I made more of an effort to make something of value to sustain myself.”

Lara nodded to herself, moving with considerable elegance in the kitchen despite her next words. “I didn’t have any at all. For the longest time, Ari cooked. Then, when he was old enough, Lukyan took over that task. Honestly, he’s a pretty solid chef when he can be bothered to do it.”

“You seem to manage yourself well enough with it,” I said, noting how she worked carefully with a diligent hand.

She shrugged and popped the pan in the oven to roast the vegetables. “I eventually taught myself some basics. Even if we got used to having others cook for us, I didn’t want to be completely lost if that luxury was ever gone.”

“That’s a smart decision,” I praised gently as I glanced at her.

She gave me a soft smile and checked on the pot of near-boiling water on the stove. “I’m glad you think so. It came in handy once I moved to my own place.”

“Was that a difficult transition for you? Living on your own after being surrounded by your family for so long?” I asked, throwing the chicken on to get it started.

“It was a little at first, but honestly, the break from my brothers was a welcome one,” she said with a grin and a small, huffed laugh. “I went away to school, decided it wasn’t for me, so then I did some traveling and saw a bit more of the world before we all moved to New York. Then, I guess I got pretty used to seeing my brothers constantly again, and since I can hold my own a little more, I look forward to my visits with them.”

I found everything Lara said about her upbringing completely intriguing. It was interesting to see where our experiences overlapped, and where they differed. I couldn’t help but want to hear more.

At the mention of her brothers again, a thought popped into my head, and I straightened up for a moment. “Speaking of,” I murmured, heading over to the front door. “Just a moment…”

She gave me a curious look as I disappeared for a few seconds while I grabbed the box I had set down in the entryway, returning with it in hand.

I gave her a small smile and held the phone box out to her. “This is for you. I had the chance to grab it after work. Seeing as neither of us knows where your old one went, thanks to the Gromovs, I got you a new one.”

At the realization, Lara softened somewhat as she mirrored my expression and carefully took it from me, opening the box to find the shiny new phone inside.

“I had them set it up at the store, and I was able to at least put Ari’s number in. You’ll have to take care of the rest, but otherwise, it’s ready to use.”

I felt strangely put on the spot at that moment, as if worried she might take it the wrong way or not like the one I grabbed. It was weird to find myself overthinking something so minor, second-guessing myself. But I just wanted her to be happy, and I wanted to know that I could contribute to that in some way.

But to my relief, her smile grew as she looked between me and the phone as the screen turned on. “Thank you. It’s been a bit strange feeling so cut off from the world by not having one, but I’m glad you followed through with that promise.”

I nodded somewhat bashfully. “I don’t want you to feel isolated or like you can’t reach your family, so this seemed like a suitable first step.”

Beyond following Ari’s terms, I wanted her to know I trusted her, and that I didn’t think she’d jump ship on me. By giving her access to a phone and her brothers, I knew it could run certain risks, but I had every reason to believe she was loyal to me.

She didn’t sell me out to her family, and we had been bonding a lot better than before, so I figured the odds of her leaving were pretty slim by then.

Smiling still, Lara moved in for a hug as she gently wrapped her arms around me. While I hadn’t expected it, I wasn’t prepared to push her away, so I returned it with ease, noting how I towered over her.

Resting my chin on top of her head, I smiled to myself and soaked it in.

“Now, you can text me throughout the day to tell me how shit work is,” she hummed, tone laced with amusement.

I chuckled and managed a small nod despite the position, gently stroking her back. “You better count on it now.”

We laughed quietly at the idea, and we stayed that way for a moment, seemingly both savoring the contact.

When a faint, unpleasant smell reached me, I turned my nose up, only to realize the chicken was still on, and I completely forgot about it. We noticed at the same time, both pulling away as I immediately hurried over to flip it.

I sighed, seeing the darkened side of the chicken breasts. “Damn it…”

Lara leaned closer to see for herself, faintly amused. “A little char isn’t so bad, right?”

Unable to stay disappointed for too long, I cracked a smile too and chuckled. “Yeah, you’re right. It looks salvageable, at least.”

Focusing on the cooking food once again, we eventually managed to pull everything together until we had an edible meal between us. Aside from nearly burning the chicken to a crisp, everything tasted pretty decent as we sat together at the table, drinking our wine and unwinding.

After spending that time together, catching her warm smiles and seeing how she looked at me so differently from the first night we met, I couldn’t ignore how our dynamic seemed to shift. How despite everything, we were clicking together, and it made me grateful. That hope I had of us becoming more was paying off, and as I took in her features, that previous guilt I felt seemed to melt away.

We were becoming something, and it was more than I could’ve asked for.

It was all the more reason for me to hold on even tighter, and to not let anyone like the Gromovs think they’d be able to take her from me.

By the time we both finished eating and were busy cleaning up in the kitchen, the warmth of the night left me feeling softer than before. My eyes flitted to her from time to time, smiling faintly as I took in her figure and the way she moved so gracefully through the space.

Everything about her seemed so effortlessly perfect, and it was more than enough to make me thank whatever higher power made everything align so that she could be mine. It truly had been worth all the trouble to reach that place between us.

Once the dishes were washed and Lara was standing by the counter drying them off, I moved in behind her and placed my hands on his hips gently, leaning over her enough to catch her smile.

“Dinner was nice,” I murmured, voice a low hum. “We should do this again sometime.”

Her smile stretched even further. “We should. I agree.”

“You know,” I began, carefully moving her hair to the side as I pressed my lips to the exposed skin of her upper shoulder, thanks to the relaxed sweater she had on. “We’ve come a long way in a relatively short amount of time, and because of that, I’d like us to reach a mutual agreement.”

I glanced at her face again, noticing the interest in her features. She paused her drying and set the dish towel down before turning around to face me. I adjusted my hold on her, hands moving to her waist as my thumbs idly traced against her.

“What kind of agreement?” she asked, meeting my gaze with that faint gleam of curiosity in her eyes.

My smile pulled slightly, although my expression was mostly serious. “Since you are my wife and there’s obviously something genuine between us, I will do my best to tend to your needs and allow you the freedom you deserve. To make that easier to accomplish, I’ll also keep vying for a proper truce between our families, since I never wanted a rivalry or rift in the first place…I promise to keep you happy and safe, regardless of what it takes.”

The way Lara looked up at me with her softened features and a new kind of appreciation I once thought I’d never see made my heart squeeze with affection for her.

Before, I never imagined I’d ever have someone look at me with that kind of trust and devotion, especially not after the things I’d done in the past, and especially not after everything I put her through. But as I felt graced by that privilege, I was quickly growing addicted to it.

Lara smiled at me, nodding as she accepted my words. “If you’re bringing something to the table, then I suppose it’s only fair I do as well. In return, I’ll be completely loyal to you. I’ll give you my trust while you give me yours, and I’ll work with you while we discover what’s between us. No more resistance. Only acceptance.”

Something about her words stirred that warmth within me even further, and the sincerity in her voice made me want to try even harder.

She was everything I wanted since the moment I laid eyes on her, and with her complete faith placed in me, I knew I couldn’t waste it.

My content smile mirroring hers, I brought a hand up to her jaw and gently traced my thumb across her skin. I watched as she leaned into my touch, causing that longing in me to develop a mind of its own.

“It’s settled then,” I hummed, swallowing hard to maintain my self-restraint as I looked down at her, keenly aware of how much I needed her. “We’re committed to each other. Completely.”

As the air between us seemed to electrify while we gazed at one another, I couldn’t find it in myself to resist anymore.

Leaning in as I guided her face closer to mine, I gently brushed my lips against hers, greeted by that familiar and increasingly addictive sensation. The careful caress sent a shiver down my spine, sparking the desire I had for her that only seemed to grow with every passing day.

Deepening the kiss, I wanted her to know just how serious I was, and how important she was to me.

She was my wife, and I needed her more than ever before.