“Hmmm.”

“Stop,” I grumble.

Alexei shrugs. “Just saying. Ariana’s fucking beautiful and the heir to one of the biggest established weapon smuggling empires. She’s a catch.”

I turn to Alexei and take a threatening step toward him before I catch myself. Possessiveness blinds me, making my heart beat faster and my muscles tense. It’s fucking intense, and it takes a moment before I can breathe through it.

Alexei’s eyes are locked on me, all the amusement gone from his face. “There it is,” he murmurs. “The sooner you admit you care about the girl, the better. Do it before you rip some poor guy’s head off.”

I down the drink and set the tumbler down on the coffee table. “I’ll deal with it when I’m ready,” I say. I head to the stairs. “Sleep well.”

“You too.”

I feel Alexei’s eyes on me as I take the stairs to the second floor, and when I reach Ariana’s room, my pace automatically slows. Wanting to check on her, I knock. When there’s no answer, I go inside and shutting the door behind me, I look to where she’s lying on top of the covers.

With the moonlight shining in from the windows, I can see her clearly. Slowly I move closer to the bed, and then I stare down at Ariana.

She turns onto her back, and opening her eyes, she just looks up at me. Seeing the vulnerability on her face stabs at my heart again, and I make a gesture for her to move up.

I kick off my shoes and pull my shirt over my head. When I lift the covers, she climbs beneath them, and lying down beside Ariana on my back, I position her against my side. I wrap my arm around her shoulders and place my other hand on the side of her head, pressing her cheek to my chest.

We lie in silence, and after a minute or so, Ariana drapes her arm over my abs and lets out a deep breath.

Earlier, when she broke and cried in my arms, it felt like someone took a bat to my heart. I might not be ready to admit it out loud, but this woman has an effect on me like no other. There’s no reason or rhyme.

I want Ariana.

End of story.

My mind fills with worry for her. Not about her safety because I’ll take care of her. But there’s no way Ariana will be able to be a part of the Bratva.

“I won’t be able to return to my old life, will I?” she whispers, her voice hoarse from all the shit that’s been thrown at her.

Moving my hand to her chin, I nudge her face up so she’ll look at me. “We’ll figure things out.”

“I don’t want my father’s businesses.”

“You can put someone in charge to manage everything on your behalf.”

“Who? The only person I know is trying to kill me.” Her voice cracks over the words.