Hidden Monsters (Volkov Bratva #4)(98)

No, he waited until her heartbeat faded to nothing before dropping her in a chair.

For once, he didn’t stick around and wait for the remorse to hit him.

He still had someone left to see.





40

____





Left Unspoken





He was holding her too tight.

After Natasha and a conversation with Fatos that hadn’t gone well, Luka wanted nothing more than to spend every moment he could with Alex.

They remained at the safe house—that was the only place he could guarantee her safety. When he’d walked through the doors, the men giving him a wide berth and questioning glances, he’d immediately went to Alex’s room, checking to make sure she was where he’d left her. She had been sleeping soundly and stayed that way even after he’d showered and redressed, slipping into the bed beside her.

Luka had been careful slipping his arm around her, drawing her closer to him. Soon, she had turned, laying her hand over his heart, sighing in her sleep, as if the simple act brought her peace.

Exhaustion weighed on him, from what they had just done to everything he’d tried to finish with Fatos and the other Albanians. But he was only one man trying to fight a battle that he had no hope of winning, and he was finally ready, and willing, to accept that.

Did he want to give this up?

Everything inside of him rebelled at the idea of never seeing Alex again, never seeing the way she smiled at him when he made her laugh, the excitement in those big eyes of hers when she was truly happy. Now that he had finally gotten something to call his own, someone that made him believe again, he had to let it go.

And he would, if that meant keeping her safe.

He had known the risks. More than anything else, she was his weakness. Fatos had exploited that, and he would continue to do so until Luka gave in. That was just the game he liked to play.

Life is all about choices, Fatos had told him over the phone, a taunt meant to get under his skin. And it had. The words had burrowed their way inside of him and planted themselves, constantly playing over and over in his head.

He could stay here, reveal the truth to Alex, take his chances with the Bratva boss, and hope for the best. But if he went that route, Fatos wouldn’t come after him. He wouldn’t even wage war against the Bratva. He would just find a way to get to Alex, no matter where she went, no matter who was there to protect her. Then, just because he wanted to, he would go after Lauren, maybe hurt her or her unborn child.

Or…

Luka could do what he should have done years ago. Give himself over to the Albanians and do what he did best. Fight his way out. Of course, if Fatos thought Luka would make that choice, he wouldn’t stand for it.

No, he had to feel like he had won, as if he had bested Luka, which was something that he had never been able to do since they were children. There was no missing the greed and jealousy that lived inside of Fatos now. He just didn’t know how he had missed it for so long.

The only thing he could do now was willingly lose because it wasn’t about him—not even the Bratva or what he had done to Klaus so many years ago—it was about keeping this girl safe from harm.

Even if Luka was that harm.

Very soon, he would lose everything.

____

Over the next three days, there was nothing but radio silence. Mishca had disappeared with Klaus, leaving Luka to watch over Alex. While he had been curious about where they’d gone, he didn’t bother to find out more, not when he could spend his time with Alex.

She was recovering well enough. She didn’t seem to have any lingering trauma over being buried alive, but Luka watched her all the same, waiting for any sign that she was about to crack. He kept her occupied with reminders of her upcoming audition, and since it was tomorrow, he thought it would be better if they spent their last night together outside of the safe house.

“We’re going back to my place,” he said packing up the last of her things. “Tell me, how did you manage to accumulate so much shit when we’ve only been here for a few days?”

Alex rolled her eyes, buttoning her jeans as she went for her shoes next. “Don’t forget you brought it all.”

Ah, just so.

“And I’m okay with staying here.”

Luka didn’t want to give too much away, knowing that she could read him better than anyone.

“Can’t f*ck you here, too many ears.” He smiled though it felt false. “Unless you’re into that kind of thing…”

“By all means,” she responded with a wave of her hand. “Let’s get out of here. Besides, I think Loki misses me.”

Luka hesitated a moment, pulling her bag strap up his shoulder. “Yeah, he does. You’ll take care of him, yeah? If I’m not around?”

“Why wouldn’t you be around?”

“Humor me.”

Just as she could read him, he could see the varying emotions running across her face. Fear. Suspicion.

“Of course, I would. You love him and I…I love him, too.”

He knew what she’d been about to say, and that thought both elated and saddened him.

Clearing his throat, Luka looked away from her. “Let’s get out of here.”

The journey from the safe house to Luka’s was a rather long one as he took preemptive measures to make sure nobody followed them. Loki was waiting for them as soon as they cleared the door. He went to Alex first, showing her all the love that she could possibly want.