The Final Hour (Volkov Bratva #3)(72)

There were stands everywhere, selling fresh fruit, clothes, and a variety of other knick-knacks. It was bright here, so many vivid colors, and exotic birds that flew through the air, circling the green of the jungle.

Instead of a hotel, they were staying in a villa just steps from the beach. There were at least four bedrooms and as many bathrooms, with a spacious living area, the entirety of the place decorated in shades of white and taupe.

The master bedroom was on the ground floor, with doors opening out onto the deck that was extended out into the sand. There was enough foliage to give them privacy, but the flowers were beautiful to look at.

A king-sized canopy bed was set against the back wall, a giant portrait of the sunrise hanging in between two of the poles. Not surprisingly, there was not a television in the bedroom, and Lauren was actually glad of it.

When they had arrived, she had hoped to talk Mishca into taking her on a tour of the city, but as soon as she curled up on the bed, she fell asleep again.



Hours later, after she woke and freshened up, Lauren found Mishca out on the deck, a drink in hand. She had slept far longer than she realized, stars now blanketing the night sky.

“No jet lag for you?” She asked sitting in his lap, briefly kissing him.

He smiled, gesturing to his phone with a tilt of his head. “Had to make a few calls.”

“If Lucia’s auction is tomorrow, what are we going to do tonight?” Lauren asked as she leaned back, sighing at the feel of his arms slowly curling around her waist.

“I thought you might want to go out to the water.”

She hopped up quickly at that, ignoring his chuckling as she stripped out of her clothes, digging through her suitcase for her bikini. She was tying the strings to her top when Mishca walked back in, his eyes set on the stars on her chest. She doubted that he would ever get used to seeing them on her. Frankly, neither would she.

“Are you going to change?”

He quirked a brow as he undid his tie, tossing it on the bed. Now, it was Lauren’s turn to drink him in as he stripped. His shirt was next, then his socks and shoes, but he left on his pants.

Despite the cool breeze blowing over the ocean water, it was still warm enough for them to be comfortable. The beach was fairly vacant at this time of the night, but there were still a few out, farther down.

“It’s beautiful out here,” Lauren said absently, walking up to just the edge of the water as the tide rushed in.

The moon hung heavily in the night sky, reflecting off the water, allowing enough light that they could see their reflections. As Mishca came up behind her, wrapping an arm around her middle, she smiled down at their flickering images.

“Ne tak krasiv, kak vy—Not as beautiful as you.”

She squeezed his hand, pulling free of his hold. “Are you getting in with me?”

“I’ll watch you.”

Lauren turned back to watch him drop down onto the sand, her eyes narrowing on him. “Don’t tell me the great Bratva Captain is afraid to get in the water.”

He smiled as she began pulling her cover-up off, left only in the skimpy white bikini she had bought for their honeymoon.

"I like the view better."

She carefully stepped into the water, putting the coldness of it out of her mind as she sunk in to waist level. Closing her eyes, she dived beneath the surface. Despite the craziness of their lives, being here with Mishca, away from all the drama and violence that surrounded them in New York, she felt at peace.

“Please?” She called back with a flirtatious smile, wadding deeper into the water.

She didn’t have to look back to know he would be coming in after her, so when she heard the splashing water, she smiled.

“Tell me,” he said when he was at her back, “what do you see when you look out at the water?”

“Endless possibilites.”

His lips were ghosting over the shell of her ear, and she could feel the smile pulling at them, making goosebumps break out all over her arms. “That’s how I see us.”



"What do you wear to something like this?" Lauren called from the bathroom, light spilling out behind the door.

"Anything you want," Mishca said back, busy on his phone, making sure that his other plans for the evening were still in play.

He had already been dressed for some time, foregoing his suit for jeans and a shirt, scuffed boots laced on his feet.

"How's this?"

It wasn't that Mishca hadn’t grown accustomed to Lauren's beauty, quite the opposite, but there was something about the way she looked at that moment that made his breath catch.

Amused by his reaction, she walked towards him, still barefoot, drawing his gaze from her face down to her legs that were displayed quite nicely in the dress. He would have to remember to pay them more attention in the future. He stood when she reached him. She turned her back, lifting the heavy fall of her hair.

“Could you button me?” She asked innocently, more than aware of the affect she was having on him.

He ran a finger down her spine, beneath the delicate chain that hung down her bag, the only thing really holding the dress together. Right at the top, there was the smallest of buttons that he knew she could easily reach. “Any more surprises I should know about?"

She met his gaze through the mirror, a corner of her mouth turning up. She didn't answer, she didn't have to. Her expression told him everything he needed to know.