Until the End (Volkov Bratva #2)(26)

A lump formed in her throat, tears pricking in her eyes. She didn’t speak for fear that she would break down.

“I know I am guilty by relation, but I’m begging you, please forgive me for what my family has done to you.”

That was all it took to make the tears fall. She reached for him, practically sitting in his lap as she wrapped her arms around his neck. When she felt his arms around her, she squeezed her eyes shut.

“I don’t blame you, Mish. Not anymore.”

They stayed like that for some time, lost in their embrace, but Lauren soon pulled back, though not leaving her place in his lap.

“What does this mean? I don’t think you just came here to apologize.”

“I meant what I said. I’m not giving you up.”

This time, she did crawl off his lap. “Mish—”

“Lauren.”

She hadn’t doubted it the first time he said it, but she really didn’t doubt it. He had that look in his eye, the one where he wasn’t giving up without a fight.

“We can’t.”

“Why not? Is it not what you want?

“I didn’t say that. Before everything got…well before everything came out, we were happy, but I don’t know if we can make it work now.”

“Again, why not?”

It was such a simple question, but the answer was far more complicated. “Because our families will never accept it. Your father—”

“Is no longer a problem.”

He said it with so much conviction that she believe, but he wasn’t the only problem. “And Alex hates me.”

“She’ll come around.”

“And Ross is a detective,” she argued still.

“Retired.”

“You’ve been keeping tabs on me?”

Signature smile.

Rolling her eyes, she asked, “Why aren’t you worried? We—”

Mishca grabbed her, pulling her forward until he could mesh his lips with hers, easily making her forget her argument for the time being. She was so used to him being a gentleman all the time that she was surprised by the raw passion she felt as he easily coaxed her to accept what he was giving.

By the time he pulled back, gazing at her, she was holding onto him.

“You’re all that matters to me. If I have you, that’s all I need.” She tried to draw away, but he held fast, blue eyes trained on her. “The only thing I want to know is whether you feel this too.”

“But would I be enough?” She asked her fears finally spilling out of her. “We’re so different and I only know pieces of the world you’re involved in. I just…I don’t know.”

“Try. For me, please.” He cupped her cheek, forcing her attention on him. “I would do anything to prove to you that this—” he gestured to himself, to one of the stars, “—is not all who I am.”

She could see it in his eyes, the thought at the tip of his tongue. He would give it all up if she asked it of him, but how could she demand that of him? If she were going to accept him, work to make their relationship work, she knew she had to accept every part of him, not excluding the parts she didn’t agree with.

“You,” she said before he could say the words. “I just want you, Mish.”

That was all the confirmation he needed. Instead of pulling her to him, he came to her. As he loomed over her, she fell back against the pillows, her breath catching as he came down for another kiss. This one was far more controlled as he took his time exploring her mouth, gently biting at her bottom lip.

Her hands found the front of his shirt, feeling the muscles in his abdomen flex beneath the material. Without thinking, she pulled his tie free, dropping it over the side of the bed. His hands slipped beneath her shirt, his fingers sliding over her heated skin, spanning over her stomach to the curve of her hip where he squeezed possessively, pulling her into him.

Lauren wanted to remember why this was a bad idea, but he overwhelmed all of her senses, leaving her aching for his touch.

They were content with that, but something snapped inside them both, making them desperate to get each other’s clothes off. It was easy enough slipping Lauren’s shirt over her head, but they had to slow down to unbutton Mishca’s shirt, both fumbling with the buttons.

Never in her life had she hated buttons more.

“Hey L, Mishca was—oh, sorry!”

Lauren shot up, shoving Mishca to the side as Amber quickly slammed the door back shut, her soft laughter carrying through the door. Covering her face with her hands in embarrassment, she could just imagine the smile on Amber’s face.

“Glad you decided to make up!” She called out, her feet echoing on the floors until she disappeared to the other side of the apartment.

Mishca was on his back laughing up at the ceiling. In the short time that he had been here, he already looked better, more lively.

Groaning, Lauren looked to him. “Maybe later?”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

Clearing her throat awkwardly, Lauren laid back, turning so she was facing him. “If we’re going to do this, I have to know some things.”

It had been on her mind, what his job was specifically in the Bratva. She would be lying if she said she didn’t want to know the details. Everything she had read online seemed terrifying, but she had never seen Mishca acting like what she had researched. In fact, she had never met any of the men he was in charge of although she knew he had to have soldiers.