Page 69 of Kept By the Bratva

He grunted, smirking. “More than the obstetrician, you mean?” With a deep sigh, he nodded. “We do. We will.”

I shared a look with him, knowing that the last on-duty nurse the Bratva employed was run off by Pavel when Andrey brutally raped her.

“We have a new future we’re building,” he reminded us all, “and we'd better be equipped to take care of anything that comes to pass.”

Amy threaded her fingers with mine as Alek and I spoke about cleaning up the place and securing it. She made no move to leave, and she didn’t seem uneasy about hearing our frank talk about dead bodies, removing evidence, and cleaning up the blood.

Given her former career, maybe she had a stronger stomach than most. Her unflinching desire to stay by my side had me wondering ifshe was taking more steps toward acclimating to the violence of my life.

“Ivan is already outside, securing the perimeter with his soldiers. Dmitri is on his way back now,” Alek reported.

Together, with Amy, I handled overseeing the beginning of the cleanup and tallying of casualties. I didn’t need to do anything heavy, not with all the soldiers hurrying to restore this place to a residence and official headquarters.

I didn’t retreat to my wing yet. Not until I helped where I could and directed the men as much as possible. Alek had his hands full here, but once Dmitri showed up and took over the supervision I’d been doing, I gave in.

“You need to wrap your arm,” Amy scolded as I led her toward my suite.

“I thought you saidyoucould stitch me up.”

She smiled, leaning against my injured arm as we headed to my room. “I can. I will. If you let me.”

I grunted a rough laugh. “I will always trust you, Amy.”Even to fight back when I fail you.“I’m sorry this happened.”

She furrowed her brow as I opened the door to my suite. “It was supposed to happen. Diego is dead, just as you’d planned.”

“It wasn’t supposed to happen likethat!”

“Whatdidhappen? When you left?” she asked as she led me to the bathroom.

I let her guide me to sit on the chair near the vanity. As she rifled through the first-aid kit that was stowed on a low shelf in the closet here, I sighed and rubbed my face.

“Alek and I showed up at the location to find no one there. It was deserted. It was all a trap, a trick to lure us out of the house.”

She came back with supplies and set them on the vanity. Her fingers were cool and soft as she removed my jacket and shirt. “But how? How could they have known that all of you brothers would be out of the house tonight?”

I shook my head. “I don’t think they did. And Maxim was here. I think they just wanted me and Alek out of the way because, originally, we were determined to negotiate over you. I think they would’ve attacked even if Ivan and Dmitri were here.”

“I’m sorry they got in,” I added.

“It’s not your fault.” She wiped at my cut, absent with her words as she focused on cleaning my blood. “There were so many of them. Mila and I were eating a late dinner, and then boom. They were there.”

“They didn’t do anything to you?” I asked. I had to know. If Diego did or said something to her before Alek and I got here, I’d wish for a way to kill him all over again.

“No. You arrived right after they burst in. Diego tried to get me to leave with him, and then there you were.” She applied an ointment, shaking her head. “It’s not deep enough for stitches.”

Good.Because I’d only end up pulling them when I fucked her. Seeing her doting on me and nursing me like this had me all twisted up. She had to care. She had to love me as much as I did her. And letting that thought get into my head, I got hard for her.

“And he’s dead now. He’ll never be a threat to me again,” she said, almost as though she needed to convince herself of it. Her fingers pressed down as she covered the graze on my arm with a wide bandage.

I took her hand, bringing her to stand between my legs. “Nothing and no one will ever be a threat to take you from me.”

She gazed down at me calmly, yet with a hint of desire glowing in her eyes. I wasn’t sure if she’d be repelled from me after seeing so muchviolence. It had to be traumatic for her civilian mindset, but she wasn’t shy now.

“I love you, Amy. I willalwayslove you and fight for you. It took me too long to understand that one night would never be enough. I was fated to find you, and I will always keep you and love you with everything I am.”

On a breathy sigh, she lifted her hand to frame my face. I turned, pressing my lips to her palm.

“I know that you only think I’m a monster, a criminal, but?—”