Page 117 of The Bratva Sinner

He hangs up.

I take a deep breath. It’s not a resolution, but I have his backing. I have his army. And if the worst happens, I know he’ll take care of Lila. That’s what that phone call was about. I need my family to take care of my wife if I can’t kill her enemies.

31

Lila

I’m fighting, but my arms won’t work, and my legs won’t move. I try to scream, but no sound comes out.

Mama!

The word echoes in my head, but it won’t come out. I can’t stop them. She’s crying and reaching out for me, but my arms won’t move to take her hand.

“Hey.” A low voice brushes over me. "Hey. I’m here. You're with me. You're safe."

I don’t know where “here” is for several seconds. My heart is slamming against my ribs. I can still see her face. Hear her trying to tell me to run with the only parts of her face that still worked.

“Lila.” Maksim’s hand presses against my belly. He’s not restraining me; he’s holding me. “Breathe.”

I drag in a breath, but it hurts. I’m shaking. He cradles me to keep me grounded.

“It was a nightmare,” he whispers. “You’re here with me. Miami. With me.”

With him. I’m lying in bed next to a murderer, and I feel safer than I ever did in that trailer with my mother down the hall.

I swallow and open my eyes. It’s dark, but I see the faint light from the moon. I’m in his room. His bed.

Far from Texas.

I exhale slowly. The nightmares have happened a lot lately. Usually, he’s still at work, and I wake up alone. But he’s here now.

He doesn’t ask what happened. He doesn’t turn on the light and ask me to tell him about it. He just holds on. He rests his chin on the top of my head.

I focus on his breathing and do my best to match it.

In. Out. In. Out.

Slowly, my heart slows, my breathing evens out, and I stop shaking. I inhale his scent, letting it ground me.

I’m embarrassed by how long it takes.

“Sorry,” I say.

“Don’t.”

“I woke you up.”

“I was awake.” He says. “Just got home twenty minutes ago.”

He kisses the side of my face. “Do you want me to let go, princess?”

“No.”

“Then I’ll be right here. Do you want to talk about it?”

“She drove all night once,” I reply.

His arm tightens slightly around me. He’s listening.