Reign of Four: (Dark Mafia Why Choose Romance) (Baranova Bratva Book 2) by Misti Wilds

Author:Misti Wilds [Wilds, Misti]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Misti Wilds Romance
Published: 2024-08-19T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Valentina

“Let go, love, it’s over. He’s dead.”

Harsh ringing in my ears makes it hard to hear Mikhail’s words as he gently pries the handgun from my fingers. The sharp smell of gunpowder hits my nose when I breathe deep. I stumble out of Mikhail’s grasp toward Ezra.

Blood seeps into the grass. My heart pounds harder than ever before, pushing adrenaline through my veins. My vision blurs as tears sting my eyes.

In a single heartbeat, everything’s changed.

Ezra blinks up at me as I collapse against his chest, falling hard into his lap. He groans, and I instantly try to backpedal once I realize he’s hurt, but he’ll have none of it. He wraps one arm around my waist and hoists me higher up his thighs, forcing me to straddle him.

“I hurt you.” Panicked tears pool in the corners of my eyes. Andrei already has his palm pressed tightly over a gunshot wound to Ezra’s shoulder, but I still apply my own pressure. “I shot you.”

His voice rumbles low, his Russian accent thicker than usual on accord of the drugs in his system. “You saved me, lisichka.” He buries his face in the column of my throat, scraping coarse stubble across my skin. “I am still here. Feel me. Feel heart beating.” He pulls my hand from his shoulder and buries it beneath the collar of his shirt, pressing my palm flat against his chest so that I can feel his heartbeat. But its beat shouldn’t be that slow—if anything, he should be more concerned than he is. What if he isn’t getting enough oxygen in his system—or what if he’s so used to being shot, he doesn’t realize how serious this one is—or what if⁠—

“Valentina. I am fine. Breathe with me.”

Together, we breathe deep. So deep that it aches. He nestles his face in the crook of my neck the entire time, mumbling old Russian prayers. Each of them burrows beneath my skin, soft and sweet, just like they did when my mother used to recite them to me when I was a child. Ezra must have heard me recite them years ago while he stood outside my bedroom door, acting as my bodyguard. They’re prayers of protection and healing, meant not for yourself, but for others. Not once did I ever expect to hear them from Ezra.

As he finishes the final one, he presses a tender kiss to my jawline. “You are safe, Valentina Violetta Baranova, no matter how far apart our hearts.”

Even when he’s the one bleeding, he’s worried about me. My heart swells with love for this selfless man. He’s always protected me over himself. I’ve always thought it was because his pakhan gave the order, but although his protection may have began that way, a bodyguard doesn’t pray for his charge. They don’t storm into enemy territory with a small army at their back for just anyone. He makes shrugging off a bullet wound look like it’s just another day at the office when I know it hurts like hell.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.