Page 86 of Fractured Ties

Yeah, calling their younger sister a bitch would be nice. And it would probably make Viktoria Boykov smile like a happy cat. One with claws already sharpened and coming for your throat. People said Kolya was perpetually pissed off. Well, his sister could put him to shame.

“Planned on it,” Kolya said. “Now, bye.”

He scooped his phone up and hit the end call button. At the same time, he grabbed the towel hanging from a hook. He made quick work of running the towel through his hair, and wiping the water from his body. He stepped out of the bathroom to find Maya was finally awake, and resting on her side on the bed as she stared out the hotel window where the light was filtering in.

Kolya tightened the towel around his waist as he took a moment to appreciate the sight of the woman in front of him. Content and sweet. Naked under white sheets, but showing off her delicate shoulders and pert breasts with the way she was resting.

His arrival didn’t go unnoticed—she turned her head just slightly to blind him with a brilliant, happy smile.

He adored that. He’d had her in this hotel for a week—ever since that night when she was attacked by the Albanians, and then … whoever else tried to run her and Konstantin off the road later. And all week, she’d been like this.

Happy.

Pleased.

Eager.

Soft.

Joyful.

Bubbly.

He’d never been around anyone who seemed to be as constantly upbeat and pleasant as Maya was, day in and day out. It didn’t affect his personality all that much—he was still a scowling fucker on his good days, but he did find the days passed by easier and faster when this woman was smiling at him.

How was he supposed to let that—let her—go?

He enjoyed it as much as it killed him in that moment. Her smile felt like the softest kiss against his skin—something she did often, and frequently, without warning him first as though she liked the reaction she got. Her smile also felt like a knife twisting in his chest because of two simple words.

Brand her.

Kolya still had to tell her somehow. It might not be the brand that Vadim wanted, but it was still a label. Still black ink on silky, creamy skin. Something she hadn’t asked for at all.

“Come here,” Maya said, holding a small, delicate hand out as if to reach for him. “Watch the clouds with me, Kolya.”

He lifted a brow, but crossed the room. “You’re watching clouds, dushka?”

“They’re big and fluffy this morning.”

“Oh?”

“Mmhmm. Come see.”

The smallest things made this woman happy—it was both strange and enthralling to Kolya. He could make her smile, simply by looking at her or even stroking her cheek with his thumb. And clouds could make her happy, too.

Kolya came to stand next to where Maya was reclined on the side of the bed. She was quick to push up into a sitting position and then pull him down to sit between her legs as she moved to her knees. Between her legs, with his back tucked firmly against her chest, Maya hovered a bit higher than him when he tipped his head back to look at her.

“You’re supposed to be looking at the clouds.”

He managed a smile—for her, it was easy.

“You’re nicer to look at.”

She grinned slyly. “Oh?”

“Yes.”

Maya pressed a kiss to his forehead, and whispered, “Well, thank you.”