The Bratva King's Lost Bride

7 Hard Talk

Meadow POV

What the hell just happened? Did he really just order for Danica and Dimitri to be locked up? It can't be. He has to be putting on a show for my benefit. Dimitri is like a brother to him. He is his right hand for God's sake. They are probably closer than brothers after the things they have done together. They have known each other since they were small children. He would never turn his back on him, let alone hurt him.

Who the hell was he telling to have a conversation with his wife before they see me again? That won't be happening. I'm not his wife anymore. He can't change what's happened. Ivan closes his eyes and raises his head to the ceiling. After a few seconds, his eyes meet mine again."I am so sorry, malyshka. You will never know how sorry I am for what you have suffered under my watch. I promise you that they will all be punished for their part in your pain," he says, emotion clear in his voice.

Ivan Petrov does not apologize. I feel like I've stepped into an alternate universe. "I promise you that they will both pay for the pain they have caused you. They will suffer for every minute you have suffered," he says. "Ivan, we both know that Dimitri is like your brother." "No, I have two brothers that share my blood and neither would ever harm my wife. Neither would make her feel unworthy. Neither would threaten my child. The fact that he thought familiarity gave him the right to mistreat you makes his life forfeit," he says.

"Ivan, you can't kill," I start to say, but he cuts me off. "I can and I will. I have killed men for far less," he says, his voice colder than I've ever heard. I imagine this as the voice of the Pakhan. "Ivan, as long as you keep Ava away from the two of them, that is all that matters. Everything else that happened is in the past. We need to figure out how to move forward and co-parent our daughter. I'm going to grab a bag, and I'll leave as soon as I say goodbye to Ava. That will give you time to spend getting to know each other."

Before I realize what's happening, I'm boxed in by his massive arms. His lips are a breath away from mine. I hate my body for reacting to his closeness. "You will not be going anywhere, Meadow. I realize that I have made mistakes, but you are my wife. You are my heart. The vows we took were forever. I understand that I have much to make up for, but you will not leave me again," he says. My mind, body, and soul are torn and being this close to Ivan isn't helping.

I manage to duck under his arm and put some distance between us, using the kitchen island as a physical barrier. "Ivan, I truly appreciate your apology. I don't expect you to throw away years of friendship when we are no longer together. When you get back from Nickoli's wedding, we will set up a schedule for your visits." He chuckles and moves to stand on the opposite side of the island. "You mean when we get back from Nickoli's wedding we will be figuring out how to get back to us," he says.

"Ivan you aren't listening. There is no us." His eyes darken and he rounds the island. He moves until we are standing toe to toe. "There is very much an us, malyshka. We will be taking our daughter back to Russia to meet her grandparents and attend her uncle's wedding," he says. "I told you I'm never returning to that mansion, Ivan, and I meant it. Ava and I aren't going to Russia. This is her home, our home."

"First, I never said you had to return to that place. I will buy us a new home. It will have to be big enough for a handful of soldiers, and I'm sure that Alexi and Ivana will want to live with us too. My grandparents left me their home, and it is nearly as big as my father's home. We can look at it while we are there for the wedding," he says. I'm tempted to turn and grab the pan off the stove to bludgeon him at this point.

"You are not listening to me, Ivan. We can't go back." "You are absolutely right, we can't," he says. Why does his agreement hurt so much? "We can, however, move forward. I will earn your forgiveness, and we will give our docha the family she deserves," he says. My stupid heart starts to race because the woman that still loves him wants that to be true. Wants that more than I will ever admit.

"Ivan, please," I say, not really knowing what I'm asking for. Part of me wants him to pull me into his arms and fix every part of me that he broke with his carelessness and the other part wants him to go back to Russia and let us live our lives without him. I knew seeing him again, being this close to him would confuse my mind and heart. I never stopped loving him, but it almost destroyed me. If it wasn't for Ava I would have stayed. I would have endured whatever I had to just to be with him. It's not just me now.

I won't let anyone hurt Ava. "Please, what malyshka," he asks. "I don't trust you, Ivan," I whisper, but his body stiffening lets me know he heard every word. "You will never know how much that guts me, Meadow, but it's my own fault. I swear to you that one day you will trust me with your heart again and when you do, I will be the man worthy of your love. Right now, I know I'm not, but I wouldn't be the man I am if I gave up, especially on something so important," he says.

Ivan's phone ringing effectively halts our conversation. I expect him to answer it, but instead he silences it. I'm just about to tell him to answer his call when it starts to vibrate in his hand. "Ivan, I need a minute on my own. Go ahead and handle your business." I push past him before he can stop me and head for the front door, needing some space before I give into his demands. The minute I step onto the porch, I breathe in the fresh air that doesn't smell of my husband's expensive cologne. Saying my husband still feels surreal. I truly thought he signed the papers, that our marriage was over.

God, I've missed that smell. Missed the way he fills a space with his presence. Get it together Meadow. He hasn't even been here for eight hours, and you are already forgetting all the bulls*t he put you through. Did you forget you found him in your bed naked with that b**ch. Did you forget he ignored you while those two tortured you? Great now I'm talking to myself. I cross the yard and sit on the tree swing that I hung for Ava on her third birthday. What the hell am I supposed to do?

Ivan POV

I want to step in front of Meadow before she can leave my sight, but I can see she needs a break from our conversation. It doesn't stop my heart from pounding against my chest even though I know she won't leave Ava. Realizing she ran was the worst moment of my life. I move to look out the window as I place the phone to my ear. "What do you need papa?" "You aren't going to like what I have to say, son. First, Maximus is pitching a fit that you have ordered his children to be locked up," he says.

"I don't give a f**k about Maximus or his opinion. He doesn't get to question my f**king orders. Maybe if his children weren't treacherous a**holes they wouldn't be in this situation." "I agree, son, but you know how Sylvia has your mother's ear. I had the three of them in my office demanding I make you see reason and forget about the little f**king waitress who isn't worthy of the head of our family. Their words not mine," he says. "Papa, I swear that I will put a bullet in each of their heads if they cause my wife another moment of pain. I don't care if she birthed me."

There is a long pause and I know he is digesting my words. He and my mother had an arranged marriage when they were both very young. They have never shared a deep love, but she is still his wife. She was never a great mother, but I respected her as the woman that gave me life. The truth is, she had children because my father insisted that she would if she wanted the life of a bride of the Pakhan. My respect for her role in my life ended the moment she thought she could disrespect my wife. The woman I love with every fiber of my being.

"You are my son. You, your brothers, and sister are the greatest gift of my life. As much as I have respected the vows I took with Alexandra, I will not let anyone, including her, cause you unhappiness. If she has a hand in driving Meadow away, I will support whatever way you deal with her. I have seen the pain that losing Meadow has caused you. I'm glad you found her. Bring her home, my son, and we will protect her," he says.

"She won't return to your home, papa. She has nothing but bad memories, which include finding me in bed with that vulturous b**ch. There is something else I need to tell you papa. I have a daughter. She is beautiful, smart, and fiery, just like her mama." Again there is a long silence and I pull the phone away from my ear to see if the call dropped. "You are a papa," he asks. "Yes and you are a dedushka." "Bring them both home son. I promise you that I will protect them both even if it's from you," he says.

"That will never happen again papa. I will never ignore my wife's concerns again." "Good, now I have to go deal with my wife. Travel safe my son. Kiss my daughter and my grandbaby for me. Also tell your sister that she is on my sh*t list for keeping secrets from family," he says. The call disconnects and I chuckle.

She is his baby girl. She won't be on that list long. I stare at the woman sitting on a large swing with a look that mirrors my own. The weight of our choices weighing heavily on us both, but I can't let her go. I won't ever let her go. Now I just have to figure out exactly how to convince my wife to give me a second chance.