Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 92160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Matvei shakes his head. “Of course you guys have to bring this up when it’s just me on the execution block, and Rodion’s free and clear.”
“I didn’t hear about this one,” Matvei’s father cuts in, taking another sip of wine.
“I handled it,” Rafail says simply.
“There were a lot of things you didn’t hear about,” Matvei mutters. He drags a hand over his face and groans. “Hell, Semyon, why’d you have to bring that up?”
“Excuse me, the what?” His mother’s shooting daggers at me with her eyes, so of course I need to hear every detail.
Matvei smirks into his drink. Goddamn… it’s adorable. I lean in and whisper to him, “Are you blushing?”
Semyon’s eyes twinkle at Vadka, who leans forward, grinning wide, all charm and amusement.
“It was beautiful. Matvei walks in like he owns the place, claims he’s an inspector sent to check their business permits.” Vadka chuckles, shaking his head. “Rodion, meanwhile, is in the VIP section, helping himself to free drinks like a fucking king.”
A buzzing sounds at the end of the table. Rafail glances at his watch with a scowl but nods to Vadka to keep going.
“We were young and stupid,” Matvei says, rolling his eyes.
Semyon snorts. “As if you’re both too mature to pull that shit now.”
Matvei shrugs and deadpans, “We’d just get away with it now.”
I laugh into my hand. Matvei pours me another drink. It feels… right.
“And the two of you were absolutely fucked the second you saw Rafail walk in.”
Matvei winces as if remembering it all in vivid detail. Hooo, boy. I get the feeling Rafail wasn’t the type to fuck around.
“Caught red-handed?”
Matvei smirks and shakes his head. “I can still remember what Rafail said.”
Everyone quiets as he grins, with straight white teeth and perfect charm. My heart turns in my chest. I swallow. It has to be the wine.
“What’d he say?”
“If you two assholes are going to run a scam, at least make it a profitable one.” He shakes his head. “Then he hauled us out of there by our collars.” He turns to Vadka. “You were there. You could’ve helped a brother out.”
Vadka takes a slow sip of his drink, unbothered. “And interrupt that level of stupidity? Nah. I was way too busy enjoying the show. If I remember correctly, you did get some time with a pretty little redhead before you were caught.”
“Vadka,” Mariah says, elbowing him.
My fingers tighten around my wine glass. I’m not super into hearing about him with another woman. Matvei grunts and shakes his head but leans in and whispers in my ear, “Jealous, solnyshka?”
I give him a too-sweet smile and shrug. “Not at all,” I whisper back. “I’m just wondering if the girls gave you a refund.”
His grip on my thigh tightens.
Excellent.
I note how Rafail excuses himself from the table. Polina looks after him with interest.
The conversation moves on, but I watch Matvei carefully. He isn’t just an enforcer, a soldier for the Bratva.
This is a man who grew up in a tangled web of loyalty, family, and control.
And somehow, despite it all, he makes me feel like I belong.
Rafail returns to the room, his gaze sharp on mine. “Matvei. A word.”
Chapter 18
MATVEI
I don't like being apart from Anissa. But when Rafail tells me to do something, I fucking do it. That's part of the problem, really.
"She's fine," he says, casting a narrow glance at Anissa, who's talking to Zoya.
Should we be worried about that?
"I remember what you told me before I got her," I say, meeting his eyes as we walk side by side to his study, a private place where he sometimes holds meetings, but typically only between those closest to him.
"Is she pregnant yet?" Rafail asks. I want to deck him, but I don’t have a death wish.
I shake my head. It's only been a matter of weeks, but it definitely wouldn't be for lack of trying. "No."
"Has she tried to run?" he asks, half rolling his eyes as he adds, "again?"
Fire burns in my veins. I love Rafail like my goddamn brother, but I do not like where these questions are going.
"No. Why?” I narrow my eyes at him. “Don't you trust me to take care of her and make sure she does what she's supposed to?"
He sits in his chair and looks at me thoughtfully before answering. Leaning back, dressed as he often is in a charcoal-gray bespoke suit, not a hair out of place, he looks older than he really is. It's the weight of responsibility; I know it is. Still, he's loyal and protective, but he does not fuck around.
"She's your wife's sister,” I remind him.
He blows out a breath and sighs. "I know."
I know he knows, but obviously, I felt like he needed a reminder. If he tried to harm her in any way, I wouldn't stand for it. But I don't want him to even entertain the thought, so it seemed advisable to remind him who she is.