Page 87 of Innocent Bratva Twins

My eyes close as I feel the alcohol burn down my throat. When I open them, Yilian is handing me a beer.

I take a long sip to wash away the tequila.

“How are you doing, man?” Luka asks.

“He’s fucking fine.” Arkady answers on my behalf. “She’s just a girl.”

Luka clears his throat loudly and throws Ark a severe glare.

He’s clueless. He always has been. Wild, unpredictable, and clueless. He thinks life is this joyous rollercoaster of mayhem and luck. I’m not even offended by his comment, because it’s Ark. He doesn’t know better. He has girls falling at his feet, but he’s never experienced love. Not like that. Family, sure. But not the haunting love of a woman.

Neither had I, though, until I met Serafina.

Serafina.

At nine, she messages me to say goodnight. These evening messages have been something I really look forward to, but also something that makes me feel worse because I can’t just reply and start a conversation and ask her questions. This one simplemessage emphasizes the fact that we are so far apart from each other.

I’m a little drunk, so I don’t reply with my usual ‘sleep well, because worried I might say something stupid.

The night drags on and the shots flow freely. I drink more and more, waiting for it to numb me. Waiting impatiently for that blissful moment where I don’t care anymore.

But instead of relief, I get heavier and heavier with thoughts of her.

Around eleven, Ark leans over and punches me in the shoulder.

“You’re a miserable son of a bitch.” He laughs.

Luka punches Ark. “That’s our mother you’re talking about, idiot.”

“Right.” He laughs. “But seriously, Nico, you need to explain this to me because I don’t get it—“

“Get what?” I huff, regretting coming tonight.

“Why do guys get so hung up on girls? There are literally hundreds of them. You can have a new one tomorrow—hell, you can have a new one tonight if you want. Why are you sulking over justoneof them?”

Luka shakes his head and throws a look at Yilian, who shrugs.

“Dude—“ I sigh. “If you don’t get it, then you don’t get it. It doesn’t matter.”

I’m way too drunk to answer him. How can I explain love anyway? It’s too big for words. There is too much of it—it’s too heavy. It’s killing me.

Standing up, I sway a bit, my legs are like jelly. It’s been a long time since I drank that amount, especially in such a short time.

“You might want to sit down before you face plant.” Luka muses.

“Nah, man, I need to get home.” I sigh, holding the wall of the booth for stability.

“Did you Uber here?”

“No, my car’s out front.”

“That’s not going to happen.” He stands up too. “I’ll get an Uber for you. Leave me with your keys and I’ll get one of the guys to drop your car off later.”

“Ye,” I mutter. “Thanks.”

Not long after that, I’m in the back of an Uber wondering how I got there.

Fuck.