Page 50 of Brutal Reign (Bratva Kings #3)
I glance up and find Pavel leaning against the terrace railing, watching us intently.
The way his shirt stretches across his cut chest is seriously distracting.
When he catches me looking, that slow devastating smile spreads across his face—the one that makes my stomach flip and reminds me exactly what his mouth is capable of.
“Okay, hold up,” Kira says, following my gaze. “I’ve never seen Pavel look at anyone like that. Ever. The man hasn’t even brought a woman around in years, so this is kind of a big deal. I’m going to need you to spill all the dirty details.”
All three women are looking at me expectantly.
I’m so used to keeping my cards close to my chest; my first instinct is to deflect or share the bare minimum.
But something about these women makes me want to be honest. Maybe it’s because they seem to actually care, or maybe I’m just desperate for real connection after years of isolation.
So I tell them about London, about Lukas the Swedish author, about the best night of my life followed by five years of thinking about a man who didn’t exist. I tell them about Simon, about the forced marriage, about the explosions and the rescue, and the shocking revelation that my Swedish author was actually Pavel Fedorov, head of the Syndicate.
And instead of torturing me for information, which I was pretty sure he was going to do, he ended up marrying me and bringing me here to live with him.
What I don’t tell them is that the night with Pavel resulted in Kin. And as much as I’m falling for Pavel, accepting him means accepting his world. And I still don’t know if I’m ready to do that.
By the end of it, all three are staring at me with wide eyes and empty glasses.
“That’s the most insane story I’ve ever heard,” Sofiya says. “Well, second to my own love story.”
“And romantic in a twisted way,” Liza adds.
Kira’s mouth lifts with a wicked grin. “All I know is that man is completely gone for you. It’s written all over his face.”
“Holy shit, Hope.” Sofiya gasps, grabbing my hand. “That ring is gorgeous. When did this happen?”
I look down at the princess-cut pink diamond, remembering Pavel’s words as he slipped it on my finger. “This morning, actually.”
Kira squeals. “Damn, he wanted to make a statement!”
“Mission accomplished.” Liza sits back with a knowing grin. “I take it things are going well between you two?”
I take a hearty gulp of my drink. “It’s going...” I’m not sure I have the right words for it.
On one hand, I’ve never felt this way about anyone. Nobody’s ever made me feel this safe, cared for, and seen. That includes Kin too. But on the other hand, there’s a ticking clock in the background.
Uncle Chen messaged me last night. He thinks he’s in danger, that Simon somehow knows he was helping me. He provided few details but is pushing for the meetup as soon as possible so he can hand over the inheritance before going into hiding.
If I have any chance of escaping from this life, I have to arrange the meeting soon, but...
Something doesn’t sit right, and I can’t put my finger on it.
Even though I’m sick with worry for Uncle Chen, with every day that passes, the idea of leaving Pavel feels less like freedom and more like losing the life I want.
“Oh, it’s that good,” Liza says, a teasing smirk on her lips.
I shake my head and realize she thinks I got lost in a hot daydream of Pavel rather than spiraling about my increasingly fucked-up situation.
I gulp. “Yeah, it really is that good,” I say and mean it.
Two hours later, I’m sitting beside Pavel at the long table, a fresh glass of sangria in hand and a very full belly.
The lunch was incredible, and conversation flowed in English more easily than I ever expected.
Even the men, whom I initially found intimidating, loosened up and spoke freely around me.
Pavel’s hand rests possessively on my thigh. Every so often, he leans in to comment on the conversation or just to say my name like he likes the taste of it.
“I can’t believe Maxim soaked you in ice water for not sleeping in his bed,” I say to Kira, shaking my head in amazement.
“Oh, don’t worry. I got him back tenfold.” Kira exchanges a saucy look with her husband. “Remember how I made you pay, honey?”
Maxim laughs and hauls his wife into his lap. She squeals but looks more than happy to be in his arms.
“She waited until we were doing a photo shoot for a major magazine,” Maxim explains. “Then she sat her fine ass in my lap and did everything in her power to tease me. I was like a teenage boy, nearly exploded in my pants.”
Groans and chuckles carry around the table, and I find myself laughing along with them, surprised by how easy this feels. These women aren’t the ice queens I expected. They’re funny and warm and surprisingly normal, despite being married to some of the most dangerous men in Russia.
And the men... Well, they’re hard and scary in some ways, but around their women, they are putty.
The sound of rapid footsteps draws our attention, and moments later, Kin appears with Alexei and an older boy I assume is Damien, Kira and Maxim’s eldest son. They’re all flushed and excited from whatever they were playing.
But instead of running to me, Kin makes a beeline for Pavel, launching himself into his lap. “We built the coolest fort upstairs, and Alexei has a remote-control helicopter, and we’re best friends now!”
Pavel grins. “That sounds like a perfect day. Did you have fun?”
“Yes! Can Alexei come over to see my dinosaur collection?”
“Sure he can.” Pavel grins as he smooths Kin’s hair.
Sofiya, sitting beside me, leans closer. “Looks like Pavel’s good with him,” she observes quietly, following my gaze.
“Yeah,” I acknowledge. “He is.”
The easy affection between them makes my throat tight. It’s everything I always wanted for my son but never thought he’d have. And every day, the truth gets harder to hold inside, knowing it has the power to change everything between us.
Kira claps her hands together and rises from her seat. “Alright, kiddos. I think it’s time to move this party to the theater. What do you say we watch a movie?”
“Can I, Mama?” Kin asks.
“Of course you can,” I say, giving his little leg a squeeze.
Kira rounds up the boys, and Kin runs off with his new friends, looking more excited than I’ve ever seen him.
Pavel pulls me onto his lap in one smooth motion, his arms circling my waist possessively. His mouth finds mine. Maybe it’s the drinks I’ve had, but instead of feeling self-conscious, I melt into him.
“You good?” he murmurs against my lips.
I kiss him back, tasting whiskey and something uniquely him. “I am.”
“Told you. They’re not so bad, right?”
I shake my head. “They’re better than ‘not so bad’.”
“If you can stop pawing at your wife for five minutes,” Kira interrupts with a grin, “I would like to steal her.”
“Not sure I can allow that.” Pavel narrows his eyes in mock suspicion. “What are your intentions with my woman?”
One hand lands on her round hip. “I’m going to ply her with more drinks and explain why I nicknamed you grumpfish when we first met. You remember that, don’t you?”
Pavel rolls his eyes, grumbling that he couldn’t forget, just as Sofiya steps back out on the terrace with what looks like a fresh pitcher of something in her hands.
“My homemade margaritas. Ready for the tequila portion of the night?” she asks the women, lifting the pitcher.
“Not exactly.” Liza pouts, holding up her mineral water with a frown.
Roman reaches out and pulls his wife closer, planting an appreciative kiss on her baby bump. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll take very good care of you later tonight.” The suggestive grin he gives her makes her cheeks flush.
“The minute that baby’s out, I’m making you the strongest margarita known to mankind,” Sofiya assures her sister, wrapping an arm around her.
“I’m going to hold you to that,” Liza grumbles.
As they start gathering their things, Kira turns to me. “You’re coming, right? Hate to break it to you, but you’re stuck with us now.”
After years of having no real friends, no one who actually seemed to care, hearing someone say I’m stuck with them feels like a pretty good threat.
“I can deal with that.”