Page 48 of The Bratva’s Arranged Virgin Bride (Fokin Bratva #8)

One month later

The time finally arrived. The great and mighty Aleks Fokin and Nat’s uncles were back in Los Angeles. The meeting we’d been waiting for was scheduled. I just wanted it over, but I couldn’t honestly say I was looking forward to it. Dreading was more accurate.

As anxious as Nat was about meeting with Mila, she was just that relaxed about coming face to face with her father for the first time since she pulled her wild stunt at the wedding. Or at least she pretended to be, for my sake.

I wasn’t sure why I felt so unsure about it.

By now, we had Mat, Daniil, and Rurik on our side, especially after I loaned them some of my men to squash another mini uprising in their fledgling territory.

Ever since they had decided to stay stateside, they had quickly made a name for themselves, and just as quickly found people who wanted to challenge them.

They were so grateful, it pissed me off a little bit. I told them firmly that we were family. They needed to recognize that, and there was no more ‘my people’ and ‘your people’ about it. We had to work together to keep what was ours and, as always, gain more.

Nat’s soft-spoken cousin Lilia was a frequent guest at our house, helping Nat decorate the place to look like her artistic fantasies. Every room was full of life and spirit, with everything from ancient artifacts to the newest up-and-coming abstract artist’s pieces.

Even Masha had come around to fully forgiving Nat from knocking her out with sleeping pills so she could steal me out from under her.

She could laugh about it now, teasing that she had inadvertently played matchmaker.

I always agreed with her, but my feelings for Nat started much earlier than our arranged marriage, and went much deeper than any alliance between families.

Mila was also working behind the scenes in our favor.

Once the news of a new baby in the family made the rounds, her stubborn brothers’ wives rebelled and brought her back into the fold.

Any time one of the Fokins dared to say something against Arkadi or me, she grabbed her middle and told them she really couldn’t be under stress in her condition.

She swore it always shut them up, and while I had a feeling they knew she was playing them, they cared too much to risk upsetting her.

As for my brother, Arkadi had actually been speaking to me, discussing business, and even suggesting the possibility of a joint venture.

He was excited about becoming a dad and put up with me teasing him about this new, softer side I was seeing for the first time.

I was actually a bit envious, but Nat and I had plenty of time to get our family started.

I was happy to be in the honeymoon phase we didn’t get before.

There was no real reason to feel anxious, but I was inwardly quaking as much as the first time I had to face my stern and unyielding father, two years after my mother took me away from him. I only prayed that this meeting had a better outcome.

On the morning of the meeting, I actually felt sick.

I believed in Nat’s love and her loyalty.

I’d die before I ever gave her up. But the last thing I wanted was for her to be separated from that big, close family that she adored.

One word from her father and she’d have to decide if I was enough.

As much as I believed her, could I let her give up so much when I made the promise she’d never have to?

I hid it well, and Nat must have been more worried than she let on, because she didn’t notice right away. To keep us from lapsing into tense silence on the short drive over to her father’s house, I kept up a stream of chatter.

“Oh,” I said, thinking of some news I just received that morning. “It looks like that investment your father and uncles were working on in St. Petersburg is going to be very lucrative. That might just have them all in good moods.”

She turned to me. “Really? How do you know anything about that? Mila didn’t say anything when I talked to her yesterday.”

I grinned, tipping my hand at last. “I might know because it’s my company they were trying to partner with,” I said. “I might have orchestrated them leaving the country in the first place. You and I are going to profit from this, too. A lot.”

I grinned at her, waiting for her shocked smile, maybe even laughter. The shock was clear on her beautiful face, but no smile, no laugh.

“I don’t understand. You were trying for an arranged marriage all along?”

“Only some kind of alliance. I never dreamed I’d be accepted so fast.”

She sniffed. “You never dreamed they were onto you all along. Just like I was.”

“It’s a good thing, too. Masha would have killed me by the second day, and I’d never get to be with the only woman I’ve ever loved.”

As I reached to squeeze her hand, she softened, then smiled. “You’re so much more devious than I ever imagined.”

“Not anymore,” I promised. “Not unless you’re in on it with me.”

“Damn straight,” she muttered.

Right before we got to her father’s house, I pulled over and took out the surprise I had been wanting to give her. She looked down at the small box with a question in her eyes. I snapped it open to show the simple gold bands.

“I think it’s about time we wore wedding rings.”

With an intake of breath, she held out her hand. I slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her hand. Then she took the larger one out and put it on me. “I already know we’re real,” she said.

“I know. But now we can show the world we belong to each other.”

And even though she swore up and down she didn’t want a huge diamond, I already had one picked out for our first Christmas together. After a long kiss that threatened to make us late, I started the car again to head to the meeting.

We pulled through the imposing gates of her father’s mansion, Nat’s childhood home.

She waved to the guard as we passed, and the lurching feeling was back to twist my stomach.

Inside, I was patted down, making Nat sputter with outrage.

I told her it was fine, putting up with the indignity for her sake. I would have done much more for her.

Everyone was already assembled in the living area. The sunshine streaming in from the large windows was a harsh contrast to the sea of stormy faces, all seeming to glare at me.

Not really all. Mat spoke up for me right away, citing the times I helped them with raids while the elder Fokins were in Russia.

Saved their asses was more like it, but I stayed quiet and tried to look humble.

To my shock, Nik and Ivan, Nat’s two uncles who were involved with arranging the alliance, also spoke up for me, admitting they saw no reason not to trust me.

It wasn’t exactly glowing, and they might have been trying to save their own skins for their part in it, but I thought I saw respect in their eyes when I nodded at them.

Katie, Aleks’s wife, spoke next. “We’re sick to death of being divided,” she said, focused on her impassive husband. “None of us want to go behind your backs, but that’s what we’ll do if it comes down to it.”

Then Olivia, who was Ivan’s wife, stood up for her chance to speak. She looked at Mila, who had her hands in her lap and her head cast down. Then at, Nat, who tried to smile.

“Arkadi and Kolya could have done a thousand things against us in all this time,” she said. “But all they’ve done is help us. And love two of our own.”

Mila wiped tears off her cheeks and told her eldest brother it was true. Nat nodded, looking straight at her father for the first time since we arrived, and his stony face had her cowering.

No longer. My fiery wife jumped up and flew to Aleks’s side, reaching to grip his shoulders as if she wanted to shake him.

“I know none of this was planned, Papa, and I don’t want you to be unhappy or disappointed in me.”

“I could nev—”

She cut him off. “I love Kolya. I loved him before the alliance was ever an option. But when I saw it, I took it. I took what I wanted, just like you always do. I’m your daughter. I’m Bratva, no matter how hard you tried to keep me out of it.”

In her pause, Aleks opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His eyes were all but blazing thunderbolts, but he waited for her to finish.

“I won’t give him up, Papa. Don’t try to make me. You won’t like it, and neither will I.”

“Neither will I,” Katie said, a warning in her soft voice.

Aleks stood, forcing Nat back a step. “I want to speak to my daughter alone,” he said, giving her a glare that should have had her quaking in her shoes.

It didn’t. “No. No more secret meetings. Kolya is my husband, and he’ll remain my husband. He’s family. If you don’t agree, then you’re the one giving me up, not the other way around.”

Katie tried to speak again, but Aleks stopped her with a flick of his hand.

At that point, I was done. No more humble gratitude for being allowed in the hallowed halls.

I stood up as well, moving to Nat’s side.

She reached for my hand, never taking her eyes off her father’s face.

Stubborn eyes, just like his, but never more beautiful.

“There’s no way I’m giving up my wife,” I said simply.

Aleks turned to me. I didn’t back down, didn’t say another word.

Neither did Nat. There was nothing more to say as we stood there, united.

A pin dropping would have rang out like a church bell; it was so silent.

No one would have ever known it to look at her, but Nat’s hand trembled in mine.

I only held on tighter. I would not let her go.

The hard look finally melted off Aleks’s face. “Of course, I’m not giving you up,” he said to Nat, then turned to me. Reaching over, he gripped my shoulder hard enough to crack the bone. “But I’m not taking my eyes off you for a while. Maybe never.”

“I’d do the same,” I said.

“My firstborn daughter says she’s happy with you, so you better keep it that way.”