Page 99 of Obsessed Bratva King

Maxim.

I exhale a slow breath before turning my head to glare at him. He stands off to the side, looking entirely unimpressed, arms crossed over his chest.

“Where’s the champagne? Where’s the over-the-top cake? I mean, seriously. Where’s the gunfights?”

Elena smacks his arm. “You’re literally at a wedding for the Bratva. Shut up before someone makes you disappear.”

Maxim snorts. “I’d like to see them try.”

“Be careful, Maxim.” Veronica smirks from beside Elena, her eyes glittering. “We both know you just want the cake all to yourself.”

Maxim huffs, unbothered. “I do like cake.”

Ivan sighs, rubbing his temple like he’s regretting his entire inner circle.

I bite my lip, trying not to laugh.

I barely have time to process the moment before Ivan takes my hand and leads me away from the crowd.

The voices of our guests fade behind us, lost in the vast halls of the estate. I don’t ask where we’re going at first, content in the warmth of his palm against mine, the unwavering certainty of his presence.

But curiosity tugs at me.

“Where are we going?” I ask as we step into the cool night air. The scent of the ocean lingers in the breeze, mixing with the distant scent of cigar smoke and the sharp tang of leather from his suit.

He doesn’t stop walking.

His grip tightens just slightly, just enough to remind me—he will never let go.

He turns his head, blue eyes cutting through the darkness like a promise.

"Anywhere you want, printsessa."

I step onto the stone terrace, the tiles warm beneath my bare feet. The villa is perched high above the sea, the coastline stretching far below us, a private paradise tucked away from the rest of the world.

Elena and Veronica lounge beneath a white umbrella, their pregnant bellies more visible now, round and prominent, their due dates creeping closer.

Veronica’s back is arched slightly, one hand resting on her stomach as she stretches out in a cushioned chair, sunglasses perched on her nose.

“I swear, this baby is going to be a fighter,” she groans, shifting in her seat. “She kicks like she’s training for an MMA title.”

Elena smirks, her own hand resting over her belly. “God help us all.”

I laugh, shaking my head as I move across the terrace, letting their voices fade into the background.

I can feel his presence before I even see him.

I turn, my gaze catching on Ivan standing near the edge of the balcony, his arms crossed over his chest, his broad shoulders relaxed in the kind of way they never used to be.

His sharp blue eyes are locked onto me.

I pad across the stone toward him, my heartbeat steady, sure. I know that look. It isn’t unreadable at all.

I press a hand to his solid chest, feeling the warmth beneath my palm.

“Like what you see?” he asks.

His lips curve slightly, a slow, knowing smirk.

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