Page 50 of Plus-Size Bratva Bride

“Good morning, starfish.” I grin, stepping forward and wrapping my hand around the back of her head to kiss her forehead. She giggles, sounding shy, and then peeks around me, following the scent of fresh coffee.

“Here you go,” I say, handing her a cup.

She leans against the kitchen counter with one leg crossed over the other as she savors her first sip.

For a long while, I can’t look away from her.

Things have shifted between us. She is open and soft and no longer pushing me away. This version of her makes me think we might have a real future together. She might allow me to… Tolove her.

I clench my jaw to try and hide the ridiculous wide grin on my face, but it doesn’t work so I turn my back to her instead, fussing over my own coffee and finding the ingredients to make us breakfast.

“Do you like cooking?” she asks, wiggling herself onto the kitchen counter with her legs swinging down.

“I do, but the one in our family who cooks the best is Rigor. Rodion is also pretty damn good at it.” I nod.

“And your sisters?” She is chatty this morning.

“Raisa can cook. I think Ruslana prefers shopping.” I laugh loudly.

Jade starts to giggle. “That girl certainly knows how to shop,” she agrees.

“And you?” I ask. “Do you cook?”

“I think it’s pretty obvious I like to cook, and that I enjoy food.” She smiles, her cheeks turning a beautiful pink.

“Then we will make the perfect couple, because I will cook for you and always make sure you are happy.”

She grins and bites her lip.

“What about your other brothers? What do they do for fun?”

“We all work a lot. But overall we like the normal things. Music, art, I really like my orchids, Renat is into cage fighting. He’s pretty good at it too.”

“That’s not anormalthing.” She laughs loudly. “Cage fighting? That’s kind of awesome.”

I chuckle, throwing bacon strips into the heated pan and enjoying the sizzle. “He’s got a fight coming up now, tomorrow night I think.”

“Oh my word! I want to go,” she says excitedly.

I clench my jaw. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Why not?” she huffs, pouting her bottom lip out. It makes me laugh.

“It’s dangerous. It’s violent. The whole environment is not the nicest place for a beautiful girl like you.”

“I’m tougher than I look you know. My brother and I, we used to do street racing.” She raises her brow at me. I squint at her, wondering if she was any good at it.

Then I sigh in resignation. I guess there is no harm in taking her to see my brother fight, especially if I am there to take care of her. Ruslana and Raisa have both been to see him fight and they weren’t bothered by the aggression.

“Ok, we can go, if you promise to stay close to me at all times.”

“I promise.” She grins and wiggles her hips in excitement.

Chapter 15 - Jade

Radmir leads me towards the rusted heavy door on the side of a derelict looking building.

“Um, is this the right place?” I ask, glancing left and right and seeing nothing but empty, suspicious looking darkness.

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