Page 58 of Plus-Size Bratva Bride

“I was just lost in my mind somewhere,” I answer, shrugging and knotting my brows, waving my hand in front of my head as though it was a scramble of thoughts.

“What were you thinking about?” he asks, running his hand up and down my thigh slowly. His long fingers tracing over the denim of my jeans and heating my leg beneath them.

“Um, my brother. I guess,” I say, not completely lying, but lying a little.

He gently squeezes my leg and my body tingles beneath his touch.

“I can’t imagine what it would be like to lose one of my brothers, Jade. I can’t imagine what you went through, and how it will affect the rest of your life. But I want you to know—I’m here if you ever want to talk or just… Be with someone,” he says, hesitating at the last part.Be with someone.It could mean so many things.

Physical.

Emotional.

Long term.

Short term.

An embrace.

I place my hand over his, threading my fingers through his. “Thank you, Rad. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”

That is not a lie. Absolutely no part of that is a lie. I appreciate the things he’s done for me in ways I shouldn’t. In ways that make me want to stay with him.

But that’s an impossible thought. A horrible idea when I look at the whole picture.

My brother.

A ghost whispering in the back of my mind. Following me like a shadow wherever I go, in my thoughts no matter what I do.

Radmir pulls up in the driveway at his brother’s place. Renat is hosting the dinner tonight.

Ruvim is climbing out of his car ahead of us and he turns to wave at Radmir and me. We both wave back and somehow it makes my heart smile. His family has been welcoming. Only Renat has sensed the real me. The traitor. The shadow.

And I am starting to hate myself for what I’m doing. Is any of this worth it in the end? It’s not going to bring my brother back and I am stooping as low as the person who took him from me.

I glance at Radmir who smiles and asks, “You ready?”

I nod and grin back at him.

Ruvim waits for us and we all walk in together, with Radmir’s hand on my waist as he holds me close against his side.

Sitting around the table with all of his brothers talking at once and their wives laughing and chirping in between—it’s a warm and happy evening.

The food is incredible, as usual. Roast lamb, roast chicken, roast potatoes and fresh homemade breads with a wide assortment of vegetables. The carrots in sweet butter sauce are an obvious favorite and I can see why.

The guys practically clear the table and only one or two bowls still have some leftovers in it by the time they are done.

I laugh to myself, noting that all of them are tall and well-built and they obviously need a lot of fuel to keep up all those good genetics.

Even though Radmir and I are talking with everyone else at the table he constantly leans close to check in with me. Asking me if I’m ok and if I need anything.

Why does he have to be so sweet?

Just before dessert is served, the housekeepers are busy clearing away our dinner plates, when Ruvim announces something that makes Radmir go rigid with tension next to me.

“I am going to enter into one of the fights on the next cage night,” Ruvim says boldly.

“What? That’s a terrible idea.” Renat laughs, not taking him seriously. Beneath the table, Radmir’s hand tightens on my leg. It’s not me that he’s tense over though, it’s Ruvim. I reach under the table and take his hand, trying to give him something calming to hold onto.

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