Page 1 of The Russian Pakhan's Forced Bride
Chapter 1 - Roman
The dim lights in the VIP lounge cast an amber glow across the crushed velvet walls, illuminating our crystal tumblers and turning the deep-colored brandy a warmer hue.
Between the shuffle of cards and the clinking of ice against our glasses, there’s deep, relaxed laughter coming from my siblings. In the distance, the sound of a busy casino floor—an echo of our success, truly—only adds to the night’s excitement.
Sergey, the third eldest, huffs and leans back into his leather seat while dropping his hand of cards on the table. He throws Mikhail an irritated glance while shaking his head.
“You always cheat.”
Mikhail, grinning ear to ear, reaches forward and claims his prize, dragging the pile of cash towards himself before neatly stacking it. “I do not…I win. And you lose badly.”
Sergey scoffs. “Right…and Ivan is a saint.”
Ivan, sitting at the far end of the sectional with a woman perched on the armrest beside him, lifts a brow at the mention of his name. He chuckles, hardly paying attention to the game unfolding nearby. “That’s what they call me. For good reason.”
“And you all lose focus far too easily,” Nikolai hums while swirling the drink in his glass. He lounges beside me with his usual calm exterior despite the debauchery happening around him. “We’d be able to get back at Mikhail if you could string two thoughts together a little quicker.”
I snicker at that, chuckling over the rim of my glass while they sling their usual light-hearted jabs at one another.
It’s a usual Friday night, and despite missing our little sister, Elena, our spirits are high. Even while my brotherscontinue to bicker aimlessly, there’s normalcy in how loud they are. It speaks of their loyalty, and how we’re all prepared to die for each other—kill for one another, if necessary.
We aren’t like most siblings in many ways, but not once have I ever wanted to trade them for anyone else.
It’s a packed night for our casino, with lights flashing from afar, along with laughter and shouts of excitement from the patrons. Every spin of the roulette wheels, the slide of chips across tables, and the practiced shuffle of cards all remind me of everything we’ve put into this place.
I own it from top to bottom, yet I built it with all of them. There are pieces of us in every inch of the place, in every level of consideration, and because of it, the casino is our frequent spot.
We have many other businesses, but there’s something special about this one. In a way, I think we all feel it.
“Give me that,” Sergey mumbles as he snags the deck of cards from Mikhail before shuffling with smooth efficiency.
Mikhail huffs in return, then glances over at me. “Did you hear about what happened by the docks today? With the Nikolaevs?”
My eyes narrow at the mention of the rival family in question. “No, I didn’t…normally, you’d come to me about this before we start letting loose for the night.”
He gives me a vaguely sheepish smile. “Well…normally. But can you blame me? It’s been a long week.”
“Long enough to make you forget how imperative it is for us to stay on top of the situation, apparently.”
Sergey chuckles, letting an air of ignorance surround him. “What, concern ourselves with weaklings like the Nikolaev’s when we could be basking in the fruits of our labor?”
I give him a disapproving look. “We all know better than to underestimate anyone in this game. While I’m inclined to agree they’re nothing but bugs under our feet, Maxim has survived this long…he can’t be written off that easily.”
While bristling at the idea, well aware that I’m right, Sergey sighs and continues shuffling. “Cockroach is more like it…”
After a moment, my gaze flicks over to the woman hanging onto Ivan, and I gesture towards the exit. “You—out.”
She deflates somewhat, looking disappointed as she turns to Ivan as if to ask if she has to listen. But as I furrow my brows at them both, Ivan guides her to her feet and ushers her out. Cluing in, a streak of fear moves through the woman, and she leaves wordlessly.
Once the door shuts, I turn to Mikhail and harden my gaze. “And you…tell me what happened.”
With his hands up in surrender, he gets to it while the room’s atmosphere shifts, leaving some of that light-hearted banter behind. “Alright, alright…one of our caught wind from the employees that the Nikolaevs have been sneaking men in at night. They’ve been skimming some of the shipments and paying off a few of our guys…while they’ve been keeping it low-key, it’s still an escalation.”
“Maxim’s getting cocky,” Nikolai murmurs, brows pinching together while he looks at nothing in particular.
Ivan huffs to himself. “Obviously, he didn’t pay attention to how something similar ended for the Barone family.”
“And it will be his reality soon enough,” I return, feeling the irritation building within me at the mere thought of anyonetrying to pull one over on us. “We need to put him back in his place…with something that will send a message.”
