Page 108 of Forced plus-size Bride of the Bratva
He opens the blade, then presses the handle into my palm.
“From now on,” he says, looking me dead in the eye, “you never walk this house unarmed.”
I stare at it. It’s sleek, heavier than I expect. My fingers curl around the handle.
“You think I can handle this?” I ask.
“I think you’re stronger than you know.”
“I’m your wife,” I say, sitting up straighter. “I can handle anything.”
His mouth twitches into a smile. “That’s my girl.”
I lean down and kiss him, slow and certain. It’s not rushed or desperate. Just…solid. The kind of kiss that seals something in place.
When we part, his eyes are brighter, and I marvel at how happy I make him.
Chapter 24 – Adrian
The night air carries a chill, but inside the estate, everything glows. The chandeliers, the candles, the polished gold detailing on the cutlery—it all gleams like we’re hosting a wedding instead of a war council.
I adjust the cuff of my suit, scan the ballroom from the balcony, and nod to Zalar, who’s stationed near the main entrance with four of our best men. No one gets in without being cleared. Not tonight.
It’s not just a dinner. It’s a statement.
Logan is free.
Jennie is mine.
And anyone who has a problem with either can walk their traitorous ass out the door—or get carried.
They all know Jennie. They’ve seen her at my side for weeks. But tonight, I will speak her name and make her place known—not just to the men who follow me, but to the world that watches from the shadows.
And Logan.
Unless I declare his freedom openly, officially, publicly—there will always be someone who thinks it’s safer to put him in the ground. I won’t let that happen. Not for Jennie.
I scan the room slowly.
Logan stands off to the left, surrounded by some of my men. They’re laughing at something. He’s fitting in. Still green, still soft around the edges, but I see grit in him now. Strength. He just needs the right pressure. My men will handle it. And over the past few weeks, he and Jennie have grown closer, and it makes me happy that she has family.
Across the room, Lukin cradles his son, Sam, while Kaz gestures animatedly beside him. I’m not sure what the hell Kaz issaying, but Lukin looks like he’s enjoying it. It hits me then, how rare this peace is. How rare this feeling is—of having everyone I care about under one roof…alive.
And then there’s Jennie.
She’s talking with Zoe and Violet, her closest friends. Her laughter dances across the room like a melody, sweet and warm. The black silk of her gown hugs every curve. Her dark hair falls like waves down her back, and she turns her head just enough for the candlelight to catch the sparkle in her earrings.
She doesn’t know I’m staring. Doesn’t realize that every heartbeat I’ve got left belongs to her.
She’s so beautiful. I love her so much. It’s unreal.
Soon, the room quietens.
Conversations fade. Chairs shift. Forks stop clinking against plates. The weight of what’s coming settles across the hall like smoke. Every man in here knows what it means when I take the stage.
I step up slowly, glass still in hand.
“My brothers,” I begin, voice steady, low. “My friends. My blood.”
