Page 58 of The Bratva's Auctioned Bride
Another week, another ridiculously long meeting with the Shevs that could have been ended an hour ago, but these guys get so caught up in the discussions that they unnecessarily prolong it.
We’re all sitting in Jaroslav’s dining room, around the table, paperwork spread out on the surface. Beers are scattered everywhere, half finished, some still glistening with condensation over the glass.
I pick up my beer and drain the last of it.
My mood is already tainted with agitation. I want to get out of here.
It has been a week since the gathering we had at Jaroslav’s place last Friday. A week has passed since I last saw Angel, and I haven’t been able to have her. It’s driving me crazy. I can’t think straight lately.
The longer I’m away from her, the more I seem to lose myself.
“That’s it then,” Matvei says, standing up, and I stifle a loud groan of relief. Thank fuck. I need a drink. I can’t wait to get out of here. Just sitting in this place, I have been constantly worried that Angel will walk in and completely unhinge me.
“How about we call the girls and tell them to meet us here. We can throw some steaks on the grill, open more beers?” Matvei suggests.
Dammit. That’s the last thing I want to hear.
“Now that sounds like a plan!” Jaroslav says, eliciting agreement from the other guys.
“Listen, I’ve got plans already, so I should…” I stand up, trying to excuse myself.
“Bullshit. Cancel them,” Matvei says. “You aren’t going anywhere.” He slaps his hand against my back and hands me a fresh beer.
There’ll be no getting out of this.
Truthfully, it’s not that I want to avoid the guys. I’ve grown quite fond of the Shev brothers. Angelika made me realize that I was judging everyone too harshly based on stupid history bullshit cooked up by the generation before us. Okay, there are also a few disagreements within our generation, to be fair. But they’re good guys. Really good guys.
I just can’t be around her.
But I’m alsodyingto see her.
It’s a real problem for me.
“Thanks, man,” I smile tightly, taking a sip of the freshly cracked ice-cold beer.
Everyone flows out of the dining room and into the garden. It’s midday and the sun is baking down on a beautiful afternoon. In a month, we’ll be heading into Autumn, so these last few weeks of sun should be savored to the fullest.
Matvei sets his beer down near the grill and pulls his shirt over his head. Letting the sun bake directly against his skin. I do the same, stretching out my tired muscles, aching from sitting too long in the meeting. “You got that covered?” Jaroslav asks, gesturing toward the grill.
Matvei laughs. “I know my way around a grill.”
“There are extra swimming trunks in the pool house if anyone is in the mood for a swim,” Jaroslav says, gesturing toward the other side of the garden.
“Valery is on her way. Stef and Angelika are catching a ride with her. They were all at your place, Mat. They’re going to stop at the butcher and grab us some steaks. Does anyone want anything else? Because now is the time to say so,” Jaro says, loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Check if we have enough beers. I think we do, though,” Timofey calls out, walking toward the pool house to grab some shorts.
“We do,” I reply, sticking my head behind the bar. “It looks like Jaro has prepared for an apocalypse with the way he’s stocking beers back here.”
The guys laugh as they unpack the grill, checking it’s clean and getting it ready for the afternoon family gathering.
Within an hour, everyone is here.
Laughter rings over the garden, louder from the pool area where Timofey, Nikita, Stef, and Zakhar are playing a chaotic game of volleyball with the girls sitting on the guys’ shoulders.
My eyes continuously drift toward her. I’m trying so hard to honor what she wants. Last time we stole a moment together, she made it clear.No, not ever Diomid.Her words stung. I tried to make light of them to ease the tension they shot into me. But they hurt. And they’ve been looping through my thoughts ever since. Mostly, they are the cause of my dark mood.
Angel is talking to Valery. Her beautiful laughter keeps drawing my attention back to her, and it’s getting harder and harder to resist her.
