Page 38 of Plus-Size Bride Forced By the Bratva
“So, Ravyn,” Maria called me, her voice slicing through my thoughts.
I met her gaze.
She continued, “Tell us, what’s it like being married to Lev Tarasov?”
The question was harmless—at least it seemed that way. But the silence that followed was quite unsettling, especially with everyone staring at me.
Everyone was anticipating my response, and I wasn’t sure whether this was a trap. One thing was certain, though; I had to be smart with my response.
I reached for my glass of wine, gave it a little swirl, then lifted it to my lips. “Do you want the truth, or would you like me to lie?” I teased, a small grin tugging at the corners of my mouth.
“Please, lie,” Anatoli chipped in, playfully pleading with his eyes. “I know we Bratva men can be a handful; you don’t have to rub it in our faces.” He chuckled, his eyes darting toward my husband. “Right, Lev?”
Lev’s gaze wouldn’t leave my face, and as expected, he insisted that I tell the truth. “Actually, I wanna know what she has to say.”
“Bad idea, man—really bad idea. We all know you’re a horrible person.” Anatoli simply couldn’t stop joking about everything.
I liked it.
It helped ease the tension rising at the table.
“He is indeed a horrible person,” I answered, wearing a majestic smile. “Stubborn as a mule—he never listens to me.”
“Oh, sweetie, I know exactly how you feel,” Maria said to me. “My honey bunny here doesn’t listen to me either.” She playfully nudged his shoulders.
“Right? I think it’s a Mafia thing,” I added.
A low laugh rose from the others, including Lev, surprisingly.
And just like that, with Anatoli’s and Maria’s help, I was able to drown the rising tension amongst us. Quietly, I placed my hand on Lev’s, flashing a faint smile at him.
Viktor finally spoke, his voice calm but laced with traces of disdain. “You two look good together.”
I glanced at him, then back at Lev before responding. “Thank you.”
Silence.
No one said a word, and it was almost like we all sensed the pain in Viktor’s voice. Another one of Anatoli’s jokes saved the day again, and while the others returned to their food, I decided to get some air.
“Um, excuse me, I wanna use the ladies’ room,” I said, dabbing my mouth with a napkin.
Lev’s response was a faint smirk, and that was all the permission I needed. I rose to my feet, my heels clicking softly against the floor as I walked away from the table. Their voices faded in the background as I drew closer to the restroom.
I pushed the door open, my heart pounding in my chest. Standing in front of the mirror, I wrapped my fingers around the ceramic sink and released a heavy sigh.
I thought that I didn’t care about Viktor’s feelings, especially after what he’d done to me. But hearing him say those words struck me like a dagger to the heart.
With my head lowered, I rubbed my eyes, resenting being caught between two brothers. It was never my plan—I was dragged into this.
“Really, Ravyn?” His voice startled me.
“Jesus Christ!” I flinched, my hand flying to my chest as if to stop my heart from jumping out. When I looked in the mirror, he was standing behind me.
Viktor.
“What’re you—what’re you doing here?” I turned around immediately. “This is the ladies’ room. You shouldn’t be in here.” I glanced back at the door.
“Of all people, you chose to marry him—my brother?” His face contorted into a frown, his voice laced with venom.
