Page 17 of The Bratva Bosses' Surrogate

Anger’s boiling inside me, jealousy too, though I’d never admit it out loud. Maybe I’d hoped for something more with Sofia, something intimate. But now, watching her stand her ground, I’m caught between rage and respect. “Fine, do whatever the fuck you want,” I snap, the words more bitter than I intend.

Sofia looks at me, her expression softening. “Ivan, I’m...”

“Whatever happened between us, it was nothing, Sofia,” I cut her off, the words like acid on my tongue. I don’t mean it, not really. But she’s chosen Maxym, and that stings more than I expected. I was never good at sharing what I considered mine. And for a fleeting moment, I thought she could be mine, not his. The jealousy gnaws at me, but I push it down.

I turn to Maxym, my gaze hard. “You’re the one who made this happen. You’ll be the one telling this to Kayla and Ivan.”

He just stands there, no sign of remorse. And that pisses me off even more. I storm out, my mind a whirlwind of anger, jealousy, and a bitter sense of betrayal. Sofia’s decision, Maxym’s recklessness, it’s all too much.

Maxym’s voice is calm, too calm. “Fine. I’ll tell Kayla. Just because you’re too much of a coward to tell her yourself.” He steps closer, challenging me with his presence.

I can feel my blood boiling, my fists clenching at my sides. As he inches closer, something snaps. I shove him back, hard. “Don’t push me, Maxym.”

He stumbles but regains his balance, a smirk playing on his lips. “What, are you jealous, Ivan? Can’t handle the fact that she chose me?”

That taunt, that damn smirk, it’s all I can take. My fist connects with his jaw before I even realize I’ve thrown the punch. He retaliates, and we’re suddenly in the midst of a full-blown fight, trading blows like we’re enemies, not allies.

Our grunts and curses fill the room as we go at it, each punch fueled by a mix of anger, jealousy, and pent-up frustration. This isn’t just about Sofia or the baby anymore. It’s about us, our fractured brotherhood, the tensions that have been simmering beneath the surface for too long.

As we fight, I can’t help but wonder how it all came to this. We were supposed to be in this together, but now we’re tearing each other apart. And in the back of my mind, a small voice whispers that no matter who wins this fight, we’ve already lost so much more.

I can hear a door opening but I don’t turn to see who it is. All I hear is a gasp and the familiar voice of Kayla “What the hell is going on here?” she demands, rushing forward to push me off Maxym. I barely register the pain as I feel the warm trickle of blood from my nose, but it’s not important right now.

Sofia’s in the corner, her body shaking. Shit. I never wanted her to see this, to be scared like that. The guilt hits me hard, but there’s no time to dwell on it.

Kayla’s voice cuts through the tension again. “You both owe me an explanation. What the hell is going on in here?”

She’s standing between us now, her hands on her hips, looking every bit the force to be reckoned with. The room feels charged, every one of us on edge, a volatile mix of emotions swirling around us.

“Yeah, Max. Why don’t you tell her?” I challenge, wiping the blood from my nose with the back of my hand. It’s adeflection, a way to pass the buck, but I can’t bring myself to say the words, to reveal the truth that’s turned us against each other.

Maxym, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip, gives me a wry smile before facing Kayla. The room is thick with anticipation, every one of us holding our breath for what’s about to unfold.

“Sofia decided to be the egg donor, Kayla. So, you’ll no longer need to be the biological mom,” he states, his voice steady, but I can see the tension in his jaw.

Kayla’s reaction is a slow burn. Her face remains eerily calm as she processes his words, but her eyes, they’re a storm about to break. She opens her mouth, then closes it, struggling to find the right words. Finally, she says, “What?” so calmly it sends a shiver down my spine.

But I know her too well. This isn’t calm. This is the eye of the storm, the quiet before the chaos. Kayla’s always been insistent, almost obsessive, about being the egg donor. She wanted this role more than anything, and she was perfect for it, up until now.

As she stands there, her composure teetering on the edge, I brace myself. Kayla isn’t one to take this kind of news lightly. She’s invested too much, fought too hard to just accept it. And as the silence stretches, I can almost feel the fury building within her, a tidal wave of emotion ready to crash down on all of us.

Kayla’s incredulous, her voice rising. “This is a joke, right? Tell me this is a joke.”

I shake my head, a grim expression on my face. “No. This isn’t a joke.” I glance at Maxym, gesturing with air quotes. “Maxym got ‘caught in the moment’.”

Sofia speaks up, her voice firm. “No, it was my decision.”

Kayla turns to her, that all-too-familiar mocking expression on her face, her eyebrows tilted, a twisted smile playing on her lips. “You thought you could come in here and try to seduce them and replace me?”

Sofia’s retort is quick, her tone assertive. “I wasn’t trying to replace you. I have a say in whose baby I carry inside me.”

“You don’t get to choose that!” Kayla snaps back, her face twisted with anger.

Sofia stands her ground, her voice steady but filled with a quiet rage. “If you wanted it so much, maybe you should’ve carried it.”

The air crackles with tension, every one of us on edge. Kayla’s voice is ice, her ultimatum clear. “It’s either her or me.”

“What?” I can’t hide my shock. This is escalating too fast.

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