Page 30 of The Bratva Bosses' Surrogate

I chuckle, despite the gravity of the situation. Ivan always had a way of lightening the mood. “Ivan’s right. We’ve been in tougher spots before. We always come out on top.”

Sofia nods, a spark of resilience flickering in her eyes. “Okay, I’ll try to be optimistic. It’s just hard, you know?”

Standing so close to Sofia, I can feel the tension in her words before she even speaks them. Our faces are mere inches apart.

Ivan, ever the strategist, breaks the silence with a firm decision. “We’ll stay here for a while, until it is hundred percent safe to leave the mansion. We must stick together.”

Sofia looks around the room, perhaps seeking a distraction from the heavy atmosphere. Her eyes land on the bookshelf filled with various titles. Intrigued, she walks over to it, her fingers trailing along the spines of the books.

“You can pick whatever you like,” I say, following her gaze to the shelf.

She pulls out a book, her eyebrows raised in surprise. “Really? Romance? You guys read romance?”

Ivan chuckles a little, shaking his head. “No, those are usually only for decoration.”

“Oh...” Sofia’s voice trails off, a hint of disappointment in her tone. Then, shrugging slightly, she adds, “Well, I do need something to kill time here,” and waggles the book at me.

Lying on the bed, I can’t help but steal glances at Sofia. She’s settled next to me with a book in her hands, looking absolutely gorgeous. God, how I wish I could just reach out and touch her right now. She’s so close, yet seems so far, wrapped up in her own little world with that book. She’s just so... perfect.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I notice her biting her lip. Her face turns a shade redder, and it’s clear she’s reacting to whatever she’s reading.

Curiosity piqued, I lean closer. “What is it?” I ask, trying to sound casual.

Her voice trembles slightly as she replies, “N-nothing.”

But I’m not buying it. She’s probably engrossed in something steamy. The thought amuses me, and I can’t help but chuckle.

The playful teasing escalates as Ivan snatches the book from Sofia’s grasp. She reaches up to try and retrieve it, but she’s too short, her efforts just out of reach.

Ivan, with a mischievous glint in his eye, begins to read aloud, his voice deep and teasing. “He tied me to the bed securely. Making sure I couldn’t escape.”

Sofia’s face flushes a deep shade of red, “No...” she protests weakly, trying to grab the book back, but to no avail.

I can’t help but chuckle at her reaction. It’s rare to see Sofia this shy, this flustered. Ivan, clearly enjoying the moment, looks at her with a playful smirk. “Is that what you like, princess?” he asks, “Being tied up?”

Sofia stutters, her words barely audible. “I...I...I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she says defensively.

Ivan continues to read the passage aloud, his voice deep and sexy as he describes the scene in detail. Sofia’s face is now bright red, her breathing heavy as she tries to contain her excitement.

“Oh, shut up, you idiot,” she mutters, but there’s a hint of amusement in her voice. “Maybe you should read romance novels more often. You might learn a thing or two.”

“Well, princess, if you’d prefer to give us a demonstration instead,” Ivan suggests with a sly grin. “We’re always up for learning something new.”

Ivan’s grin becomes wicked as he hands the book back to her. Sofia quickly hides the book, a sheepish grin on her face. My heart pounds in my chest, torn between wanting to ease her discomfort and wanting to push the boundaries of this playful banter.

Ivan leans back with a laugh, clearly enjoying the reaction he has elicited from Sofia. “Just teasing you. We know you’re not that kinky.”

“You got me all figured out, don’t you?”

Viktor, who must have been listening to our banter, can’t help but chuckle. “Come on, guys, stop messing with her.”

Sofia, determined to prove herself, doesn’t back down. “Ugh. Fine. Let’s do it. I’ll prove it to you that I’m not that innocent.”

I can’t help but raise an eyebrow in curiosity. “Do what?” I ask, wondering where this is headed. Is she really...

“Let’s play a game,” Sofia suggests with a wicked grin.

Viktor, sitting on the corner of the room, seems intrigued. “What kind of game?”

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