Page 50 of The Bratva's Kidnapped Bride

“You slept with Elena Sokolov!” Mama declares. “You fool!”

“It isn’t what you think, Mama,” I say. The side of Mama nobody knows comes out. The side that fiercely protects our family. “It wasn’t like that.”

“What was it like? Your brothers made sure to keep business and love separated, and you just couldn’t resist, could you?” She is spitting mad.

Kervyn puts an arm around her. “Go get lunch ready, Mama. We’ll be through in a minute.”

She leaves reluctantly, and I scowl. “She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

“She probably knows better than any of us. She was the Mafia princess who was married off to the Mafia boss.” Danil says it quietly, possibly afraid Mama would hear. “You need to leave the girl alone, Arseny.”

“I need to investigate the problems with the butcher shops,” I say as Luka inspects my hand.

Kervyn shakes his head. “We can’t prove they bought them or that they’re making any power moves. Emery Sokolov is outright denying doing it, and now that he has Elena back, there’s no more leverage to use to question him.”

“So I should just let this go? Is that what you’re saying?” I shake my head. “I can’t do that.”

“You will do exactly that. I am ordering you as head of this family,” Kervyn says. “I mean it. Leave the Sokolov family be. Now, Penny can take a look at your bleeding hand before we have lunch.” He walks to the living room. “Penny love. We need a doctor's touch.”

She comes out and hands Samuel to Kervyn. “Who’s hurt? Oh, hi, Arseny. How am I not surprised it’s you again? Come on, let’s go to the bathroom.”

She leads me upstairs to the bathroom, and I sit on the edge of the tub while she sits on the closed toilet. She takes my hand, and using some antiseptic, she cleans the wound gently of the clotting blood. Then, she takes a tweezer and slowly picks out the splinters from the wound. I don’t wince. Wincing is for people who haven’t endured pain.

“I overheard the conversation. Didn’t take you for someone to fall in love.” I stare at Penny.

“I didn’t fall in love,” I say quietly.

“A wooden door somewhere disagrees with you,” she puts a plaster on the worst cut. “The rest will clot in no time and heal nicely.”

She stands up and starts to pack away the first aid box.

We go downstairs and sit at the dining room table, where Mama prays over the food she’s made before we all sit and eat. Hannah and Luka sit with the children and make sure they eat while the rest of us sit at the large dining room table and eat our lunch.

“I want everyone to be on alert in case the Sokolovs decide to try and kidnap one of us as revenge.” Kervyn looks at me. “And under no circumstances is anyone to seek them out.”

I look down at my food and feel a hand on my shoulder. It’s Asher who gives my shoulder a squeeze before she turns back to her food.

“That being said, we’re glad Arseny is back because Penny and I have some news,” Kervyn says, clearing his throat.

Everyone looks up at him. “Penny and I are expecting a little girl in five months.”

Everyone gushes over the news, congratulating my brother and his wife. It’s what they wanted. A son and a daughter. I know Asher’s been trying to get pregnant with no luck yet, so this might sting for her, but she seems happy enough for her best friend. Perhaps she already knew the news.

After lunch, I sit in the living room with my brothers, having a beer. Kervyn and Danil decide to leave, each giving me a last warning to stay away from Elena. I hear Luka next door saying goodbye to Hannah, and he comes to sit next to me.

“Rough day?” he asks.

“You’d think so.” I sip on my beer. “A fucking right shitty day.”

“Arseny, don’t get so hung up about this girl…”

“I’m not hung up about her,” I snap. “I am fucked off because I was double-crossed by someone who apparently does business up front.”

“You did kidnap his only daughter. I doubt anyone would want to meet you after doing that. Kervyn was pissed to high hell when you told him.” Luka takes a deep sip of his beer. “Are you into this girl?”

“No,” I say quickly.

“Because if you are, perhaps the reason you’re pissed is not because you were double-crossed but because she hasn’t reached out to let you know she’s okay.” Luka shrugs. “Just a thought.”

---