Page 20 of The Bratva King's Twins

“Alright, rein it in. Let’s not scare Vivian tonight,” Ari interrupted, raising an authoritative brow that pulled them all back in line.

Lukyan held up his hands in defense as Lara scowled at him and straightened herself out.

A small smile settled on my lips then, surprisingly amused by how warm they seemed with one another, even with the teasing.

That kind of thing never happened in my family’s house, not even between my brothers, and it was refreshing to witness it for once.

“Anyways,” Kir interjected as he cut into his steak. “Vivian, how have you been liking the house?”

Listening to the question, I thought about my previous resolve to be prim and proper, but at the moment, it didn't seem necessary.

Although there certainly were some aspects of being in Ari’s house I didn’t want to dwell on, and I chose to step around it instead.

“It’s nice, and…peaceful, compared to what I’m used to,” I managed, regretting how empty of a response it sounded. “I especially like the library.”

Recognition filled Lukyan’s eyes as he sat back in his seat. “Ah, Ari’s prized collection.”

Something about those words settled within my skin, and I immediately felt embarrassed for helping myself to those books without knowing it was something he apparently cared about. I assumed they were just books to him, but as Ari nodded in agreement, I knew that wasn’t true.

“I’m surprised he let you get near them,” Benedikt murmured with a gleam of amusement in his otherwise cold eyes. “He used to threaten to take our hands if we ever touched them.”

“That’s because growing up, you lot were exactly what Lara said—Neanderthals. I didn’t dare let you read them with your grubby hands, let alone look at them,” Ari retorted, waving off the accusation. “Vivian, on the other hand, is welcome to them. It’s good for them to be read, anyway.”

Heat filled my cheeks at Ari’s consent, even if I had gotten it after the fact. It moved something in my heart, too, knowing he didn’t mind if I occupied myself with his collection.

“Do you read often?” Lara asked, steering the conversation away from her riled-up brothers as they chuckled.

Nodding, I immediately thought back to how many books I had stashed in my room—even the ones I’d read front to back numerous times, either out of boredom or because I needed to hide away from my brothers. It left a bittersweet taste in my mouth, but I pushed through it.

“My dad couldn’t keep up with how fast I was going through the ones he bought me.”

She smiled at that, making me feel welcome every time she looked at me with her kind eyes. “You should feel right at home with Ari’s books, then. I’ll have to keep that in mind for future occasions.”

The dinner went on with more teasing and laughing as we cleared our plates, and by the end of it, I was surprisingly relaxed compared to how I started.

I hated admitting it, but I felt strangely at ease with them. They all had good senses of humor, and while their jokes could’ve gotten out of hand, they seemed to consider one another’s feelings before crossing any lines.

It was easy to see how close they all were, and how they respected Ari without question. That fact alone made me curious, and I couldn’t help but wonder how they got there, or how that respect seemed to come so easily.

Above all, there wasn’t any genuine bickering, and nobody was fighting for Ari’s attention. Everyone had their place and seemed just as supportive as one another.

It was nice to see a family that didn’t operate like the one I was used to. In a way, it made me hopeful.

By the time dinner was done and everyone needed to head home, it was approaching late at night. They said their goodbyes, with Lara taking her time to welcome me to the family again.

Trying to wrap my head around the fact that Ari and I were married and being welcomed into the family was a necessary step was still incredibly difficult, but with her poise and kindness, it felt a little easier to bear.

Once everyone left and Ari and I were the only ones in the house, he made his way to the kitchen to put the open bottles away, and I followed, not knowing what else to do.

Since I hadn’t spent much time downstairs, I took the chance to look around and familiarize myself with the place.

“That went well,” Ari murmured as he closed the fridge door behind him.

At first, I wanted to agree. But I was riding on that mild high of knowing it was behind me, and how everything didn’t implode in the middle of dinner. But with the others gone, I was forced to see the situation for what it really was again.

We may have been legally married, and his family welcomed me easily enough, but nothing about the situation was ideal.

I didn’t ask for any of it.

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