Page 24 of The Bratva King's Twins

Even if I knew I was better off without his attention, I had been prepared to give in.

And in some strange personal betrayal, I was somewhat disappointed when he didn’t make any kind of move on me.

It was presumptuous of me to assume that was something he would do, but at that moment, my curiosity had gotten the better of me.

Was it really a crime to be attracted to the man I was legally married to?

Not really, but I didn’t know how to deal with those conflicting thoughts and feelings. I knew I shouldn’t be attracted to him, given what happened, but it was getting harder and harder to fight.

Most days passed with me struggling to understand why my hate for him was crumbling into an easy comfort, and while it took up a lot of space in my mind, above everything else, I was bored.

As nice as it was to not have much to worry about while Ari went off to take care of the family business, I needed something else to do with my time. I couldn’t just sit around all day and wonder what my apparent husband was getting up to.

My family may have been dysfunctional at best, but at least I always had something to occupy my time with. Whether it was lessons, going to the stables, or going somewhere on vacation, there was always something going on.

Resting my chin on my arm against the side of the pool, I looked up at the blue sky above me and soaked in its warmth. I could only hear the usual neighborhood sounds, along with the occasional passing car and birds as they chirped in the trees around me. Otherwise, it was incredibly quiet.

At least something in me knew I should’ve been grateful in some capacity.

It was peaceful not having to deal with my brothers since I wasn’t their target anymore. I didn’t have to worry about them being disappointed by Dad, or taking out their anger on me just because they didn’t get what they wanted.

The house was beautiful, things were mostly fine whenever me and Ari were in the same room, and I didn’t have to be on edge. I didn’t have to prepare myself for daily yelling, for things being thrown, or dealing with a mostly absent father.

Things were looking better, and that was only stoking the flames of my conflicting opinions of him and our situation.

But despite all of those good things, I knew I needed to confront him about my doing something—anything—with my time. I had to that night when he came home, or else I knew I’d go stir-crazy eventually.

Following my typical routine, I glanced at the clock while I sat in the living room with a book in my lap, only to find it was three in the afternoon. Sighing, I knew he usually got back at five.

While I tried to focus on the book, I could only think about what I planned to say to Ari about the situation. I ran words through my head again and again, trying to find the right ones that wouldn’t cause any kind of fight.

By the time I had another hour left to wait, I stood up with a huff and waited by the kitchen island on one of the stools.

I couldn’t wait any longer, surprised by the nerves that stitched themselves in my stomach.

Even if I was dead set on addressing how I needed more, I was afraid of what he might say. I didn’t want him to think I was ungrateful, but at the same time, I didn’t want to waste away in the house.

Time slowly ticked by as I waited, only to jump in my seat as the door finally opened, forcing my heart into my throat.

Chapter 11 - Ari

I never imagined a fight followed by a conversation would have the power to shift the dynamic between us, but it came as a pleasant surprise.

Of course, it wouldn’t patch everything completely, but it was a start. It gave me the hope to keep going, to stay level-headed around her.

Through the last little while, we had been more cordial with each other, and it was surprisingly nice to see Vivian leaving the spare room more often. I was glad she felt safe enough to do so.

It was a hopeful sign she’d begun to trust and think differently of me, but I also knew my actions would determine whether or not she’d accept me completely. It was daunting to constantly feel like I was walking on eggshells around her, wondering if my words might set her off again, but at least things seemed to be going well overall.

I went to work as usual, thinking of ways to bring us closer if it was at all possible. Her defenses seemed to be dropping thanks to the unspoken truce we reached, and that made me feel better about testing the waters.

But that hope seemed to hang in the air as I stepped inside the house to find Vivian waiting for me. Standing next to the counter with her hands behind her back, her slight anxiousness was palpable from where I was, immediately making me curious.

Before I could say anything, she swallowed deeply and blurted, “What am I supposed to do with my time when you’re gone?”

Blinking back at her, I'd scarcely entered the room as I regained my bearings. I was still processing everything that happened at work, and I wasn’t prepared to be asked anything yet.

Kicking my boots off, I moved through the kitchen and dropped my keys on the island. “Hello to you, too.”

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