Page 38 of The Bratva King's Twins

It didn’t take long to see just how skilled Vivian was, and how I could hardly keep up with her.

She had been practicing, given how strong her serving arm was. She maintained an impressive amount of focus as she returned every one of my swings, moving with ease around her side of the court.

I may have been built with a strong frame, but I was hardly coordinated enough to go toe-to-toe with Vivian’s evident experience.

I spent more time chasing the ball around than I cared to admit, and as hard as she tried to be supportive, Vivian couldn’t help but get a kick out of it.

Once again, I felt completely out of my element, but given how happy it made her, I didn’t mind nursing my bruised ego in the meantime.

She was wiping the floor with me, and as much as I wanted to maintain that competitive air, I was more impressed than anything else.

“Mercy, please,” I said, bracing myself as I caught my breath.

Vivian smiled as she walked beneath the net over to my side and grabbed two water bottles I had waiting for us. She handed one to me with a grin on her face. “A break wouldn’t hurt, I guess.”

Letting her be smug, I snickered and took a swig of water. “Can’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“You just need some practice, that’s all.”

While I appreciated her encouragement and support, I knew it would only be a lost cause, anyway. But so long as she wanted to keep playing, I had to just suck it up.

“Did your brothers ever play tennis with you?” I asked, remembering how I needed to get some insight on her family, given how the current situation with them was growing more concerning with every report I got back.

Sadness moved through her eyes as she recalled whatever memories she had associated with them, and she shook her head. “I only ever played with friends and my trainer. They tended to do things on their own.”

“That’s a shame. They could’ve learned a thing or two from you,” I murmured, regaining my bearings again. “A part of me wishes I had more practice.”

Vivian smiled faintly and capped her water again before asking, “Ready for another round?”

As much as I didn’t really want to, happy wife, happy life, right?

Chapter 18 - Vivian

I was more than happy for the chance to spend time with Ari and to show off some of my skills, especially since I felt in my element again. His clumsiness was the cherry on top.

Ari was a wall of muscle—brutal in both size and strength. But he couldn’t play tennis to save his life, and that was just fine with me. I did as much as I could to conceal how funny it was to watch him fumble around the court, but in truth, it made the experience even better.

After our break, we made our way back to our places, and I was feeling good for the most part, even if I had something plaguing my mind.

From his side, Ari bounced the tennis ball against the ground several times, and he looked contemplative. “Do you think your brothers would ever take over your dad’s business?”

As I digested that question, I couldn’t help but get the feeling he was trying to make some sort of connection. It seemed like he had been testing the waters with his previous question, which I initially brushed off until I put those pieces together.

I was concerned about why he would be asking about my family, but at the same time, I didn’t mind answering. It was good for us to be transparent with each other, even if the topic was a sore spot for me. However, his prying gave me a funny feeling.

“Since Dad never let them in on any crucial information before, I wouldn’t think so,” I answered, standing in position while I waited for him to serve the ball. “But I can’t say anything for sure.”

“And you’re sure he wouldn’t have a change of heart?” he asked, finally sending the ball to my side.

Tracking it, I aimed and swung my racket, sending it right back. “He didn’t seem interested in changing his mind before. That’s why they were always frustrated with him.”

Ari did his best to not trip over his own feet as he went after the ball, managing to return it, much to his delight.

Even if Ari was out of his depth and not the best competitor to play against, I was still having fun. Ever since he came back home the night before and was determined to have a good weekend with just the two of us, I was more than happy about it.

Although, I hadn’t forgotten about the positive pregnancy test, and I knew it would have to come up eventually. That night would’ve been the perfect time, but Ari seemed so relieved to be done with work and excited to focus on just us. I didn’t want to sour the mood if a child wasn’t something he wanted yet.

We were doing much better than before, and Ari was certainly putting in the work to make something genuine happen between us, but throwing a newborn into the mix would complicate everything. Especially since we were still working out the kinks.

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