Page 48 of The Bratva King's Twins

Given how often I was shut down or ridiculed for anything I said back home, I wasn’t always the best at expressing what I wanted or needed. I used to hide away within myself and not let the real me out for fear of receiving another verbal lashing from Dante.

But with Ari, he truly listened, and he made me feel heard. He never made me feel like I was an idiot or a waste of space, but like he was interested in what I had to say. He listened so closely that he often made me feel like I was the only woman in existence.

He could be intense, especially with his work, that world I had nothing to do with. But with me at home, he was a gentle giant. He could be vulnerable with me, and showed me the sides of him he didn’t dare show anyone else.

After being cared for so dutifully and seeing the thoughtful parts of him, I was beginning to truly believe that things weren’t so bad.

When I was first brought to his place, I thought being his wife was the end of my life. I didn’t see how we would ever connect or find a common ground, but with time and effort on both sides, I felt that our future might not be so turbulent.

We were married and spending as much time together as we could, and with the twins on the way, I was looking forward to seeing how he parented.

Given how excited he already was, and how naturally he fell into step with that parental air about him, I could already picture it. I wasn’t sure if my heart could handle watching him coo over them, and doing everything in his power to protect them.

As much as my past self would hate me now, I knew I was falling for him.

There was no point in resisting the inevitable anymore—not when I couldn’t bear the thought of being without him.

Ari was perfect in every way with his ridiculous good looks, his contrasting abilities to be both domineering and protective, and was the most caring man I had ever met. I had no doubt he would be a good father, and that he’d let the world burn for his family if he needed to.

Whenever he was at work, I wanted him back home more than anything. It was selfish of me to want so much of his time, but I couldn’t help it. He made me feel safe and secure, and it was hard to let go of that after he had given me so much.

Being with Ari was like night and day compared to my family, and I knew I’d do anything to stay with him. I used to be ignored if not verbally punched around, and Dante especially had been getting bolder about laying his hands on me. They made me afraid to even exist or express a thought of my own.

But Ari was so different. He proved to me I didn’t have to live like that, that I was worth the time and effort.

As I got ready in the mirror, relieved that the nausea had passed for the day, I couldn’t help but glance at Ari as he pulled his clothes on in the bedroom.

His pants sat low on his hips as he reached for his button-down, carving out his V-line and chiseled muscle. His fingers made quick work of the buttons, reminding me of all the other ways he was skilled in using them. Even if dinner with his family was supposed to be on my mind, I couldn’t help but get lost in those fond memories.

Glancing away with a knowing smile as he turned to face me, I added the finishing touches to my mascara.

Before long, he appeared in the mirror next to me and slipped a hand around my waist, giving me an affectionate squeeze. “Just about ready to go?”

Capping the mascara and putting it away, I smiled at him. “All ready.”

“Good,” he hummed, leaning in to press a kiss against my cheek. “They’re all heading to the restaurant now.”

“Do you think this dress looks okay?” I asked, turning to the side to see the faintest bump through the tight material. It was a bit shorter than I’d hoped, but it hugged my curves in a way I liked. “It’s not too much?”

“It’s perfect,” Ari murmured, taking my hand in his and turning me to face him. He pulled me closer and said against my lips, “So perfect I’m considering taking it off you already.”

My heart leaped at that, letting the familiar warmth move through me at the idea. Already, I could feel myself longing to feel his lips again and to work out those budding frustrations in me.

“But we can’t keep them waiting too long. Later it is,” he said finally as he pressed a quick kiss to my lips and swept me out of the ensuite. He flashed me a dimpled smile and chuckled at my look of dismay.

Ari was a tease, and he knew it.

***

Everyone was already at the table by the time we arrived at the swanky restaurant.

I had been to my fair share of fancy restaurants whenever Dad felt bad about leaving us at home for too long, but there was something so romantic about the low light and live string band playing quietly in the background.

A handful of flickering candles sat in the center of the long table we were seated at, along with several wine glasses and fancy bottles sitting on ice. It seemed his siblings had already helped themselves.

We were met with friendly smiles, but realizing we were about to break the news to them made me more anxious than before.

“It’s nice to see you again, Vivian,” Lara said, handing me a menu. “I keep telling Ari to stop keeping you to himself, but it’s no use. He won’t listen.”

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