Page 51 of Innocently Imprisoned By the Bratva

As much as I'd like to take her advice, I know better than to let my guard down when it comes to my overbearing cousins.

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Pippa stands beside me, the warm light from the chandeliers casting a golden glow on her dark brown curls. She's a vision in her elegant dress, her curvy figure both alluring and inviting. As my family members approach us, she greets each of them with poised confidence, offering polite hellos and soft kisses on their cheeks.

Damien, Boris, their wives, and Anoushka all watch from the corner, in amusement.

"Lev, you've outdone yourself this time," my cousin Sergei comments. “You finally convinced a girl to think you’re sane!”

Everyone around me bursts into cackles of laughter. Sergei’s sister, Vanya, whacks him on his shoulder, her silver bangles clanking as she does.

“Don’t be crude, Sergei,” she warns him. She comes and takes Pippa’s arm through her own. “Don’t mind him,” she scoffs in her brother’s direction.

Sergei shrugs and holds back laughter.

As if on cue, Ivan emerges from the shadows, his tall and imposing figure drawing attention like a magnet. His eyes zero in on Pippa, and I brace myself for the inevitable confrontation.

"Lev, you sly dog," he says, a thin smile spreading across his face as he looks at Pippa. "You've been keeping quite a secret. It’s a good thing Mikhail pointed out your little interaction at the office party."

“Wait, what?” Pippa looks confused. “I thought Lev told you about me.”

“Nope,” Mikhail’s wife Caterina chimes in. “I’m afraid they played you.”

“Caterina!” Mikhail playfully admonishes his wife, but she just winks at him. Their playful energy rubs off on Pippa, who leans in with curiosity and asks, "May I ask how you two met?"

"Of course," Caterina replies with a warm smile. "Our marriage was arranged by our families. Quite traditional for the Bratva."

Pippa's eyes widen, surprise etched across her features. "Really? That's quite fascinating."

Ivan, never one to let an opportunity pass him by, chimes in. "And what about you two lovebirds? How did your fairytale begin?"

I glance down at Pippa, silently urging her to play along, to weave a story that will satisfy Ivan's curiosity without revealing the truth of our twisted beginnings.

"Love at first sight," she answers, her voice steady and unwavering. She meets Ivan's gaze head-on, and I admire her unflinching courage to tell a lie with such a straight face.

"Really?" Ivan raises an eyebrow, a hint of skepticism creeping into his voice. "How very… romantic."

"Isn't it?" Pippa agrees, her tone light and playful. She turns to me, her chocolate brown eyes filled with mischief, and I can't help but grin back at her.

"Lev does have a way of sweeping women off their feet," Ivan concedes, his smile growing wider as he watches our exchange. "But then again, so do we all."

"True," I say, my heart swelling with pride as I watch Pippa effortlessly navigate the treacherous waters of my family's dynamics. "But there's something different about this one. Something special."

"Ah, the stuff of romantic legends," Ivan muses, though I can detect a hint of skepticism in his tone. "Tell me, Pippa, is it Lev's luxurious lifestyle that drew you in?"

A tense silence fills the room. Ivan really shouldn’t say everything that crosses his mind. I suck in a sharp gasp of air, ready to defend her, but Pippa holds my hand, stilling me into silence.

Pippa's eyes lock with Ivan's, and there's a fire in her chocolate brown eyes that I've never seen before. "I value Lev for who he is as a person," she says, her voice steady and firm. "Not his material possessions." She pauses, a defiant tilt to her chin.

"In fact, I've never taken a cent from him, nor will I ever. While Lev does have a certain charm, trust me, money isn’t one of them. It's his wit that truly won me over. Besides, he’s the cheapest man I know. Have you seen him argue over toll tax?” A playful smirk tugs at the corner of her lips.

I'm taken aback by the passion in Pippa's words, my heart thudding in my chest as I watch her stand up to Ivan. Against all odds, this innocent girl who I took hostage has become so much more than just a captive—she's become someone who can hold her own in a room full of Bratva members.

And now, it’s my time to help ease her burden.

"Really?" I quip, feigning offense. "All this time, I thought it was my dashing good looks and endless supply of vodka."

"Those are just added bonuses," Pippa retorts, her quick wit earning a round of laughter from my family members.

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