Page 4 of Arranged to Marry the Bratva

Lev takes a few deep breaths, finally calming down enough to let Nikolai go with a rough push. The chair swivels back, but Nikolai remains unperturbed.

Nikolai faces me and nods. "Thank you, Anoushka."

He turns his attention back to my brothers. "As I mentioned before, I have no intention of ruining your family. In fact, I possess knowledge that could have already destroyed you, but I chose not to act on it."

The room falls silent, a sense of unease settling over us. I feel a chill run down my spine as I wonder what secrets Nikolai could possibly know about our family.

Boris leans forward, his eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about, Nikolai?"

Nikolai's smirk widens. "Let's just say that I have information about certain… activities that your family has been involved in. Activities that could bring down the entire Zolotov empire if they were to come to light. Before I learned Lenny betrayed you, I had him in my pocket, and he told me things you probably don’t want anyone to know.”

I feel my heart sink as realization dawns on me. He knows about all our illegal dealings that Lenny overlooked, the ones we've worked so hard to keep hidden from the authorities and our rivals.

Damien slams his fist on the table, causing me to jump. "You're bluffing," he accuses, his voice trembling with rage.

Nikolai shakes his head, his expression serious. "I assure you, I am not. I know about your shipping routes, your private islands, where you store your cash, and in which underground bunkers with geographic locations. I have evidence that could destroy you, but I have chosen not to use it. As I said, my goal is not to ruin you but to forge a stronger alliance between our families."

I sit in a chair, my mind reeling from this revelation. What does Nikolai want from us? And how far is he willing to go to get it?

As the weight of Nikolai's words sinks in, I find myself grappling with the gravity of the situation. My mind races, trying to find a way out of this predicament, but the options seem limited. I glance at my brothers, their faces a mix of anger, frustration, and helplessness. It's clear that we're all aware of the precarious position we're in.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what I'm about to say. "What exactly do you want, Nikolai?" I ask, my voice steady despite the turmoil within me.

Nikolai's gaze locks with mine, his eyes intense and unwavering. "I want you, Anoushka. I want you to be my wife."

My heart pounds in my chest as Nikolai's words hang in the air, heavy with implication. Marry him? I think I heard wrong, and when I turn to face each of my brothers, I see the rage, anger, and sadness etched on their faces.

They knew this was what Nikolai wanted all along. That’s what the argument had been about! This is why they wanted me out of here. Boris's fists clench at his sides, and Damien's eyes dart from Nikolai to me, searching for some sign that this is all a twisted joke. Lev looks like he’s ready to kill the man here and now.

And the truth is, so am I. The idea of marrying this mysterious man, this man who has spied on us to learn our deepest, darkest secrets, is like a nightmare come to life. I know nothing about him, apart from the fact that he’s fond of playing games, of manipulating situations.

Perhaps even manipulating me.

I straighten my back, refusing to let fear dictate my actions. "And if I refuse?" I challenge, locking eyes with Nikolai.

His expression remains unreadable for a moment, and then a ghost of a smile tugs at the corner of his lips. "You could refuse," he concedes, "but then this alliance will fail because your brothers don’t view me as an equal, and I’m done bending to their whims. Once the alliance fails, all those secrets I hold would be fair game. Do you really want to risk that?"

My brothers bristle with anger, ready to pounce on Nikolai, their protectiveness flaring up in defense of their sister.

“We would never allow this marriage!” Boris shouts.

“How dare you threaten us on our own turf while asking to marry our sister with that vile tongue?” Lev bellows.

Nikolai's gaze pierces through me, waiting for my response as he ignores my brothers. A marriage to Nikolai is not something I ever imagined, nor something I ever wanted. But as I look around the room at my brothers, a sense of duty washes over me. I must do whatever is needed to protect my family and our secrets. I know that this is not a choice made out of love or desire but rather a sacrifice for the sake of my family.

I push down the rising panic and meet Nikolai's gaze head-on. "Fine," I say, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me. "I'll do it."

What I don’t say is that I’m only marrying him because I have to. That the marriage would never be more than the wedding. We’d live together, strangers on the dock. This marriage would be one on paper and paper alone.

The room falls into stunned silence, broken only by the sound of my own heartbeat thundering in my ears. Nikolai's expression remains unreadable, his eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that sends shivers down my spine.

And then, chaos erupts. Boris rises from his seat, his voice filled with disbelief and anger. "Anoushka, you can't be serious! We can find another way!”

“Like hell, you’ll marry him!” Lev grabs my arm, forcing me to look at him.

“Over my dead body!” I hear Damien shout.

Nikolai's lips curve into a smile, a mixture of triumph and something else I can't quite decipher. He doesn’t say a word, making it clear that the ball is now in my court. I can already see his brain making calculations.

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