Page 74 of Forced Mafia Bride

But then, his tone shifted, and he leaned forward, his grin widening in that mischievous way that always meant trouble.

“You know, I’ve been thinking. I’m going to shoot my shot with Hannah.”

Timur nearly choked on his beer, and Egor let out a bark of laughter.

“Hannah?” Egor said, raising an eyebrow. “Are you sure? I don’t trust the quiet ones. They turn out to be the fiercest. She’d probably eat you alive.”

Anatoly shrugged, not even remotely deterred. “I’ve been watching her, Boss. The fire’s there, and I like that.”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “You like trouble, is what you mean.”

“Maybe.” Anatoly’s grin didn’t falter. “But come on, she’s been fucking single long enough. It’s true. I asked Aiden. It’s time for her to meet a real man.”

Timur snorted. “And you think you’re that man?”

Anatoly puffed out his chest dramatically and scratched his jaw with a tattooed finger. “Who else? Besides, if I don’t go for it, someone else will. And that is not fucking happening under my watch.”

Egor clapped his shoulder before he stood up. “We are cheering you on. But if she bites, no one will help you lick your wounds.”

“Please,” Anatoly shot back. “I’ve got this. You’ll see.”

We all laughed, the conversation light and easy, the kind that only happens when you’ve known each other long enough to joke about anything. Anatoly had a way of keeping things from getting too serious, and in moments like these, it was a welcome distraction.

But as the conversation drifted into other topics, something caught my eye. Off to the side, sitting near the far end of the garden, I noticed two people deep in conversation: Nadia and Aiden. They were sitting close, their heads angled toward each other, talking quietly. It had been over an hour now, and they hadn’t moved from that spot.

I frowned slightly.

Nadia wasn’t exactly the chatty type, except family was involved. And Aiden was…well, Aiden was one of the good ones,kind and soft-spoken. Somehow, that made him…safe, I guess. Still, seeing the two of them together was unexpected.

Timur noticed my gaze and followed it, his eyebrows rising when he spotted them. “Huh. That’s…new.”

I nodded slowly. “Yeah. Didn’t see that coming.”

“Think there’s something going on there?” Egor asked, leaning back in his chair with a smirk.

“I don’t know,” I replied, watching as Nadia laughed softly at something Aiden said. It was rare to see her like that—relaxed, almost at ease. She’d been through a lot, and her walls were high. But there was something different about how she was around Aiden, something…softer. “But whatever it is, I’m not worried. He’s one of the good ones.”

Timur grinned. “Probably too good. Didn’t he have a huge crush on your wife?”

I glared at him, and he stuck his hands up in the air. Whatever was happening between Nadia and Aiden wasn’t my business. Not unless it became one. For now, I was content to let them have their peace, whatever it looked like.

As the laughter and chatter continued around me, I glanced over at Rosalyn again. She caught my eye, and that familiar warmth flooded my chest. Our lives were chaotic—dangerous, even—but in moments like these, surrounded by family, it all felt…worth it.

Anatoly was still going on about his plan to charm Hannah, and I smiled to myself, the noise of the party fading into the background. Tomorrow, the world would come crashing back in, the responsibilities, the risks, the never-ending weight of the life I led. But today, I could let it slip away, just for a little while longer.

I blew her an air kiss and mouthed, “I love you.”

And she blew me one right back, smiling so wide, I could see her cheeks turn red. “I love you, too.”

*****

THE END

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