Page 33 of Paid for By the Bratva

"Great! Let's order those!" Natalia exclaims, flagging down the bartender. "But first, three tequila shots, please! And a mojito, a vodka soda, and a lime margarita. Keep ‘em coming!"

When the shots arrive, I down mine in one go, the tequila burning a trail of fire down my throat. I follow it immediately with a sip of my margarita.

"There, don't you feel better now?" Natalia smiles, patting my hand. I nod, grateful for her warmth and understanding, not realizing she’d picked up on my nervousness.

"So, Lara," Sofia begins, her tone lighter now that the tension has eased. "Tell us more about yourself. When did Dima first catch your eye in a romantic way?"

Caught off guard, I nearly choke on my martini. My eyes flicker toward Natalia for support, but this time around, she simply takes a slow sip of her drink, watching me closely. "Well, it's a bit of a long story," I say hesitantly, feeling nervous.

"Long or short, I'm interested," Sofia replies, her gaze unwavering.

I glance between them, weighing how much of the truth to reveal and how to frame it so they’ll believe that I loved him even before we got married.

“We, um… met first at Ivan’s introductory dinner. From the beginning, I thought he was kind of nice. Though I didn’t realize it at the time, I found myself keeping an eye on him at every family dinner we had. But it wasn’t until one night, when we both happened to be at the same club, that my feelingsbecame clear. Dima saved me from a dangerous situation and didn’t hold it against me for getting into it in the first place. That moment made it clear that he was the one for me.”

"A dangerous situation?" Sofia's eyes narrow, her suspicion returning. "What kind of situation?"

"A man tried to take advantage of me," I admit softly. "If Dima hadn't stepped in when he did, I don't know what might have happened."

Sofia's eyes narrow slightly as if she's trying to determine whether I'm lying. I can't help but feel like I'm under a microscope, with every word I say being dissected and analyzed. "I see." Sofia presses her lips into a thin line, glancing at Natalia. "And this man, did he have a name?"

“Sofia,” Natalia warns.

“What?” Sofia shrugs. “I’m interested to know in case our brother ever finds himself in trouble.”

I hesitate, unsure of how much detail to provide. But I can see the protectiveness in Sofia's gaze, her need to ensure Dima's safety as much as my own.

"Marv," I say quietly. "His name was Marv."

Sofia's eyes flash, and my heart races, wondering if she recognizes the name. What the hell was I thinking? Though petrified, it’s too late to take back the name now. She nods slowly, deep in thought, as she considers this new information.

“Well,” Natalia says sweetly, leaning over to give me a soft hug. “I’m glad whatever trouble you were in, our brother was there to save you.”

I nod, feeling a tear prick at my eyes. If it weren’t so dangerous for my secret to be out, which could potentially ruinmy reputation with my brothers, I’d openly tell the world how amazing Dima was that night.

In that moment, I realize just what a quiet support Dima has been, always watching guard over me. For that, I am eternally grateful.

Sofia's eyes remain locked on me. "So," she says casually, though I can sense the calculation behind her words, "what are your intentions with Dima?"

I swallow hard, trying to gather my thoughts and give an honest answer without revealing too much. "I'm grateful for everything he's done for me," I begin, "and I want to be there for him, too."

"Really?" Sofia raises an eyebrow. "You don't have any ulterior motives? You're not trying to use him for his money or his connections?"

My heart races, but I hold her gaze. "No, I'm not. Our relationship may be…unconventional, but I care about him. Dima was there for me when no one else was. He protected me, and I trust him because of that. I won’t break that trust. Besides, us Zolotovs aren’t doing too bad in life ourselves," I can’t help but snap back at the end. To imagine I need to use Dima formoney?

She studies me for a moment, and I feel like I'm being weighed on a scale—will my sincerity tip the balance in my favor, or will her suspicion outweigh it?

But finally, her expression softens ever so slightly, and she seems to be mulling over my words. At last, she nods, and turns to Natalia, asking what song it is that plays in the background. I sigh with relief. Who knew that all I needed to do was bite back a bit for Sofia to calm down?

Just then, the Jazz ends, and some upbeat pop music starts to play.

“Woohoo,” Natalia cheers along with the others, while Sofia too breaks out into a soft smile. The mood suddenly changes—there’s more life, more electricity.

“Now, how about some more shots?” Natalia wiggles her eyebrows at us.

As the bartender lines up the shots, Natalia raises her glass. "To our night out, ladies!"

"To our night out," Sofia echoes, her demeanor softening just a fraction. I clink my shot glass with theirs and down it.

---