Page 44 of Paid for By the Bratva

The brothers stare at me, a mixture of shock and disbelief etched on their faces. They clearly didn't expect me to stand up to them like this.

“You can’t be serious!” Mark exclaims.

"Listen," I say finally, my voice calmer but still laced with authority. "I understand that you want to protect your sister, but you need to trust her judgment, too. If you can't do that, then at least have the decency to respect our marriage or stay out of our lives."

Their reactions are varied, with Abram nodding solemnly, Vladimir clenching his fists in silent rage, Denis attempting to maintain a neutral expression, and Mark rolling his eyes in exasperation.

Abram's expression softens and Denis and he exchange glances.

Vladimir, however, bristles at my words, his face turning red with anger. "You can't ban us from coming here!" he snaps, slamming his fists on the table. "We're family!"

"Family?" I scoff, narrowing my eyes at him. "Some family, coming in here and calling my wife stupid and naive."

Denis, ever the diplomat, tries to smooth things over. "Let's not escalate the situation further," he pleads, raising hishands in a placating gesture. "We're all here because we care about Lara. We just want what's best for her."

Mark snorts, a sarcastic smirk playing on his lips. "Yeah, well, some of us have a funny way of showing it," he retorts, shooting a pointed glance at Abram.

Abram shoots Mark a deathly glare. “I think our host has made it clear he wants us to leave,” he says, with unquestionable authority.

Even though every bone in my body is telling me to refuse it, I extend my hand to each brother for Lara’s sake.

To my surprise, none reject my gesture of goodbye.

“Once everyone cools down, we can talk again. If necessary,” Denis tries placating.

I nod, and the four brothers walk out of the bar. I know this is far from over, but for now, I've made my point. And I'll be damned if I let anyone—family or not—undermine Lara’s choices.

I sit at the table for a few more minutes, finishing my drink to help me calm down. Once done, I realize just how exhausted I am and decide to call it a night. I need to go back home and crawl into bed with Lara.

I stand and turn toward the bustling floor of the gentlemen's club for one last look when my ears catch an abrupt change in the atmosphere. The music seems to fade into the background, replaced by the sound of angry shouts and the crash of glass.

"Get your hands off me!" a woman screams from near the entrance.

My heart rate spikes as adrenaline courses through my veins. My protective instincts kick in, and I instantlyrecognize that this can soon turn into a very, very dangerous situation. Without a second thought, I sprint toward the chaos, determined to keep my patrons safe and, preferably, not involve the cops.

I step out and see a group of men harassing some of our female entertainers, who are just leaving from the first shift before the other crew takes over for the night.

"Who are these guys?" I ask one of the bouncers as I push my way through the crowd. He shakes his head, unable to provide any useful information.

"Unknown, Boss. They just stormed in."

"Let's get them out," I reply, gritting my teeth.

As I reach the entrance, I see four unfamiliar men causing havoc, their faces twisted with perversion as they harass two of our girls.

“Come on darling; you shake your ass in there for all these richie riches. Can’t do the same for us?” one of them tries to hold Anastasia by her waist.

“Yeah, just tell us how much?” another asks Rita, holding her wrist.

Their aggressive behavior is disturbing the peace and putting my employees in danger. I won't stand for it.

I don't waste a second. With one swift motion, I grab the hand of the man holding Anastasia and twist it behind his back, making him cry out in pain. "Let her go," I growl, my voice low and menacing. My gaze sweeps over the other three men, daring them to make a move.

One of the men smirks, stepping forward until he's only inches away from my face. "Or what?"

"Or you'll be sorry," I warn, steeling myself for a fight.

"Is that a threat?" he sneers.

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