Page 33 of The Bratva's Auctioned Bride

It was an interesting concept, but if it was advantageous to attend those events, then I could understand why he even bothered with it. It was like how I went to the galas and charitieson behalf of my family. In a way, it seemed to offset the not-so-great aspects of the business.

I hummed. “And here I was thinking you were just that outgoing.”

Alex let go of an amused sound. “I can be outgoing when the situation calls for it…but let’s just say I have a limited social battery.”

It was interesting to me how someone like him managed to get himself into that kind of business, anyway. While he could demand respect easily enough, and he seemed to be more than capable as a leader, he wasn’t as extroverted as I would expect a kingpin to be.

He did what was required of him, but apparently with a healthy dose of reluctance.

Before long, several drinks were ordered and brought over to us, and we sat together in the booth, side by side.

“With the required socializing out of the way, along with your debut as my wife, it’s time we relax together,” Alex said with a grin as he gently clinked his glass against mine.

I grinned in return as we both sipped from our drinks, finding the moment refreshing. It was like we were on our first date in a way, and thanks to the club’s more romantic atmosphere, I felt at ease in that booth with him.

“You know, as much as I didn’t want to admit it, your family reminds me of mine in a way,” he began, taking on a slightly more contemplative air. “Even if I wasn’t the biggest fan of being at the end of your brother’s pistol, I saw a bit of myself in him then. I couldn’t help but admire how he was willing to do whatever was necessary for his family. I’ve always had that mindset myself.”

With an almost sheepish smile, I nodded. “Ari has been like that since I can remember…he made my school years a bit of a nightmare in that sense.”

“Did your big brother come to your defense?”

Thinking back, I hummed my amusement at the memory before I met his gaze again. “Numerous times. The family business was taking off when I was old enough to be enrolled in high school, so Ari put me and Kir in a private school. Of course, I had a lot of snooty rich kids as classmates, and one group in particular thought it would be fun to pick on the new girl. When it became too much and Ari caught me crying over it one day, he told me he’d make it better, and without me knowing, he went to the older brothers of those girls and gave them a piece of his mind. Needless to say, they were so scared that the girls started treating me like a queen after that.”

As I spoke, Alex listened intently, eyes glinting with amusement in the low light. Then, he snickered and spoke over the rim of his drink, “It must’ve been a breeze for you after that.”

“For the most part, but I didn’t always rely on him for help. I got my own hands dirty from time to time.”

He cocked a brow at that with a chuckle. “Did you now?”

With a small laugh of my own, I nodded. “I got in a few fights of my own when it was necessary and handled it myself—of course, not without getting in major trouble at school. They threatened to expel me over it if I didn’t straighten up. I was terrified of how Ari would react when he heard, but he took me out for ice cream instead and told me they probably deserved it—and for the record, they did.”

Alex laughed with a tinge of disbelief in his expression, setting his glass down as he reached across the booth and gently held my hip as he leaned in, his tone teasing. “Consider me impressed. I didn’t know my wife was a fighter like that.”

Grinning back at him, feeling warm from the booze and his possessive grip on me, I couldn’t help but lean into him a bit. “I’m not to be underestimated.”

His features gleamed with both amusement and what looked like silent reverence as he gazed at me, suddenly making me feel like I was the only person in that club with him. With his free hand, he reached up and gently moved a lock of hair over my shoulder as his eyes drank me in. “I wouldn’t dream of doing something as foolish as that. You were fiery since the day I met you. And for the record,” he began, echoing my previous words. “I admire that about you.”

Sitting in that booth with him, so intimately close and feeling drawn even closer, I forgot about the rest of the event around us. I wasn’t all that keen on getting mixed in with his world, and that of my brothers, but seeing Alex like that and being able to feel his raw appreciation for me helped me to not mind it too much.

If it meant having his time and uninterrupted attention, along with his hands on me, then I could let it slide.

Chapter 17 - Alexander

“You look like shit.”

I scoffed and glanced over at Damien, head lifting just enough from the back of my chair to send shocks of pain through my skull, reminding me of my nagging headache. “Shut up.”

He chuckled as I winced and leaned back again, rubbing at my temples. “And what brought this on?”

Sighing, I reached for my desk drawer and pulled it open, fishing out a bottle of painkillers. I tossed two back and swallowed before meeting his gaze again. “I got carried away drinking with Lara last night at that stupid gathering.”

“What, can’t handle your booze anymore, old man?”

I resisted rolling my eyes, grumbling to myself. “I’m not as young as I once was, but I’m not that old. You’re not that far off from me, you know.”

He hummed his amusement. “Whiskey might as well be water to me.”

“Count your days. That’ll come to an end eventually.”

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