Page 24 of Virgin Bratva Prisoner

“Look—guys—I need you to go now. I will come and see you at the end of the week. For now, I just need time—“

“Oh,” Raisa stammers from behind me.

Yefim and Alexei are both staring at her in horror.

I turn in my seat, my heart sinking to the pit of my stomach.

She is standing wide-eyed just behind the seating area. Her plate of food in her hand and a wild look on her face.

“Oleg—“ Yefim says darkly. His eyes are locked onto her. “That is Raisa Kuznetsov.”

I sigh.

Fuck.

I guess there is no getting out of the explanation at this point.

“Yes. It is.”

“Start talking,” Alexei demands.

“I wanted to tell everyone at the same time—“

“Start. Talking,” Yefim says, his voice clipped and tight.

“Raisa, would you like to join us?” I ask, because she is still frozen in place.

Saying her name seems to snap her from the daze she is in. She spins away from us and hurries out of the room without saying a word.

I sigh again. I need more time so I can get through to her. Having my brothers here right now is not part of the plan.

I turn back towards my brothers. Leaning back into the sofa again I close my eyes for a second, then I start explaining my plan to them.

“I took her a few days ago and Raisa and I are now married. She is no longer a Kuznetsov. She is a Dubrov.”

“What the fuck?“ Alexei blurts out in shock. “What the fuck made you think that was a good idea?”

Suddenly, I am filled with intense anger. “What the fuck do you meanwhat the fuck?You can’t talk. You of all people shouldat least understand a little bit.You make the most reckless choices of us all!—How the fuck did you meet your wife, Alexei?“ I don’t want to feel angry, and I don’t want to raise my voice, but Alexei is the last fucking person on the planet who should be judging me.

Maybe I’m just being defensive. Maybe I’m feeling guilty for what I have done to Raisa. I take a breath, trying to calm my thoughts.

Yefim reaches out and touches Alexei’s arms when he tries to stand up. “Wait, Alexei, calm down.” He says, his voice even. “Oleg, explain to me—what the fuck you were thinking.” There is no judgment in his tone, but I can hear the disappointment.

“We are at the beginning stages of war with her brothers. By marrying her, we form an automatic alliance with them and they have to stand down—without bloodshed.Let’s be honest. It was either this or you guys all storming in there with your guns and explosives. This is the better option.”

“This is the thing that is going tostartthe war,” Alexei hisses. “You kidnapped their sister.”

“For the greater good,” I snap back at him.

Yefim shakes his head. “This is a terrible plan, Oleg. You should have spoken to us first.”

“No, this is the right way to handle this situation. I thought about it for a long time. I know I made the right choice,” I say back with force.

IknowI made the right choice.

This is far better than the method my brothers would have chosen.

Yefim’s jaw is clenched. The muscles are feathering along it as he tries to hold back his anger. “When Leon finds out—“

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