Page 64 of The Bratva's Forced Innocent Bride

Katie swiped me in the arm. “I’m sure it’ll be amazing. It’s awfully brave to host Thanksgiving as a newlywed, especially for the whole family.” When Aleks loyally reminded her she did Christmas the year before, she only rolled her eyes. “I’m a professional caterer, though. I can cook for a crowd with my eyes closed.”

She went into the kitchen to help out, and I led Aleks to the deck where the rest of us siblings were enjoying the cool weather and a few beers. Even though the dinner was catered, Brooke had drawn the line at having servers, intent on having it be a traditional family meal she brought to the table herself, even if she didn’t cook it.

God, I loved that woman.

Dima, Lev, and Mila were in the middle of an argument about the best detonators while Katie was trying to keep the swearing to a minimum, with Alina playing on the sand just below with Nataliye. It was hard to believe Nat had once been furious to the point of almost cutting her father and his new wife off completely with the way she was doting on her half-sister. It was a testament to how everything seemed to work out for all of us.

I smiled as Brooke came out, laden down under a huge tray of appetizers, and jumped up to take it from her. She sighed with relief as everyone dove into the artichoke dip and veggies, then hurried back into the kitchen, calling over her shoulder that the turkey was just about heated up.

“I mean, ready,” she said, blushing to her hairline.

“They know,” I shouted after her. “Or else they’d all run for the hills,” I said much more quietly, making Ivan crack up.

“She’s brave to have us all, even if she didn’t cook,” he said.

“Yeah, that’s what Katie said,” Aleks added. “We can be a handful.”

He was right about that, but my wife was nothing if not brave. While I was busy setting up a new empire for us, she had been toiling at her studies and had finally chosen a major. Crisis counseling was the last thing I would have guessed, but she drew so much strength from speaking to Luca Ross’s other victims, and had been so grateful to my assistant for lending an ear when she was having trouble getting past his crimes, that she was going to do her best to be that ear for others.

I had been so proud when she explained it all that I nearly burst. There was no way I could ever express to Brooke how much she impressed me. I tried my best, though, lavishing her with gifts she always insisted she didn’t need. That only made me want to spoil her more, and I finally got her to admit she needed one of those gifts when the baby blue convertible was delivered just a week ago.

She had been working so hard, always hunched over her computer with her online classes, then tagging along after me to soak up the family business she was determined to be a part of. I wanted to give her that last bit of freedom. The ability to go wherever she wanted on her own, without having to ask anyone.

Yes, I still had guards following her, but they sat in the passenger seat now. My girl was in charge of her own destiny, and I was so damn grateful she chose to be with me.

The only thing that came close to giving me as much happiness was the fact that all the permits were finally in order and I could start rebuilding the diner in Hollywood. And plans were well under way to get the second branch open down here, but for the moment, I wasn’t in too big of a hurry since Brooke, and I were planning a real honeymoon for Christmas time. Ourfirst one together was going to be just us on a European river cruise.

The doorbell rang, and I heard Brooke squeal through the open glass doors that let in the cool breeze and the delicious aroma of roasted turkey.

“Oh, that must be Jenna and Lev,” Mila said, scurrying into the house.

The rest of us followed to greet our newest nephew, Artem Andrew. Brooke had already met him, having taken the jet up to San Francisco for his birth, but for the rest of us, it was our first time seeing the tiny tyke in his mound of blankets despite the mild weather. They had gone back and forth about traveling so soon after the baby’s birth, but in the end, they couldn’t resist showing him off.

I watched Brooke peering down at him with an angelic look on her face but no real hunger in her eyes.

“When will it be your turn?” Dima asked me, and the others all inevitably chimed in with, coaxing us to add a new member to the family.

“We’re taking our time,” I said, wrapping my arm around Brooke’s shoulders. “This one wants to finish college first.”

“I don’t have to finish,” she piped in, surprising me. “Just get a little bit further, that’s all.”

I gave her a look promising we could start working on that whenever she was ready, and in the meantime, I was happy with practice runs.

Now that everyone had arrived, we all sat down to dig in, talking over each other, laughing and joking around. Ivan stood up, waving one of the turkey legs he fought for, and declared it was the best Thanksgiving he’d been to since the last one.

We all cracked up, but I caught a glimpse of Brooke’s eyes welling with unshed tears. Ignoring all the noise, I leaned close.

“He was only teasing. The food’s great, and you really hit it out of the park getting everyone here.”

She shook her head. “I’m not offended. I’m just…” she gulped and smiled at me so brightly I had to blink. “This is everything I ever wanted. A big loving family of my own.”

“Well, you’ve got us,” Dima said from her other side, overhearing her.

When she gave him a hug, I no longer felt any stirring of jealousy since I knew she was truly mine, but still reached over and lightly slapped my younger brother across the head for hanging on a second more than necessary.

The party went on for far too long after that, with second helpings by the small bonfire that Ivan and Dima insisted on building and setting ablaze. I almost wished the county cops would bust in and nail us for some sort of safety violation just to get everyone out so I could have Brooke to myself.

But I couldn’t begrudge her the time to bask in her new sister and brothers-in-law or those two babies she couldn’t seem to get enough of. It was past midnight when Jenna dragged Lev away, turning down my invitation to spend the night with the excuse that Artem might wake us up when he hollered for his three o’clock feeding. I gave her a grateful smile, and she winked at me before leaving. Everyone else seemed like they weren’t going anywhere until Dima got a message from our crew saying there was a problem at one of my new bars.

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