Page 14 of Forced Pregnant Bride

He'd seen it all, been through it all with me: the fucking nightmares, the ice baths I’d had under duress; he was concerned but couldn’t show most of it except through those stoic questions.

Sometimes, though, I wondered….I’dbeen the one at the forefront of our father’s madness, but Rafayel managed to be more of the lunatic between us.

The emotion expression limit worked better for me. I was older; I couldn’t have him being bothered about me.

Staying quiet, I focused on the game. Somehow, that didn’t stop him from probing in a different direction.

“So….” He drew the words out, eyeing me over his cards. “it is that time of the year, you know?”

“No.” I played a card. “I don’t know.”

“Allow me to spell it out then. I’m kind of itching to have a sister-in-law.”

I didn’t respond right away. Instead, I laid down my next card, studying the way the corners of his mouth curled into a grin.

It was a joke. At the same time, it wasn’t. This wouldn’t be the first time someone had asked. It came up a lot these days, especially now that I was closing in on forty. In the Bratva, it was tradition for men at forty to settle down, start families, and keep up appearances.

I had better work to do. More important shit to take care of.

I picked up my next card, trying to shove his question out of my mind. But it lingered longer than I expected.

Marriage.

It definitely wasn’t in the plan. A wife, kids…. I mentally shuddered.Fucking N-O.I wasn’t sure where that would even fit in the life I led.

I shrugged casually. “You’ll itch for a while longer. I haven’t thought about it.”

Rafayel’s grin widened as if he knew he’d struck a nerve, though he didn’t press further, just watched me over the rim of his glasses.

“Of course, you haven’t. Always swamped in work.” He leaned forward, his voice dropping slightly. “I don’t know, but if you ask me, I’ll say you need some assistance.”

Sucking on the cigar between my lips, I eyed him. “I’m doing just fine.”

“Yeah, sure you are. I bet you jerk off at the sight of spread papers soaked in ink. Am I right?”

Slowly, the corner of my lips tilted upward in the smallest curve. “Fuck you.”

He laughed. “Just think about it, and you’ll realize it’s not so bad. Having a woman to take care of you and ease all that fucking tension rolling off your shoulders. You don’t want to be the last one standing with no one by your side.”

I chuckled softly, though the truth of his words hit somewhere deep. He wasn’t wrong. But I knew one thing for sure: I wasn’t the kind of man who could give someone else that kind of life, not with everything else that came with being me.

I placed another card down, avoiding his gaze.

Raf’s dark eyes narrowed, calculating every move, every breath I took. Like me, he didn’t shy away from his competitive side. His lean, athletic frame was relaxed, but I knew better. He was waiting for the right moment, like a predator watching its prey stumble. His fingers hovered over the cards, ready to strike. His brown hair, combed back slick and sharp, gleamed under the low light, but his eyes told the real story—cold, relentless.

I knew that look too well.

He always tried to play like he wasn’t bothered, like everything was just a game to him. But I could see through it.I always had. Rafayel wasn’t playing for fun. He was playing to win, and he wanted me to know it. He loved the feeling of control, the moment where you realize it’s too late, that you’ve walked right into the trap he set long before you even knew you were in the game.

I clenched my jaw, eyes locked on his every move. He was about to play his next card; I could feel it, but I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of thinking he had me cornered. Rafayel thrived on weakness, and I had no intention of showing any.

“Go on,” I taunted. “Make your move.”

His lips twisted into a smirk, the kind that always made me want to smack it off his face. I wasn’t about to let him win this one, no matter how many tricks he had up his sleeve.

His hand moved, and the door opened.

Arlo walked into the office like he owned the place, all swagger and confidence. He nodded at Rafayel, subtly acknowledging him, before heading straight for me. Dropping the cards, I tilted back in my chair, arms crossed, watching him closely.

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