Page 52 of Vitaly

“Don’t,” Alik growls, slowly turning his head toward his wife. “We talked about this.”

She smiles, and I swear to God, it reminds me of Nikita’s. Playfully evil.

“Was it as bad as they say? Did you ever spend time in solitary?”

I just blink at her.

Her voice sounds different. It’s a different pitch, a different… I don’t know.

How is this the same person I spoke to today?

When I glance at Nikita, he looks unsurprised but annoyed. Annoyed to have the attention taken off humiliating Mila.

Hewantsa reaction. Hewantsto get to me. And to her parents. And to everyone.

Olive’s words from earlier today stick in my mind.

Heenjoystorturing people.

I clear my throat and pull my napkin onto my lap. “Everyone spends time in solitary at one point or another. My longest stretch was three months.”

“Oof.” She scrunches her nose. “What’d you do? Punch a guard? Bang the warden’s daughter?” She looks me up and down before giving me a wink.

“Please stop,” Alik mutters, his eyes closed.

My mouth opens, but nothing comes out. I’m too taken off guard.

Did she really just wink at me?

She leans toward me, forearms on the table with a mischievousness in her eyes that I can’t look away from. This woman… This woman isinteresting.

“How did it feel, being with a woman for the first time after you got out? You must’ve fucked like ananimal.”

“Okay.” Alik throws his napkin onto his plate and stands, holding out his hand for his wife. She doesn’t take it. Her eyes don’t move from me, and the interest flickering in them never dims. She doesn’t act like she notices that it’s time to leave.

“Thank you for dinner, Pakhan. I’m afraid Olive has had a little too much to drink.”

My eyes zero in on her full wine glass. It looks like she hasn’t touched it, and if I remember correctly, she told me she doesn’t drink.

He takes her arm, and I’m a little surprised when she lets him guide her from the chair.

“Pleasure meeting you, Vitaly,” she coos before yanking out of Alik’s hold to take long pulls of her wine, draining the glass before setting it back down.

I don’t respond, mainly because I don’t know how to. We met already… I think.

How am I questioning that?

It isn’t until they leave that I notice the room has gone silent.

“Anyway…” Nikita’s tone is saturated with annoyance. Not curiosity. Notshock. Annoyance. I look around at the others. Not a single person in this room looks like they think that was weird. “As I was saying, I’m impressed that you managed to get through all the pickups without any incident. Keep it up, and you’ll have more responsibility soon.”

“Great.”

“That’s what you want, isn’t it?” The mole above his lip shifts as he gives me a crooked grin.

I nod, trying not to think of Mila sucking his dick as we speak. “I just came home, Uncle. I don’t want anything but my freedom and a place in the Bratva.”

He hums, no smile this time. “Good. That’s good.”

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