Page 33 of Forced Innocent Bratva Bride

“I'll stop once you tell me what's going on,” she said, now taking a conspiratorial tone, her eyes never leaving my face. Ravyn leaned forward again. “Tell me all about it…. I wanna hear it. Gimme detailed information.”

A quiet, husky chuckle rumbled in my throat as I jerked my head to face her. “What do you wanna know?”

Ravyn's face lit up with excitement as she banged the table with her palm, the sound making a soft thud. “Are you kidding? Everything!”

“Well….” I drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Everything's been….” I paused, groping for the right words to describe this complicated union between Alexei and I.

She lifted her brows, anticipation flickering in her eyes. “Everything's been what?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.

“It's…it's complicated,” I said, pinching the bridge of my nose. I had no better word.

Ravyn glanced at her watch and then refocused her attention on me. “Lori, you have 30 seconds to uncomplicate it,” she declared, her voice laced with playful solemnity.

I rolled my neck in a massaging motion, a smile perched on my face. “It's hard to put into words—honestly, I'm still trying to figure it out myself.”

She tilted her head, her brows furrowing in bewilderment. “Okay, I'm confused.”

“I am, too, really,” came my response as I wiped a palm over my face. “I mean, I'm supposed to hate him, considering the circumstances behind our union….” My voice trailed off, shoulders slumping in dismay.

“But now you don't?” She raised her eyebrows further in question.

I paused for a moment, evaluating my next response as my fingers dug into my temples. “I don't know, Ravie.” My eyes met with hers. “Ever since our first night together, it's like….” I swallowed hard, this uncertainty choking me. “It's like I'm struggling to hate him, and no matter how hard I try, I can't stop thinking about the way he made me feel; those memories won't stop flashing in my head all day, every day.”

Ravyn watched me with a palm under her chin. “That's because it was a wonderful day,” she said without taking her eyes off me.

I recalled the way his hands had caressed my skin, his touch, gentle and tender. My own moans echoed in my head, followed by images of him pounding inside me.

My lips curved into an unwanted smile, my fingertips tingling at the sensation coursing through my body. “Yeah, it was. Alexei knows how to pleasure a woman.” I snapped out of my thoughts, and my gaze settled on hers.

She retained that smile, her eyes locked on mine. “I'll bet he does. It's so obvious.”

I shifted my eyes back to my plate, cheeks flushing in embarrassment as I took another bite of my salad.

Ravyn could see right through me, and the look of amusement on her face made me uncomfortable—nervous, maybe. Thoughts of that night had ignited a fire in me, and now Alexei was all I could think about—his touch, hands, lips, and tongue.

My thighs subtly brushed against each other in response to the sensation between my legs.

This was why I’d been skeptical about spilling the tea in the first place. I knew talking about him would only turn me on, and I loathed how he had such an effect on me, even in his absence.

“Are you starting to like him?” Ravyn asked, suddenly serious.

I felt a jolt of surprise, eyes widening in alarm. “Whaaat? No.” My voice rose defensively as I protested. “Don't be ridiculous.” I blew a raspberry, sounding childish. My laugh came out as awkward and forced—unnatural.

She arched her brows, squinting as though she was examining me, and this just further accentuated my nervousness. But why was I so suddenly nervous? There was no way that I was starting to like him after just a few weeks, so why was all I defensive?

Ravyn looked me in the eyes and lowered her tone, leaning toward me. “Maybe you should try to sound a little bit more convincing.” Her eyes crinkled at the corners as she withdrew and picked up her cutlery, ready to eat.

She couldn't be right in assuming that I was starting to like Alexei, could she? This was a marriage of convenience, and we both despised each other. One night of intense sex shouldn't be able to soften my heart so quickly.

But did I always find myself dreaming about him touching me the way he had the last time? Maybe this was just mere attraction. The man was undeniably attractive. It waspossible that I was only drawn to his rugged masculinity, his allure. Maybe this was lust and nothing more.

“Dang it,” Ravyn whispered, her tone laced with a familiar sound of agony.

I snapped back to the present, eyes falling on her as she bent over, a hand over her belly. Her face was scrunched up in pain.

“Are you okay?” I asked, my voice dripping with concern.

“Yeah,” she replied, straightening with a scowl on her face. “I just want some relief from these stupid cramps. Is that too much to ask?”

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