Page 37 of An Arranged Virgin for the Bratva

Vlad takes a slow sip of his drink. "About what, dear wife?"

I clench my fists, willing myself to stay calm. "About your reaction at the bar. About…" I hesitate, then forge ahead. "How cold you’ve been since we hooked up."

His jaw tightens. "What's there to discuss? You lied to me."

I stare at him, dumbfounded. “I—what?” I near screech.

He looks into my eyes, eyebrows raised in indignation. “You’re a virgin, and you lied to me about it.”

"I didn't lie," I snap. "You never asked clearly. There's a difference."

Vlad stands abruptly, towering over me. "Difference or not, I shouldn’t have had to ask. Had I known…”

“You’d have what?” I don’t let him finish his sentence. “Got me on a bed of roses?”

“Sofia,” he growls. “It’s more than that. I would have—”

He’s not yet finished when the front door bursts open, a cacophony of voices filling the air.

"Sofi! Where's our favorite sister?" Fedor's booming voice echoes through the house.

“Oh, she’s your favorite now, is she?” I hear my younger sister Natalia’s playful jab at our brother.

I freeze, my eyes locked with Vlad's. The argument forgotten, we both turn toward the commotion.

"In here," I call out, forcing a smile as my four brothers and one sister tumble into the living room.What the hell are they doing here?

Nikolai, all six-foot-something of him, sweeps me into a bear hug. "Surprise! How's married life treating you, little sister? We thought we’d drop by."

“More like we wanted to check if Vlad is still sane, being around you,” Natalia chuckles in the background, earning a laugh from Vladimir.

I roll my eyes at them and pat Nikolai’s back awkwardly. "Nikolai, I’m doing great! Now, put me down before you break something."

Dima, ever the observant one, raises an eyebrow at the tension in the room. "Everything okay here? We're not interrupting anything, are we?"

"Of course not," Vlad interjects smoothly, stepping forward to shake hands with my brothers. "We were just discussing our upcoming weekend. Besides, I hope you all know you're welcome here anytime," he says, his voice warm but with an undercurrent of authority. "Sofia and I love having you over, don't we, Darling?"

I nod, plastering on a smile. "Of course, it's always a pleasure."

Vlad's hand finds mine, intertwining our fingers. To anyone watching, we must look like the picture-perfect couple. But I can feel the tension in his grip, the slight tremor that betrays his true emotions.

"You two are so cute together," Natalia gushes. "How did you manage to tame our ice queen, Vlad?"

I stiffen at her words, but Vlad just chuckles. "Oh, I wouldn't say I've tamed her. Sofia's fire is what drew me to her in the first place."

His words, though meant to maintain our facade, stir something within me. I catch his eye, and for a moment, I see a flicker of genuine emotions there.

I catch Artyom, the youngest, rolling his eyes at Vlad’s open admiration of me. "Boring. Hey, Sofi, got any food? I'm starving."

"You're always starving," I retort, grateful for the distraction. "Come on, let's see what we can rustle up in the kitchen."

As we move toward the door, I glance back at Vlad. His face is a mask of calm, but I can see the storm brewing in his eyes. This conversation isn't over, not by a long shot.

I lead my siblings into the kitchen, my mind racing. The tension between Vlad and me lingers like a ghost, but I push it aside, focusing on the task at hand.

I whip up a cheese platter with Natalia’s help, and we all sit around the cozy dining table.

"Vodka for everyone?" I ask, reaching for the bottle. My voice sounds strained even to my own ears.

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