Page 52 of An Arranged Virgin for the Bratva

"How about with Vladimir?" she suggests, and I flinch at the name.

"Vladimir," I repeat, my voice barely above a whisper. "He's… complicated."

Lara chuckles. "That's an understatement if I've ever heard one. But what happened between you two?"

I close my eyes, memories of our wedding flooding my mind. Little did I know he’d ever break through my barriers, only to betray me at last.

“Well, it started at a bar one night…” I begin the story of how I overheard the Crimson Crew speaking about bringing down the Orlovs.

As I recount my struggles and my mission to Lara, it’s like a dam has been broken, and all my pent-up emotions come flooding out. Lara listens intently, her expression a mix of shock and sympathy.

“So you were trying to protect your family by infiltrating the Crimson Crew?” she summarizes when I take a deep breath, nodding at her question.

“Yes,” I confirm, feeling a weight lifting off my shoulders as I finally share my burden.

My hands tremble as I continue. "When he caught me one night after we got married with one of the guys from the Crew, he was furious. He couldn’t believe it! But in time, we came up with a plan, Vladimir and I, to infiltrate the Crimson Crew. But…" I trail off, the betrayal still raw.

"But what, Sofia?"

I look up at her, my green eyes swimming with confusion and hurt. "He knew. He knew all along who I was, what I was doing, even before we got married. And he played along like this is some brand-new discovery. And he never said a word. I just don’t understand why he’d lie about this, keep it to himself…"

Lara's eyes flash with anger, her jaw clenching as she processes my words. "That bastard," she mutters, shaking her head. "I can't believe Vlad would do this to you."

I watch her closely, surprised by the intensity of her reaction. "You're angry with him?"

"Of course I am," she says, her voice softening as she looks at me. "But… I also understand why he did it."

I raise an eyebrow, my voice cool. "Oh? Do enlighten me."

Lara sighs, running a hand through her hair. "Sofia, I've known my brother all his life. He's not the type to fall for someone easily, but when he does…" She trails off, her eyes meeting mine. "The way he looks at you, it's different. It's like you've awakened something in him."

I scoff, trying to ignore the way my heart quickens at her words. "That doesn't excuse his lies."

"No, it doesn't," Lara agrees. "But it might explain them. Vlad's protective to a fault. If he knew about your mission, he probably thought he was shielding you from danger."

I roll my eyes but can't quite suppress the warmth blooming in my chest. "I don't need his protection."

Lara's face softens with understanding. "Oh, Sofia."

"I thought I was in control," I say, my voice cracking. "I thought I was the one pulling the strings. But he… he's been ten steps ahead this whole time, and I don’t know what his endgame is here."

"And how does that make you feel?" Lara probes gently.

I laugh bitterly. "Angry. Confused. And… and something else I can't quite name. Betrayed, maybe?" I pause, struggling to find the words. "When he's not around, it's like there's this…void. And I hate it. I hate that I miss him. But I shouldn’t, especially when he’s against my family’s best interests."

Lara takes my hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "It sounds like you care for him despite everything."

I shake my head vehemently. "I can't. It's too dangerous."

"Sometimes," Lara says softly, "the heart doesn't care about danger."

I look at her, vulnerability etched across my face. "What am I supposed to do now?"

Lara smiles knowingly. "Listen to your heart, Sofia."

***

Hours later, I'm lying in bed, tossing and turning as Lara's words echo in my mind. The room is pitch black, the silence oppressive. I toss and turn, unable to shake the feeling of unease that's settled over me.

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