Page 15 of The Bratva's Prisoner Bride

My brother hummed his satisfaction on the other end. "Good...I like the sound of that."

Sipping more of my coffee, I put the cup down and ran a hand over my mouth. "Well? What do you think?"

"I think it's not a bad idea. If it keeps you busy and proves to be a beneficial venture, then I say go for it," he said, sounding almost proud of me. "I'm giving you the green light. Whatever resources you need to get it done, go ahead and use them. But this thing is your child, so to speak. If anything goes wrong, it's yours to deal with."

Even if he was essentially warning me to not fuck it up, I was sure enough of myself and the plan to not be deterred by it. I nodded to myself again. "Got it. I'll make sure the train stays on the tracks."

"And at the very least, I expect the damn drinks to be good. Not like the cheap, celebrity-endorsed shit."

At the apparent disdain in his tone, I chuckled. "Don't worry, with me sampling them myself, they'll be Fokin approved."

"Good man."

When I heard the faint shuffle of shoes to my right, I watched as Daria stepped outside with Veronica guiding her. The maid gestured to me, then turned back inside.

The moment I laid eyes on her again, a complicated tangle of irritation and undeniable attraction pulsed within me.

As she took slow, stiff steps towards me, I let go of a discreet breath and murmured into the phone, "I have to go. I'll update you soon."

After Aleks agreed and said his goodbye, I hung up and slipped my phone into my pocket. My eyes didn't leave Daria all the while she approached.

"You're up," I said, aware of the redundancy the moment I voiced the words. Still, I pointed vaguely to the chair across from me. "Sit."

Daria glanced at me with her brows slightly furrowed, giving away the lingering anger inside her, as well as the hesitancy in her movements. Even so, she pulled the chair out before sitting down somewhat awkwardly.

Silence lingered between us while I looked her over.

Despite being left alone to rest in the spare bedroom, she looked tired, with slight bags beneath her eyes, and a glassiness to her gaze. I had the feeling she didn't sleep well despite thecomforts I offered her. It was both satisfying and annoying at the same time.

Reaching for my coffee cup again, I nodded towards the pots of hot drinks between us, nestled on a tray with everything else required. My eyes remained on her all the while.

"Want some tea?"

Even if it was a genuine offer, I kept my words clipped and mostly disinterested. Whether she accepted it or not didn't make a difference to me.

Daria eyed me suspiciously, looking tense in her seat. She scoffed to herself. "What, is this some sort of nice ploy? Planning on poisoning me or something?"

I lifted a brow at her words, almost surprised to hear that kind of remark from her, given the underlying fear that seemed to surround her. Then, a tickle of amusement moved through me as I laughed.

She seemed startled by the impulse, only making it more enjoyable for me.

"That's a good suggestion, really...one that requires a lot less effort," I murmured, allowing that humored grin to shift into a more serious look. "But no...I wouldn't let you go down that easily."

A hint of relief moved through her eyes before the deeper meaning of my words seemed to sink in.

Wanting her to really feel the gravity in my words, I leaned forward. "If you're to die by my hands, it will be slow and painful...but of course, you're welcome to miss out if you're that paranoid."

The moment a look of horror moved through her eyes, shifting uncomfortably in her chair, a brush of satisfaction moved through me.

The sooner she realized I wasn't bluffing, the better for her.

Not making the effort to reach for the tea or coffee, Daria bristled and leaned back in the chair, making herself a bit smaller in doing so. It was clear she wanted to shrink away from me, but there was nowhere for her to run.

I lifted a brow at her wordless response. "What, not a fan of what I have to say?"

A muscle in her jaw twitched slightly as she met my gaze again, eyes sharper than before. "Do you need to sound so aggressive?"

Something about that question made the corners of my lips turn up faintly. "It's in my nature...I hope you're not anticipating that changing any time soon. You'll only be disappointed."

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