Page 46 of The Bratva's Prisoner Bride

Ivan hummed, then gently reached around me and put a hand against my hip while he inspected it alongside me. "Sure, I didn't have to, but I wanted to. I quite like that one, and I thought it deserved its own display."

I smiled, finding it harder to hold back how much it pleased me to hear him say that. "I appreciate it...and I'm glad it suits your taste."

His grin pulled more at that, and he nodded. "It's lucky your work seems to easily match my taste."

That insinuation stirred something in me, and I turned my attention back to the painting before it was obvious. Given how the warm lighting accentuated the piece and made it look more professional, my mind flitted back to a more nostalgic place.

"I always wondered what it would be like to have an exhibit. It must feel a bit daunting, but also exciting for so many others to come and view your work," I admitted in passing, easily recalling how dreamy that notion always felt to me.

Ivan nodded while he listened, almost like he was considering something, before glancing between me and the painting. "I'm sure it would be. And I can just imagine how successful your exhibit would be."

His subtle praise and faith in me had me smiling more than usual, and given how rarely he would give them out before, it almost felt like winning a prize every time.

We stood there together for a moment before I turned my attention to him.

"You've been very supportive about this, and are always asking questions about how it's going, but I still don't know much about you beneath the surface, even though we're married."

Ivan heard me out, and while part of me half expected him to be annoyed by me pointing it out, he nodded instead.

"You're right...but that's going to change," he murmured, giving me a look that seemed to promise exactly that. He gave me a small, knowing smile and gently squeezed my hip. "Go get something nice on. We're going out tonight."

Something about the prospect of going out always excited me, especially since he tended to take us to nice places. It always felt good to get out of the house.

While I didn't know what he had planned, the thought of seeing more of his world was incredibly enticing.

There had always been something so interesting about him and how he spent his time, and if he was prepared to share those pieces of himself with me, then I wasn't going to complain.

Chapter 19 - Ivan

So far, I have done a relatively good job keeping Daria separate from the family business. It made more sense for me to keep both things in their own world, but as time went on and I found myself wanting to earn more of her trust, I knew I wouldn't be able to keep her completely away from it.

It was risky to blend both worlds together, but a part of me didn't care. I wanted us to understand each other better, if nothing else, and I figured showing her more of my life away from home would help with that.

We had numerous clubs and other businesses, but the one I had in mind was always my go-to. It was one I wanted her to see.

I couldn’t keep my hands off her while she was in that tight dress with her hair loosely curled and draped over her shoulders. Struggling to pull away from the small of her back once we reached the SUV, it took more self-restraint than I cared to admit to let her climb in.

The warmth of her skin through the fabric was so addicting, I didn't want it to end.

I had come to know the feeling of her body against mine, and it was almost absurd how easily it affected me.

Even if it was absolutely true, I didn’t want Daria to know she had any kind of sway over me. I had been far too adamant about the opposite before, and I knew that made me a hypocrite.

She sat quietly next to me while we moved through the city, watching as the sights went by. She was unaware of how I’d sneak the occasional glance at her, drinking in how good she looked.

My ringtone shattered my reverie the moment it went off in my pocket, stirring me from my thoughts. With a sigh, I grabbed it to find Aleks’ name on my screen. I answered it and brought the phone to my ear, well aware that Daria was right beside me.

“Yeah?”

“Where are you?” my brother asked simply, skipping any kind of greeting.

“Out. Why?”

He snickered faintly. “At least you can multitask…why have numerous brothers when none of them ever pick up? Anyway…I was just told the drop-off scheduled for Tuesday has been changed to tomorrow instead. Since you’re the one to pick up first, I’m handing that responsibility to you.”

I wasn’t entirely pleased that Daria was able to listen in, but I continued anyway, hoping to leave out any glaring details.

“Lucky me…how perfect for a Saturday morning.”

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