Page 31 of Plus-Size Bratva Bride

“Oh, I wouldn’t dare,” I chuckled and watched him till he closed the door behind him.

I walked over to the bed and flipped down on my back, staring up at the ceiling with a small smile on my face. Never, in a million years, had I expected this to be Abe Ustinov’s life away from work.

And tonight, I was dining with hisfamily.

Chapter 12 - Abe

An hour later, I poured my sisters-in-law a glass of wine each and got away with muttering the occasional observation, but the whole time, my eyes kept darting toward the door.

Where was Pippa? Should I have gone and invited her down herself? Was she lost?

Finally, I saw the door open and watched a hesitant Pippa enter the drawing room, her eyes darting around like a lost kitten in a thunderstorm.

“Oh, Pippa! So glad you could join us,” Emory said, raising her glass in the air in welcome. My brothers and Adley turned to her with smiles, but she didn’t take one step forward. She just stood there and smiled nervously.

Clearly, she needed help feeling comfortable.

"Settled into your room alright?" I asked, approaching her with what I hoped was a reassuring smile.

She nodded, her gorgeous green eyes meeting mine briefly before flitting away. "Yes, thank you. It's lovely."

I could practically feel the nervousness radiating off her in waves. Despite being our guest, she looked ready to bolt at any moment. Can't have that, can we?

"How about a drink?" I offered, gesturing to the bar. "Might help take the edge off."

A flicker of relief crossed her face. "That would be nice, actually."

As I poured her a glass of red wine, I couldn't help but admire the way her pencil skirt hugged her curves. Damn, this woman was trouble with a capital T.

"Here you go," I said, handing her the glass. Our fingers brushed, and I felt a jolt of electricity. What the hell was that?

Pippa took a sip, her red lipstick leaving a mark on the glass. "Thank you, Abe."

“There’s a whole bottle waiting where that came from,” I gave her a wink.

She gave a small smile, and I guided her to the couch where the rest of my family was gathered. As we sat down, I noticed how she smoothed her skirt, ever the picture of propriety.

The conversation flowed easily enough, with my brothers and their wives doing most of the talking. Pippa chimed in occasionally, her responses polite but reserved. I found myself wanting to draw her out more, to see what I knew lurked beneath that prim exterior.

Before I knew it, we were being called to dinner. As we made our way to the dining room, I placed my hand on the small of Pippa's back, guiding her. She stiffened slightly at the contact but didn't pull away.

Once seated at the table, Pippa's manners were impeccable as she complimented the food and decor.

"The roast is absolutely delicious, Adley," she said to my sister-in-law.

Adley beamed. "Oh, thank you, it's an old family recipe."

I watched as Pippa exchanged pleasantries with each member of my family, her posture straight as a rod. It was like watching a perfectly choreographed dance.

Vlad leaned over to me, speaking low enough that only I could hear. "Christ, she's young, isn't she? Can't be more than what, 26? 27?"

I nodded, my eyes still on Pippa as she laughed politely at one of Ivan's jokes. "28, actually. But yeah, she's young."

Yes, Pippa was young, and yes, she was clearly out of her element—something Vlad didn’t have to say, but I knew he implied. Yet there was a strength in her that I admired. She was holding her own in a room full of hardened people, and doing it with grace.

As the evening progressed, I noticed Pippa's shoulders gradually relaxing, her laughter becoming more genuine. My family had that effect on people—when we weren't busy being ruthless out there, we could be surprisingly charming.

"So, Pippa," Ivan said, leaning forward with a curious glint in his eye, "has our Abe been behaving himself?"

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