Page 7 of The Bratva's Arranged Bride

So that meant Andrey brought me up, for reasons I was unaware of.

It was both satisfying and irritating to think about, but at that moment, I didn’t care too much. Not when she had my full attention.

Still, she sighed and gave me a faint smile, as if she was just as tired of being there as I felt.

“Tia is fine. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Tia,” I repeated, as if testing it out. “The pleasure’s mine.”

While she seemed a bit more reserved than her father, there was still a simple, refined air to her that was also edged with inexperience. She seemed young and almost out of her depth, yet she was holding herself confidently enough.

There was a momentary stiffness between us while I reminded myself to pull it together before I made a complete fool of myself, and then a flicker of light gleamed from beneath her nose, glinting off the thin band of gold hooked through her septum.

The jewelry was so subtle I nearly missed it, but it caught my attention now.

Of course, I wasn’t the only one to notice, it seemed.

Andrey scoffed at the realization, and his brows furrowed as he glanced at her disapprovingly.

“Tatiana,” he uttered her full name, letting her know he was entirely serious. “Take that out. Now.”

“Why?” Tia returned, lifting a challenging brow at him, seemingly sparking with a hint of defiance I didn’t expect from her.

“This is not the time or place for that…it’s improper for an event like this.”

Tia locked eyes with her father, seemingly not appreciating the quiet warning in his tone.

Despite myself, I couldn’t look away from the exchange. Their tension was unavoidable, and for a beat, it was like they forgot about everyone else around them.

It wasn’t the first time her choice in accessories was a point of contention, it seemed.

“I’m keeping it in,” Tia finally said, apparently not backing down despite his insistence.

Andrey narrowed his eyes slightly, jaw twitching while he tamped down his irritation. “You don’t need it…would it kill you to remove it for a few hours?”

“There are enough diamonds in this room to blind us all. Why is my piercing any different?” she countered, unwavering in her conviction to a degree that impressed me. “If you want me here, then the piercing stays.”

They stared each other down for another moment before Andrey sighed and shook his head. “Fine, fine…just behave yourself. If you’ll excuse me, I have someone to speak with.”

Tia nodded and wore a vaguely triumphant grin as her father walked away, having won the battle.

Despite making a sound of acknowledgement as Andrey moved on, I couldn’t care less. I certainly didn’t spare him another glance—not while his surprisingly fiery daughter was right in front of me.

Studying her for another moment, it didn’t take long for me to notice the dainty line art of her tattoos in various places. They accentuated her skin beautifully, and while the work was nothing out of the ordinary, it made her stand out.

Most women there didn’t express themselves in that way. There were hardly any visible tattoos in the room, and yet, Tia seemed to own hers proudly.

I underestimated her, it seemed. She was bold, and something about her conviction was intoxicating to me.

“Don’t tell me you’ve been dragged here tonight,” I began, subtly looking her over and appreciating how the dress hugged her form, even if she didn’t seem all that used to it.

Tia sighed then and glanced over to where her dad had left. “That’s what happened…this isn’t exactly my idea of a Friday night well spent.”

“No? And what would you rather be doing, then?” I questioned, finding myself more intrigued by her than I cared to admit. “Going out with friends to a real party, maybe?”

She scoffed, almost sounding amused at the thought. “No, no…I have a canvas back home calling my name.”

That piqued my interest even more.

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