Page 17 of Innocently Captured By the Bratva

I watch him, fascinated by this new side of him. The way his eyes crinkle when he laughs, the easy affection in his voice when he ribs his brothers—it's like looking at a completely different person. For a moment, I almost forget thecircumstances that brought me here, caught up in the warmth of this family dynamic.

Just then, Vladimir’s phone buzzes. He looks down and then informs the room that it's time to leave. Lara is coming over to his place to catch up, and Vladimir and Denis have a meeting with the Orlovs.

I feel their eyes on me before I see them. The lively banter dies down, replaced by a heavy silence that settles over the room like a shroud. Glancing up from my plate, I'm met with three pairs of curious eyes darting between Mark and me.

”So, Brother,” Vladimir asks. “Before we leave, care to introduce us properly to your... guest?”

Denis, the most direct of them all, leans forward and stares right at me. “Yeah. Who exactly are you, Quinn?”

I shift uncomfortably in my seat, the weight of their stares making me acutely aware of my rumpled appearance. Mark, however, remains frustratingly calm, taking a leisurely sip of his coffee before responding.

”Quinn,” Mark says simply, “is my fiancée.”

My heart skips a beat, and I whip my head around to stare at him in disbelief. Did he just...? The smirk playing on his lips confirms it. He did.

The siblings’ reactions are a cacophony of surprise and amusement. Abram's eyebrows shoot up with disbelief, Vladimir lets out a low whistle, and Denis barks out a laugh.

”Well, well,” Denis chuckles, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “The notorious Mark Zolotov, finally tamed? This I've got to hear.”

”We never knew you were seeing someone, Brother,” Abram adds with a frown.

Mark shrugs.

Vladimir’s eyes seek mine, studying me with curiosity. I force myself to look away, my cheeks burning. This is insane. I'm not his fiancée; I'm his prisoner, for God's sake! But as I glance around at the expectant faces of his siblings, I realize I'm trapped. If I contradict him now, who knows what consequences I'll face?

”How long have you held on to this little piece of information?” Denis asks, his eyes darting between Mark and me.

I plaster on a smile, hating how natural it feels. “It's... still new,” I manage, hoping my hesitation comes across as shy excitement rather than barely contained panic.

What the hell am I doing, a voice shrieks in my head,playing along with this charade?I’m in such shock that it feels like the ability to think critically has left the building.

My mind races, desperately seeking an escape route from this ridiculous situation. But Mark's hand is now on mine, his thumb tracing small circles on my skin, and it's infuriatingly distracting.

The rest of the inquiries blur into a series of forced small talk and evasive answers, while my mind races. I need to escape this place, away from these dangerous men and their world filled with secrets and lies.

As soon as the brothers stand at the doorway ready to leave, I seize my chance. “Mark,” I say, injecting as much sweetness into my voice as I can muster in case they overhear, “can I speak with you for a moment? Privately?”

He nods and leads me into the hallway. The moment I hear the door to the house shut, I turn to him, all pretense of affection vanished.

”What the hell was that?” I hiss, keeping my voice low but unable to hide my fury. “You introduced me as your fiancée to your family? Are you out of your mind?”

Mark leans against the wall, maddeningly calm. “It's the simplest explanation for your presence here, Quinn. If word gets out that this is all a ploy, even if it's accidental, Charlie’s pride would be wounded even further from being fooled, and God knows what lengths he’d go to for revenge against both you and me.”

“You think your brothers would betray your secret?” I ask, my voice rising an octave.

”Well, not on purpose.” Mark looks away from me and runs a hand through his hair. “But accidents happen. They’re always surrounded by men. They could tell their wives and one of them could slip up. Look, it’s better we maintain this front through and through.”

I clench my fists, fighting the urge to stamp my foot like a child, but I can’t stop myself from nearly shouting. “You want me to tell the whole world we’re engaged? Your family? Who’s next? I won't be a part of this... this insanity! You can’t keep me locked up in here forever. I won’t have any part in this, you hear me?”

I turn on my heels, making my way to my room and slamming the door shut loudly enough for him to hear.

Chapter 8 - Mark

The clink of silverware against fine China fills the dining room as Quinn and I sit across from each other, a spread of breakfast pastries and eggs between us. She daintily wipes her mouth with a linen napkin before setting it beside her plate.

“I want to call my parents. Let them know I'm okay.” Her green eyes meet mine, flashing with defiance.

I lean back in my chair, crossing my arms. “I'll let you do that, as soon as you agree to hear my plan.”

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