Page 104 of Vulnerate

I flinch at the threat in Val’s tone. “Watch how you speak, Vitali.”

Hearing his full name sounds strange coming from Val, it’s always been Tali when they’re at home. He softens and hugs me around the seat and kisses my hair. “I didn’t mean that. Whatever Val’s dumbass has done you can tell me.”

Definitely not accepting that offer after his reaction to silence.

He tries to coax me out and I lift my head when he asks me to talk to him. I can’t keep the hurt out of my voice. “Are you going to say more bullshit and act like a prick or actually talk?”

His remorse is visible, so I let it go and we get out of the car walking towards the paddock. Val’s eyes are warming the back of my head, but I’ll always be safe with Tali. He’s a little puppy and he has never spoken to me like shit.

Once we’re away from Val, he sits on the fence and holds my shoulders scrutinizing my features as he speaks slowly. “My brothers are the best brothers but that doesn’t mean they’re good people.”

I sit beside him and lean my head on his shoulder. They might not be good in the sense of the law with all the criminal shit they do but they’re better than my family.

All of them commit crimes. The difference being that the Vartanov’s are there for each other and actually care. There’s nothing but conviction in my voice. “Val’s not a bad person. Neither are you.”

His sigh is full of secrets, but he doesn’t voice them and wraps an arm around me. He goes into protective mode as he kisses the top of my head and softly says, “I know you’ve loved him all this time. Is it serious?”

I don’t have an answer and Valentin is still sat in the car watching us. I shrug and look up. His eyes go to my necklace and his head drops back dramatically with a curse. “For fuck’s sake. When did he give you the necklace Dani?”

His eyes harden and I speak slowly not understanding why it’s a big deal. “When we were kids, I’ve never taken it off.”

The curses increase and I watch Tali go through a breathing technique as he tries to temper himself. When he’s managed to do it, he makes a promise around a grimace.

“If that cunt hurts you I’ll kill him, if you want to hurt him I’ll help you.”He wraps his arm around me tighter and holds his middle finger in the air towards his brother. “And you’re still sleeping in my bed, he can get fucked and hug himself, the lonely fuck. If you try to go in his bed, I’m sleeping between both of you and there better not be any shaking in the middle of the night.”

“No comments about cursed dicks?” I ask.

He shakes his head and sighs, “I want my brother to be happy, if you’re going to be an idiot and ignore that he’s a dickhead, that’s on you. But I won’t lose you by telling you what you can and can’t do.”

“Very mature.”

“Priorities,” he whispers. “Val has grown up since he had Vik, he knows that family is important, and he’s never looked at anyone like he is right now.”

I lean into him as I look at Val, trying to see what he does as he says, “He looks at you the same way he looks at Viktor when he gets on his horse, fear and pride, so I know he won’t hurt you.”

FORTY-ONE

Valentin

Ican’t stop whistling, my lips keep making the shape required even when I’m not conscious of it. Viktor adores Dani and there’s no tightness in my chest over him being at her house during the day. It changes when she opens the door, and he doesn’t give me a second look as he asks, “Can I stay here while you go to the fight? I’m making a cup.”

He has clay all over his hands and Dani’s even got him a matching apron. Both of them are cute as fuck but he’s never stayed out before.

My woman doesn’t answer him and looks to me. I don’t want to tell him no. I trust her with my life and his, but the tightness in my chest says I’m a liar. If they were staying at home I’d be fine, I know all his shit is there and he’s comfortable with everything he could possibly need.

Finally looking up at me, he acts too mature for his age as he says, “Or can I go to the fight? I promise I won’t run around, and I’ll just watch.”

Is he fuck watching a death match. Especially one of Vlad’s psychotic rages. Grown adults throw up at that shit and we’ll be later than usual on account of cleaning up the blood.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I try to be the type of parent who comes across as assertive.

“Why do you want to go to the fight?”

He’s usually fine with staying home and watching the less brutal ones we pick out the next day. He continues painting his cup and shrugs to himself before he slows the strokes and quietly answers, “All the guards were talking about it, even Dima was excited, and he’s never happy about anything.”

Because he’s a sick fuck like your uncle Vlad and gets off on death.

I’ve been running my own venues since I was eighteen but any with one of those psychos, and now Ana, are something else. All three of them are cut from the same hellish cloth, they don’t even see anyone when they get in the cage. If I was a better man I’d stop their opponents getting in, but they know what they’re signing up for and they’re handpicked by the crazy trio.

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