Page 35 of The Bratva's Hunted Bride
“I didn’t…this isn’t…I wasn’t trying to piss you off,” I blurt out, panic rising in my throat and my eyes stinging with the threat of tears. The disappointment in his glare is biting into me. “Marlen, you don’t understand…”
He shakes his head. “Save it, Talia. There’s nothing you can say. You’re sleeping with the enemy just to prove some twisted sense of independence.” His eyes drag over Timofey in revulsion. “I’ve never been so disgusted with you, little sister,” he snaps, his voice a low, harsh whisper. “I’m ashamed.”
“I can’t believe you would do this to your own family,” Simon sneers.
Bardil shakes his head, his eyes narrowed at me.
My mouth drops open in disbelief, and hurt floods into my heart. Did he really just say that? Disgusted? I want to scream that I was kidnapped. I want to tell him I was taken against my will. But at the same time, the pregnancy happenedbeforethat—and how can I explain that I snuck out and slept with a stranger? Even though it wasn’t like me at all. It was a mistake…one night… searching for some kind of freedom, alife, a little bit of fun. But it doesn’t make me a bad person…
I’ve never seen that look on Marlen’s face before. My throat closes around itself, and I can’t find any words to say to him.
“You’ve got it all wrong,” I say tensely.
Marlen snorts. “I think I’m reading the situation for exactly what it is. You look cozy, comfortable, by that monster’s side. Playing your games, shaming your family,” Marlen says coldly.
“No…” I gasp.
“Get out of my sight, Talia. We will deal with this some other time,” Marlen hisses. He waves his hand to dismiss me.
“Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to, Popov?” Timofey snarls, his voice so deep it’s vibrating through me as he pulls me impossibly closer to his side, his arm snaking around me like a protective binding.
“What?” Marlen huffs in disbelief.
“Watch yourself, Timofey,” Simon growls.
Timofey steps a little closer to my brothers, pushing me slightly behind his body as though he’s protecting me from them. He looks furious at them, as though he’s angry for what they said to me…not even to him.
“If you think I will let you get away with speaking to Talia like that, to the mother of my child, the woman atmy side, you should think again. I will rip your tongue from your mouth and shove it so far down your throat you will choke to death on your own disrespectful words before you ever speak to her like that again.”
I’m shocked. Is he standing up forme? Why would he be bothered by my brother’s insults against me?
Now Marlen is dumbstruck. His brows knot again as he studies Timofey’s expression. There’s no mistaking Timofey’s threat for an empty one.
My heart is beating like a wild bird trapped inside my ribcage. I can’t believe Timofey is standing up for me like that. My eyes move over his face, his body, protectively guarding mine. It floods me with a crazy surge of desire, but mixed with anger and confusion.
Marlen and Timofey stare each other down. Simon reaches out and touches Marlen’s arm. “This isn’t the time or the place, Marlen,” Simon says, his voice hushed.
Marlen sneers, his lips curling back, but he nods. He says nothing as he turns away from me with his jaw clenched and the muscles feathering over his face. In fact, he doesn’t even look at me again, as though I no longer exist to him. His eyes stay locked onto Timofey’s as he turns away and disappears into the crowd.
“Come,” Timofey says, pulling me toward the exit as the hollow pit in my stomach grows bigger. I follow blindly at his side. I can’t believe that just happened. The scene plays over and over in my mind like a movie.
Timofey didn’t even look surprised to see my brothers here. He didn’t seem taken aback, as though he’s always prepared for anything.
And even standing up for me…against three of them.
Timofey takes my hand and pulls me toward the car, opening the door for me so I can climb inside. I’m still in shock as I duck into the seat and the door closes behind me.
My brothers no longer trust me. They think I did this on purpose. Marlen said…he said such nasty things, and he didn’t even bother considering that there might be somethingelse going on. He didn’t even try and give me the benefit of the doubt.
Anger, pain, disappointment…the fact that I didn’t have a chance to defend myself…it all crashes into me, and as Timofey climbs into the car and starts the engine, he’s the only one there to bear the brunt of this uncontrolled and overwhelming surge of emotions that rushes through me.
“Why did you have to say those things to him?” I shout, not fully in control of myself.
“He had no right to speak to you like that,” Timofey snaps.
“You made it worse. You made him hate me.” Hot tears are streaming down my cheeks.
“I didn’t make him treat you like that.” He shakes his head. “Your brother is an asshole. All of them are.” Timofey’s fingers tighten around the steering wheel as he pulls out onto the road, driving away from the event.
