Page 40 of The Bratva's Hunted Bride
I chuckle. “Are you threatening me, Niki?” I smirk.
“I am,” she grins.
“Well, I’d hate to be on your bad side, it’s a terrifying thought,” I muse.
“Don’t test me, Tim,” she teases. “You have no idea what I’m capable of.”
I tug her car door open for her and pull her into a one-armed hug. “We’ll be there,” I say. “Thanks for coming to visit her. It was nice that you came to meet her.”
Chapter 18 - Talia
My stomach knots as Timofey parks the car outside the unfamiliar mansion. His brother’s home. The sky is still bright, sunset still a few hours away, as he pulls the car door open for me. I’m beyond nervous. I have no idea what to expect, and if I had my way, I would have stayed at Timofey’s mansion instead of joining him at his family dinner.
I bite my lip, knowing it’s not true. I wouldn’t have wanted to stay home without Timofey. Even though he’s hurt me, and even though I’m nothing but a tool to him to use in his alliances, I’m still annoyingly pulled toward him.
And as we walk up to the front door, I step a little closer to his side. To the familiarity of him as we enter a place I’ve never been before.
I have no idea what to expect, what his family will be like.
I’ve met Timofey. And I’ve met Nikita. And the two of them are complete opposites. Apart from the subtle clues, in their features, in the sharp of their eyes and the way their smiles are so similar—I would never have said they were brother and sister.
Timofey is harsh, dominant, tough, closed off, and controlling. He’s hard to read, and he makes me nervous with his overpowering personality.
Nikita is the sweetest person. She’s friendly, welcoming, open, and incredibly empathetic. She’s warm and soft and immediately makes me feel like I belong.
So, what will the rest of their family be like?
We walk into the living room, and immediately Nikita comes rushing over to me, ignoring her brother as she pullsme into a hug. “Hi, Talia, I’m so happy you’re here,” she says excitedly. She takes my hand and pulls me away from Timofey. “Valery,” she shouts toward the kitchen. “Talia is here.”
I glance over my shoulder at Timofey. He grins and nods, a small, reassuring gesture.
Valery comes rushing out of the kitchen and bumps into us before we reach the door. She immediately grabs me in a hug. “Oh, you’re gorgeous. This dress is stunning.” She smiles, looking over my pale blue summer dress. “Niki told me all about you. I can’t believe our brother had the audacity not to introduce us sooner.”
“Hi,” I say nervously, shifting from one foot to the other.
Nikita pulls me around Valery into the kitchen. “We made virgin cocktails. Do you prefer strawberry or mango?”
“I like both,” I say, appreciating the thought and care that I knew I couldn’t drink alcohol.
“Niki said you’re going to teach her to surf. Can I come too?” Valery asks.
“Of course. The more the merrier.” I smile, relaxing a bit.
His sisters keep me in the kitchen for a little while, letting me take a moment to settle in and get comfortable with the two of them before they lead me back out into the family gathering. Everyone is out in the garden.
I spot Timofey playing ball with his nieces and nephews on the lawn. Nikita and Valery pull me around the space, introducing me to their other brothers. They’re intimidating. Each of them reminds me of Timofey in a way. Tall, dangerous, and commanding. But they’re friendly. And soon I find myself relaxing even more.
Sitting on the patio chairs with his sisters chatting happily to me, I watch Timofey as his nieces and nephews tackle him, and he pretends to be overpowered. It’s a side of him I couldn’t have imagined. His smile is wide, gentle, and genuine. My heart tugs, aching in strange ways. Which is the real him? The terrifying man who uses me as a tool for his own gain, or this version of him, surrounded by the people he clearly cares deeply about.
Why would he bring me here? Why would he show me this side of him? It seems intimate and personal, like something he’d want to hide from someone who was merely a pawn to him.
Unconsciously, I touch my stomach, my fingers brushing protectively over my growing baby, along the soft fabric of my dress.
“He’ll make an amazing dad,” Nikita remarks, noticing where my eyes are locked.
I grin and bite my lip. “It’s strange to see him like this, around his family,” I say quietly, voicing my thoughts.
She giggles. “All of my brothers are big softies. Just don’t you dare tell any of them that I said that. They seem to want to keep it a secret from everyone.”
