Page 76 of The Russian Pakhan's Forced Bride
Chapter 26 - Victoria
As the air cools ever so slightly, the sky above us begins to change, giving way to the early stages of nightfall. The outdoor string lights dangling overhead eventually turn on in preparation for the impending darkness, lighting up the outdoor space.
The meal is long over, but glasses continue to clink while the boys nurse their cigars and exchange stories I’m sure they’ve told countless times before.
Despite the subtle discomfort lingering in my stomach, it’s a nice scene. It feels warm and vaguely familiar, even if I never got to experience anything like this before in any of the homes I went to.
It’s foreign to me, but it’s still endearing.
As much as I want to participate and mesh-like one of them, the whole thing feels like a dream I’m half awake for.
They all seem so happy and in good spirits. Elena hasn’t stopped smiling since we sat down. Mikhail and Sergey are keeping everyone entertained, and Nikolai and Ivan are even more involved.
And, of course, there’s Roman.
He’s glowing—likely even more than I am.
His smile comes to him easily, and right now, he looks completely at ease. There’s a genuine light in his eyes that seems completely new…and he keeps looking at me like I’ve given him the most precious gift in the world. As if this is a sacred thing for him, and he’ll never forget it.
I know it’s precious…I know this baby is something to look forward to and something to celebrate. I want to be justas happy. But everything else feels so heavy, it’s hard for me to wade through it.
It’s clear this is something Roman has dreamed of. This family unit with structure and stability—something that isn’t broken.
Ever since I was young, I knew that was something I wanted for my future children, too. I’m fully aware it’s possible and tangible now. He’s practically offering me all of that on a silver platter.
But it doesn’t look quite so shiny knowing everything else. Being aware of the blood spilled just to get it.
While Mikhail goes on about some story from high school, Roman’s hand gently finds mine beneath the table. At first, I flinch slightly, but I don’t pull away.
Instead, I feel the gentle stroke of his thumb across my skin, almost like a subtle offer of comfort and reassurance. There’s a tenderness in the way he touches me, and while it’s soothing and offers me a glimmer of hope, that tenderness feels overshadowed by the dark underbelly of his business.
Not too long ago, we were nearly gunned down by Roman’s rival—my brother, of all people. The man I was forced to marry and am now carrying a baby with already knew my true identity before I did. He knew about my bloodline and my connections to the Bratva. To Maxim.
The thought of being used leaves a sour taste in my mouth, and while Roman promised he wasn't keeping me around for said connection to Maxim, I can’t escape the fact that it was the entire reason why he abducted me in the first place.
But if that is the case and Roman is playing even deeper games than he’s letting on, then why am I here? What is the real point of it?
Despite the happiness and excitement unfolding around me, I feel full of tension—wound up so tight that I might give out at any point.
Then, I feel a gentle nudge from Elena against my arm. She gives me a gentle smile. “Come with me…let’s go for a walk.”
I hesitate at first, but when I glance at Roman, he just nods.
Something about that is both vaguely nice and irritating, given how it was my first instinct to look toward him.
I shouldn’t feel the need to do that, but at the same time, I can’t help but think it could mean more than I’ve been letting myself believe.
The two of us slip away from the table and follow a path leading off the patio and back onto the ground. The gravel path guides us around the back of the restaurant and towards a sandy trail lined with a heavy rope fence.
It’s quiet out in the open space, with mountains off in the distance as the desert stretches beyond. And if things were a little different, I might’ve enjoyed that peace a bit more.
“You don’t need to try and hide anything from me, you know,” Elena says gently after a while, striding with me while the sky above us streaks with orange and pink hues. “I can tell something’s been eating at you all evening, even if you’re trying to look happy.”
Her words catch me off guard, feeling every second of how blunt yet vaguely caring they are. The breeze lightly tousles her deep brown hair, giving away just how thick it is.
I swallow hard, searching for any kind of excuse to pad the truth, but I sigh instead.
“I’m trying. I really am,” I admit, feeling more exposed than I anticipated while we pause on the quiet trail. “I can see how much all of this means to Roman and all of you…”
