Page 79 of Bratva Bride

She laughed, her face lighting up with amusement. "That's an understatement. It's also an incredibly long story."

I shrugged. "So what? We’ve got the time."

She pursed her lips and frowned. I could tell she didn't really want to get into it right now, but I couldn't help myself. I was dying to know. She took a deep breath in and sighed. "Fine. But stop looking at me like I just killed your damn dog."

I gave her a wide grin, flashing my teeth. She shook her head and chuckled, amusement dancing in her eyes.

"It really is a long story, so I'll just give you the short version." She took another deep breath before continuing. "As I'm sure you’ve figured out, my father is a twin. An identical twin. Usually, the role of the nextPakhanwent to the first-born son. And even though Dominik was born two minutes before my father, my grandfather decided he wanted them to compete for the position. So, while they were growing up, he pitted them against each other, made them compete over anything and everything. My grandfather only wanted the best to walk in his footsteps. Over the years it became clear who the superior twin was."

"Your father?"

She nodded, pride shining in her eyes. "He was better at everything. Planning, strategizing, fighting, you name it. The better my father was, the more Dominik hated him. He held years of resentment towards him. He felt that the role ofPakhanwas his birth right since he was born first, even if it was only by a few minutes. He hated the fact he had to compete for what he viewed was rightfully his. One day, my grandfather decided he wanted to expand into the States, but he also didn't want to leave the safe confines of Russia. So, he decided to send my father to establish territory and begin the Volkov reign here in America. My uncle didn't have a good reaction to that."

"Oh, I bet he didn't." I interjected, immersed in the story.

"He felt like he was being cheated out of what was his. A few nights before we were all set to leave, Dominik tried to kill my father. He figured the best way to show who was better once and for all was a fight to the death. He snuck into my father's room late at night and tried to slit his throat, but my father had always been a light sleeper. He woke just before the blade pierced his skin and once he was awake, all hell broke loose. My father was so enraged by the fact his own brother tried to kill him that he beat Dominik within an inch of his life. We moved to Vegas the next day and didn't speak a word to Dominik until he came to America years later."

Daaaaamn. That really was an interesting story.

I couldn't believe that for one, Dominik tried to kill his own brother and two, that Dimitri had let him live. He always struck me as an eye for an eye type of guy. So the fact that his own brother tried to murder him and he just let it slide was quite strange to me.

“My turn,” she said, adjusting her position and stretching out her legs. “Gabriella. I want to know what’s going on between the two of you.”

I frowned. “There’s nothing going on.”

“Didn’t look like it earlier,” she arched an eyebrow and I sighed.

“We’ve known each other our whole lives.”

“Uh-huh, and?”

“And, that’s it. Everyone thought we’d get married; they actually kind of pushed for it. But we didn’t.”

“They?”

“My parents, her parents, a few of the other high-ranking families in thefamiglia.”I shrugged. “I wouldn’t go as far as to say we’re friends, but we’re familiar with each other.”

“Did you guys fuck?”

I winced. I was hoping to avoid that question. “Yes.”

“A lot?”

“Define a lot.”

She bit her lip, thinking it over. The action made me want to lean over and pull her lip from her teeth so I could take its place. “Once a week?”

“No.” I was really hoping she’d just drop this subject, but of course she didn’t.

“Once a month?”

“I don’t know the exact number,” I said, avoiding the question.

“It’s simple. Did you stick your dick in her at least once a month?” she snapped.

I narrowed my eyes. “Yes.”

“For how long?”

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