Noticing the array of cutlery on both sides of my plate made me uneasy. I had no idea what most of them were used for. Glancing at him, I waited for him to pick up his knife and fork before picking up mine.
I kept quiet as I observed him while he ate. His posture was upright. His elbows didn’t even touch the table as he ate. The way he held his knife and fork complemented his look even more. He appeared elite, almost like royalty. I wondered where the impeccable table manners came from.
He looked at me as he took another bite. I was glad when he didn’t say anything. Lowering my gaze, I started eating as well. I didn’t want to talk to him and wasn’t about to give him something to start a conversation with.
Keeping an eye on him, I noticed he was wearing a Richard Mille watch. I wasn’t sure about the price, but I knew it was expensive. He must have a lot of money if he can afford things like that and live in this mansion.
I nearly choked on the food in my mouth as he broke the silence. “Are you a fussy eater, fussy about certain foods?” His question was slightly odd, seeing that he had been feeding me for a while now. But the way he asked made me feel insulted, as I had never rejected anything he gave me.
Looking up, I was slightly unsure what to say. Why would he ask such a random question? Before I could formulate a reply, he spoke again. “Sorry, I meant to ask if you have any allergies I should be aware of. My words came out wrong.”
Still a bit shocked, I merely shook my head. This man was different from the brute who kidnapped me. He seemed genuinely concerned. Cold but gentler.
“Glad to hear that,” he added. “Then I do not have to ask the staff to change anything or be wary of certain items when preparing meals.”
The word slipped out of my mouth as I turned my head slightly sideways. “Staff?” It sounded more like a question than a declaration.
“Yes, my staff. You know what that word means, don’t you?” His tone dripped with sarcasm as he spoke.
Rolling my eyes, I replied a bit too eagerly. “Yes, I do know the meaning of the word.”
“Good,” he replied, grinning. “So, why then the uncertainty in your tone when you said the word just now?” He pushed his plate forward, placed his elbows on the table, and leaned in.
“Are the women your workers?” I asked, sounding surprised.
“Who else would they be?” he questioned. His tone was light and filled with amusement.
Feeling slightly annoyed, I replied in a softer tone. “From a delivery company, or something. How should I know? I don’t know much about you.”
He laughed as he pushed his hands through his hair and leaned back in his chair. “Oh, honey,” he managed to say between breaths. “You still have so much to learn.”
“Well, if you must know. I graduated with full honors. I am smart and don’t see how you could teach me anything,” Ishot back, rolling my eyes. Glaring at him, I folded my arms across my chest.
“You still need to learn about life, my dear, not from books. Life has so much to teach.” His tone was softer with only a hint of amusement now.
Slowly, I nodded, considering his words.
“Let me ask you this…,” he added. “What do you know about Bratva?”
“Birds of the same feather, a group of criminals working together,” I shot back, proud of myself. Lifting the glass before me, I sipped leisurely on the wine. Holding the glass up, I studied the light pink wine.
Wow, I thought to myself. I had never tasted anything quite like it before. I could get used to this. I was pulled from my thoughts as I heard him laughing. “Your constant laughing is very insulting,” I shot at him, feeling my anger building.
“You clearly know nothing about Bratva. Allow me to enlighten you,” he said, getting up. “Bratva is a brotherhood, a family thing. It’s not a gang like you insinuated.”
As he moved around the table toward me, he continued. “You do get Bratva groups that are extremely bad. But, generally, being Bratva is more than committing crimes. In fact, there are many people, places, and institutions that benefit. Even the government.”
“The government? Government facilities?” I asked, confused.
Kolya stopped, smirked at me, and turned around. As he moved to his chair, he kept on speaking. “Politicians, cops, even lawyers are getting involved. Not just with individual people who are part of Bratva, but even with some of the groups. We havelong fingers, and people are….” He sat down and smiled at me. “They are predictable.”
I sat stunned as he took a deep breath before continuing. “Bratva groups own businesses. Many of those deals are with government institutes, and we always need lawyers and more. Everyone benefits this way.”
“Okay,” I replied hesitantly. I wasn’t sure where he was heading with all of this, but I now had questions.
“Sometimes lawyers step into things they don’t understand. This can cause issues. Their staff could be falsely accused or used for their own hidden agendas.” Kolya said, looking down at his hands.
“What does that have to do with anything? You’re veering off track.” I responded.
