“I will,” I promise. “Are you all right, Lev?”
“Me?” He seems surprised. “Of course.”
“It feels like this has to be frustrating for you. You’re on the outskirts, not able to protect me directly, not able to help my brothers.” I hesitate. “I feel guilty, you should be protecting them.”
“I’m right where I’m supposed to be,” he says warmly. “You keep your focus on your studies, all right?”
“I will,” I promise. “Please stay safe.”
Currently…
After class, Mariya drags me into her suite.
“Tell me.” She has a tight grip on my arm and I’m pretty sure she’s ready to beat the information out of me if necessary.
“I… we…”
While I’m not promised in marriage like she is, we both know that Bratva princesses are expected to keep their virginity. Sucking in a deep breath, I meet her gaze. “We had sex. And it was amazing.”
Smiling tremulously, she said, “I’m happyandsad, if that makes sense. This is such a serious choice, Tati.”
“I know.” Sitting down on her bed, I pick up her ragged stuffed bunny by her pillow, gently straightening an ear.In many ways Mariya has far more life experience than I do, even if she's two years younger than I am and still took her stuffie to college. “This is one of the very few choices I’ve ever been allowed to make,” I said. “I wanted it to be with Lucca.”
“What if Roman makes an arrangement for you?” she said, her worry is clear and touching. It’s been a long time since I’ve had someone to talk to like this.
“If it happens, I’ll tell him the truth.”
“How do you think he’ll react?” Mariya asks.
“Honestly? I don’t know,” I admit. “My virginity, this thing- this relatively insignificant bit of tissue was still inmybody. It still belonged to me. I decide who I give it to. So, they’ll have to live with it. If not being a virgin makes me unmarriageable, maybe I can help the Bratva as a spy.”
Studying my expression, she finally smiles. “You’re so confident in your decision. I’m happy for you.” Then, her grin turns sly. “So, it was amazing, eh? Tell me more! Does the inhumanly-sized man have an equally inhumanly-sized dick?”
“Bozhe moy,my god,woman! I’m not talking about his equipment!” I laugh, and she scoots closer to me on the bed.
“Oh, yes you will,moy drug,my friendand there will be details!” Mariya demands, laughing with me. “I must live vicariously through your sex life and I already know it must be spectacular, so talk to me! Besides, with the BDE Lucca radiates like a beacon of sin, I knew he had to be legendary in the sack.”
I’m laughing too hard to answer for a moment and she shoves me. “Tell me something! Anything!”
“I know I’m going to regret this but okay. One thing! One, and then you promise to change the subject?” I ask.
“It depends on how juicy it is,” she says unrepentantly.
I lean forward, blushing uncontrollably. “He’s got a piercing.”
“Get. Out!” she screams. “Where? What! Like a barbell, or-”
“I looked it up,” I said, “it’s called a reverse Prince Albert? It’s a silver ring on the top of his… you know.”
“You can say penis,” she says, rolling her eyes, “or dick, or cock, or whatever. But if you fucked it, you can say the word.”
“Shut up!” I’m laughing so hard that I’m wheezing, “Stop the dick talk, please!”
“Whose dick?”
Camilla is Mariya’s roommate and she bounces eagerly into the room. “Seriously, catch me up. Whose dick are we talking about?”
“One I saw in a porn video,” Mariya lies flawlessly, “we were wondering how a piercing would feel during sex.”
