“She’s married to Nikolai Volkov, who my brother works for. We met not that long ago I’ll be honest. She’s only been married to Nikolai for a few months now. But we became instant friends. So I thought you could join us. I figured you were probably miserable being married to my brother, since he can be insufferable. So let’s go.”
“I’m good here. I like being alone.”
Kira rolls her eyes once again. “No one likes being along. Come on.” She grabs my hand, not giving me the option. I’m too tired to put up a fight so I follow her.
She takes me to a car parked outside. A man stands beside the back door and opens it for her. “Miss Petrov.”
“Thanks Sam. He’s my driver,” she explains before getting into the car. After a moment, I get in too. “I’m not allowed to go anywhere without him. My father would be upset. But I’m his little princess so he trusts me.”
“Your father treats you well?”
“He dotes on me. It annoys the hell out of Maksim. My brother can’t do anything right in the eyes of my father.”
Neither can I. Once again, I reminded that Maksim and I have things in common. So why is the gap between us so large?
We arrive at a fancy hotel and Kira leads me into a restaurant on the fifth floor filled with women.
“Who are these people?” I whisper.
“Bratva women. Wives and daughters and sisters. It’s a place they can meet up and find common ground. We all know what it’s like to be defined by the men in our lives. Bratva men are especially possessive. My dad will never let me date.”
“Neither did mine.” Not that I wanted to. I always preferred just being on my own.
Kira motions for me to sit down at a table. Other women are present. Across the table is a pretty brunette. Young. Around my age.
“This is Irina.”
She holds out her hand to me. “I was there at your wedding but it’s nice to meet you again.”
“You too,” I whisper.
“Speak up girl,” a woman says. She’s older. Probably in her forties. “You sound like a mouse.”
I have to blink back the tears that threaten to fall.
“Be nice, Margaery,” Kira says. “Natasha is new here. She moved from Chicago like a week ago. Give her a break.”
“I just don’t like quiet little mouses, that’s all,” Margaery fires back.
Kira rolls her eyes. It seems like common practice for her.
“So, you married Maksim, correct?” Another woman asks me. “I’m Sherry. I wasn’t able to attend your wedding.”
“It’s… ok.” I duck my chin, staring hard at the elaborate table cloth.
“Leave her be, girls,” Kira snaps. “She’s shy. And this is all new for her. I thought she could make friends here.”
“You don’t have to be afraid,” Irina says. “I know this is all new and scary. I was in the same shoes you were in not too long ago. I married my husband without knowing him too.”
“You did?” I ask.
“Yes. I’m only eighteen so it was all so new for me.”
“I’m twenty,” I say, embarrassed. If Irina at eighteen could handle this better than me, I have no excuse.
Irina offers me a kind smile. “Age doesn’t matter. This is new for a lot of us.”
“My husband is an ass,” Margaery says. “So I feel your pain.”
