Page 93 of The Russian's Bought Bride

Mikhail catches me staring at her at one point and smirks knowingly over the rim of his drink, but I choose to ignore him.

He knows exactly what I’m thinking, and I don’t even want to try hiding it.

The conversation eventually shifts toward business as it always does with my family, though tonight it’s less immediate than usual. The Malenkov situation has come to a close, but there are always other problems simmering beneath the surface. The quiet can only last for so long.

“Any updates from Artem?” Roman asks after a while, reaching for his wine glass.

“Now that Malenkov is out of the way, he’s back to tracking Yuri and Maksim. Artem thinks there are issues in the Balakin ranks.”

“Like what?”

“Split allegiances,” Mikhail continues, looking more serious now. “The rumor is, after Maksim took Yuri’s place, some of their men have aligned themselves with his cause, and Yuri’s trying to claw it back.”

Ivan huffs. “Typical. Maybe they’ll collapse themselves in the background.”

“If only it were that easy,” Roman murmurs, sounding more lost in thought now.

“Artem is a bloodhound,” Sergey says, loaded with confidence in our cousin. “He’ll find them.”

“He always does.”

Dani glances toward me briefly at the mention of Artem and the others, curiosity flickering behind her eyes, but she doesn’t interrupt the conversation. She has learned quickly when to listen around my family, even if some topics don’t seem important.

Smart woman.

Eventually, Elena smoothly redirects everyone away from work entirely before Roman can spiral into another strategy discussion over dinner, and the other wives look relieved.

For once, I’m grateful too, since tonight feels too good to ruin, and I want to sit in that feeling for as long as possible.

By the time dessert arrives, Kat is openly teasing Sergey along with everyone else after he dramatically claims the restaurant’s espresso is ‘insulting to Slavic suffering’, and the look she gives him says everything.

“You’re impossible,” she tells him.

Sergey just grins with an arm draped over her shoulders. “See? You understand me.”

“She definitely did not say that,” Elena replies.

Dani laughs again, and before I can stop myself, my hand settles against the back of her chair almost possessively, more like I want to keep some of that warmth just for me.

She glances at me briefly, catching the movement, and her expression softens instantly.

That one look is enough to shift my mind into places it shouldn’t go right now, and I already know I’m gone for this woman in ways I never anticipated.

Maybe in ways I should’ve seen coming long ago, even if I was still clinging to my pride.

Dinner eventually winds down after another hour of conversation and barely controlled chaos. Then, chairs scrape back from the table while everyone slowly filters toward the valet entrance outside.

The warm night wraps around us immediately, while neon light reflects across polished black vehicles lined up along the curb.

There’s a round of lingering goodbyes as usual, since we can never get out the door without talking even more.

The girls exchange their hugs, showering Dani with the usual compliments. Even Roman gives her a nod of approval that probably qualifies as affection by now, and through all of it, she handles herself beautifully.

Rather than being nervous or hesitant, she lives in the moment, accepting everything that comes with knowing my family. She does it all while being at my side.

By the time we finally slide into the SUV, I feel strangely light despite the exhaustion tugging at my body.

Dani exhales dramatically the second the doors close, murmuring without any real heat, “Your family is intense.”