Page 20 of Bratva Holiday

T.A.

It was happening. It was actually fucking happening, and it was all thanks to Nikolai.

His smile didn’t falter, pride shining in his bright blue eyes. “Don’t worry. I have more than enough faith for the both of us. When are you going to tell the family?”

“After the games. As selfish as it sounds, I don’t want anything to take away from this news. This is huge.”

“It is.” Nikolai agreed, nodding his head. “I know Aleksandr will definitely want to invest in it. He’d be an idiot not to.”

I hoped that was true. In saying that, though, I didn’t want a pity sale. I didn’t want Aleksandr investing and purchasing items from my clothing line just because I was part of the family. I wanted it because he saw the potential in it. Because he thought it was a good idea. Because he…believed in me.

Nikolai, always in tune with my emotions, sensed my internal distress, and he cradled my face in his hands, bringing his forehead to mine. “The line is amazing, love. I know my brother. He will think so too. He’ll demand apparel for all the soldiers, especially once he finds out they’re made entirely out of Kevlar. You won’t be able to keep up with the demand. I guarantee it.”

Of course, it all made sense in my head, but my heart refused to see it. When you poured your entire heart and soul into something, sometimes, all you could see in it were the imperfections. The things that were wrong. The things that could be better.

Tatiana’s Atelier had literally been a lifelong dream of mine. Something I’d dreamed about since I was a child. I just wanted it to be a success.

I closed the small distance between us and pressed my lips to Nikolai’s. My world realigned and any anxiety still flowing through my body seemed to vanish in an instant. Nikolai was my calm before the chaos.

“Who’s ready for game three?!” Mikhail roared.

Cheers erupted around us, and I smiled against his lips. I pulled back slightly, and Nikolai was already staring at me, gazing into my eyes with nothing but love and pride.

“Let’s go kick some ass.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Lyla Volkova

Inever thought I could have so much fun playing a bunch of games in a backyard, but fuck, I was. The bond between the Volkov siblings was the kind I’d always dreamed of having with my own brother. The big family vibe where they would go to the ends of the earth for each other. When I was around the Volkovs, I couldn’t help but smile and laugh at their antics. At the way they would whine and bitch and moan at each other over the smallest, most inconsequential things. But then, when shit hit the fan, I just knew those siblings would move heaven and earth to protect each other.

I thought Lev and I had that. In reality, though, our bond was nothing like what the Volkovs shared. In the end, his demons consumed him.

For a long time, I wrestled with his death. Even now, there was still a small part of me that felt guilt over how everything had ended up. I couldn’t help it. My brother might have been an asshole, but he was also the only reason I survived my childhood, and because of that, regardless of what he’d done, I would always love him.

I would always wish he was here with me.

I would always wish things could have been different.

Mikhail blew three quick bursts of his whistle, and any more thoughts of my brother were banished to the tiny little box in the back of my mind where I usually kept him.

“Move your asses! It’s time for tug-of-war!” Mikhail declared, his voice ringing out.

I pinched my lips together, my gaze swinging to my Luky Bear, who was sitting on the porch steps, head tilted back to help with the blood flow. Two big wads of paper towels were firmly lodged up his nostrils, coated in blood. I felt for him, because it must have hurt a lot, but he also looked absolutely hilarious. The medical team had reset his nose and bandaged it as best they could so he could continue in the games, and if I was being honest, I was surprised it took three games before someone got hurt.

I hated the fact that it was Lukyan, but I was self-aware enough to know he kinda had it coming with what he was doing.

Leaning forward, I planted a kiss on his cheek.

He winced, and I immediately apologized.

“Sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“It’s okay.” His head came forward, and he gave me a dazzling smile. “It was worth it.”

I lightly shoved him. “You big softie.” Clapping my hands, I rubbed my palms together. “So, what’s the plan to get your brother back?”

His smile turned evil, predatory, his eyes shining with that devilish spark of his I loved so much. “Oh, yeah. I’m going to make sure that motherfucker loses this year, if its the last thing I do.”