Arranged Bratva Love

Lottie

I watched as Ivan talked to my husband, and I knew he was lying.

I’d seen Ive this morning before he leftfor work, and he’d not wished me a happy birthday. He did make me some hash browns and eggs, which I enjoyed, but he’d not said the words. He didn’t know.

It was rare for anyone to wish me a happy birthday.

Cassie never forgot my birthday, but Ihadn’t seen her since the wedding, nor had I heard from her. I wished I hadn’t given that phone to Ivan. It would have been nice to have someone wish me a happy birthday. Ivan had arrived at Ive’s penthouse apartment two hours ago, and he was the only person to remember. He handed me a present, and then kissed my cheek.

I watched him hang up, and he turned to smile at me. “He forgot.”

“Did you happen to remind him it was your birthday?” Ivan asked.

“I didn’t realize I wassupposed to do that for my husband.”

Ivan tutted. “Don’t you know men are useless with dates? Do you know Ive’s birthday?”

“September second,” I said. “I asked when he was born.”

“Ah, all those pesky little questions. Did he ask you?”

“No.”

“Men are pigs.”NôvelDrama.Org holds text © rights.

I couldn’t help but laugh. I covered my mouth, and I don’t know what happened, but it set off even more laughter. Ivan joined in, laughing along with me. Tears fell from my eyes, but not from sadness. Ivan had made me laugh.

“I should insult myown sex more often.”

“Please do, it’s funny.” I put my hand to my chest and touched the necklace he’d given me. It was a love heart with a diamond in the center. I’d never been given jewelry before. It was such a beautiful and delicate piece. “This is beautiful. Thank you.”

“And it looks stunning on you. I knew the moment I saw it, you’d look beautiful in it.”

This made me smile and I felt my cheeks heating.

“He never allowed you to have any kind of jewelry, did he?” Ivan asked.

I pressed my lips together and shook my head. I tried to speak but had toclear my throat. “There was a lot I wasn’t allowed to have.”

“I wish I’d allowed him to live a little longer so I could have shown him true pain.”

This made me chuckle. “It’s fine. I didn’t want him to die.”It was an easy lie.

“Charlotte, it’s not a bad thing wanting him dead.”

“He used to ask me that question a lot,” I said. “After a beating or when he’d taken something from me. You know, Ifound a dog once, wandering around. I think it had been abandoned and because it showed me love, he took it.”

“Don’tlie to me, Charlotte,” Ivan said. “You wanted him dead, didn’t you?”

I looked away and nodded my head. “Yeah, I wanted him dead. There were a couple of times he’d come home.” I stopped and swallowed. “And he’d be passed out. I don’t know if it was drink or drugs, or whatever the hell it was, but he’d be laid on the couch or on his bed, and I would have a knife in my hands. I wanted to kill him so many times.” I had never admitted it out loud. “I thought it would make my life easier.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Fear, and I’m a coward. One time, Rage stopped me.” I looked at Ivan.

“He did?”

“Yeah, I was so angry after he’d taken the dog from me. Icalled the dog Ivan.” I looked at Ivan. “I think I named him after you. I’d never met you, but I saw that your name filled him with fear. It might be why he took the dog. My dad liked animals, but he never kept one. He didn’t kill it, just sent it to the animal shelter.” I hadn’t thought about Ivan. “I think it was a mongrel.”

Ivan laughed. “Much like myself.”

This confused me.

Ivan tapped his fingers on the table. “I was the product of one of my father’smany affairs. He was a violent man. Even though he didn’t control what I did, nor have as much power, he was a man who was used to the streets. He was nothing more than a common thug. I had a stutter. I was weak, and he discarded me. Actually, he hoped to kill me, but the guard that was sent to do the job couldn’t bring himself to kill a child, his boss’s son. A boy he’d, in a way, helped to raise. So, he helped me as best he could.”

“You were a child?”

“Yes.”

“It was being a child on my own that helped build who I am today.”

“You don’t stutter anymore.”

“Of course not.” Ivan smiled.

“Thank you for telling me that.”

“The Volkov Bratva used to be nothing more than a street gang,” Ivan said. “My father was into everything-drugs, guns, fighting, money, petty stuff. For the longest time I was afraid of him.” Ivan looked me in the eye. “You build these people up inside your head to be a lot bigger than they actually are.”

“I get that.”

“And being on the streets, I learned to read people. I learned a great deal about respect, loyalty, about all kinds of shit, and I knew that one day, not only would I kill my father, but I was going to take the Bratva from him. So I did, and my men, my brigadiers, swore their loyalty to me. I only made one bad decision, but other than that, I have built this up.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“You’ve lived with a great deal of fear and pain, Charlotte, and it’s my vow to you, my promise, that you will never know such fear and pain again.”

This made the tears I’d tried to hold at bay come spilling out. “This isn’t fair.” I sniffled. “It’s my birthday, and I’m crying.”

“Let it out. Let all the pain out.”

I covered my face with my hands, and I tensedup as Ivan wrapped his arms around me, hugging me.

“Ive’s a difficult man, but he’s a good man. He will never harm you, and if you want to make your marriage work, where there’s a chance for him to love you, then you need to start talking. You need to start asking him for shit.”

He made itsound so easy, but it wasn’t easy to ask for anything. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing.

“You make it sound so easy.”

“Trust me. It is easy, and you’re a strong woman, Charlotte. You have been through hell, and now it’s time to realize that you’re not alone. You’ve got us. You’ve got a family, and now there’s no going back.”

I never thought I would do this, but I wrapped my arms around Ivan and held on. This man terrified my father. He instilled fear into many, but in that moment, he was nothing more than my salvation. I didn’t want to let him go, not ever.

He kissed the top of my head. “You’re safe now.”

It was crazy, but I believed that.

The door to the penthouse opened and closed. Ivan had already sent Hubert away. My guard had tried to make my day a little better, wishing me a happy birthday, offering to take me anywhere I wanted to go.

When I’d been younger and the day had gone by with no one else but Cassie wishing me a happy birthday, I’d thought about what I’d do or what would happen when I was older. How I would celebrate. I thought about getting drunk, or going out dancing, or having a big blow-out party.

Instead, I had spent the first birthday away from my father alone on the couch, my knees pulled up to my chest and my arms wrapped around them, with a man staring at me.

Until Ivan showed up.

Ivan let me go slowly, but I knew he wasn’t going to be caught hugging me in frontof my husband. Not for any other reason than Ivan didn’t like to be caught off guard. There was no secret love or any kind of affair. I got that now. Ivan and I were different and yet the same. He’d been cast aside, and even though that was what I’d been, each time my father was angry, I paid the price.

I got to my feet as Ive looked toward his boss then toward me. I had started to cry in Ivan’s embrace. His words had touched me to the very core. There was silence. I didn’t know what to say or do. Did hewant me to make a joke of him forgetting?

“Welcome home,” I said.

And much tomy surprise, Ive began to sing “Happy Birthday” to me. His voice was terrible, but what also shocked me was that behind him, Rage and Cassie suddenly appeared, as if his song had magically made them appear.

Seeing my sister made me so happy, and I rushedtoward her. Cassie let out a gasp, and pulled me into her arms, holding me tightly.

“I have missed you so damn much.” She held me tightly.

I looked past Cassie’s shoulder toIve and offered him a smile. At first, he didn’t look happy, and then it was like he saw me smiling at him, and he nodded his head. My sister was finally here.

“I love you,” Cassie said. “I told you I wouldn’t miss a single birthday, and I haven’t.” She pulled away and then held out an envelope for me to take.

“You didn’t have to get me anything.”

“Don’t be silly. Every woman needs a present on her birthday.”Iopened the envelope to see that it was clothing vouchers. “Thank you.”

“I know it’s lame, but I remember how much you loved our shopping trips, and now we don’t have to…” Cassie stopped and I looked into my sister’s eyes to see the tears in them as well as the guilt.

“I know,” I said.

We didn’t have to pretend not to have fun. Cassie didn’t have topretend to like clothes she never wanted to wear, just so she could sneak them to me.

“I can’t believe we let that happen,” Cassie said. “Nineteen.”

“Yeah, I’m nineteen.”

“And all grown up,” Rage said.

Cassie moved aside and I walked toward him.

“Hey, Rage,” I said.

There were many times he was more of a father to me than my own had been.

“Hey, pumpkin,” he said. He pulled me in for a hug.

There was a time his hugs made me feel safe, warm, comforted, but none of them compared to Ivan’s.

Ivan was giving me a promise. No, he had made a vow to me for my protection and I believed every word of it.

“This year, I didn’t know what to get you, so Cassie looked at the best spas possible, and I was able to get you multiple spa days with Cassie, if your husband would allow it,” Rage said.

“We can go shopping and have spa days. I’m stayingat the hotel just across the street. It’s real nice, but I thought I could stick around for a little while, if you don’t mind.”

I didn’t mind, but I looked toward Ivan and Ive. “Can she stay?”

They were in charge.

“Yes, but there’s an apartment available below. If you stay at the hotel tonight, I’ll make arrangements for you to move in tomorrow,” Ive said.

“That’s wonderful,” Cassie said. “I’ve missed you.”

She pulled me in for another hug.

“So, Ive,” Ivan said. “What did you get your bride, because I happened to hear a rumor that you’re thinking of taking her on a honeymoon?”

I look toward Ive, and I just know in my heart of hearts, that was not the case. Ive looked pissed off, and I couldn’t help but smile.

“Isn’t that right, Ive?” Ivan asked.

“As soon as I finish with my business, then yes, that is exactly what we’re going to do,” Ive said.

They were good liars.