บททั้งหมดของ Arranged To The Bravta King: บทที่ 81 - บทที่ 90

MariaDominika appears with my food. The silver tray is loaded with food—a bowl of vegetable soup, a toasted artisan roll, and a generous portion of roasted chicken on a plate surrounded by grilled vegetables.The smell of hot soup fills the room, followed by the aroma of garlic and rosemary from the chicken. My stomach gurgles as the delicious aroma invades my nose. I'm so hungry, and even if I wasn't, the baby needs something. I stare at the tempting tray, and my stomach gurgles loudly as I stand up.A glass of chilled white wine accompanies the meal.I stare at Dominika. She knows my secret, so why did she make that mistake?"Can I have tea?" I ask her. "And I would prefer to eat in my room.""No," Mikhail tells Dominika as she reaches for the tray. "I want to make sure she eats it."Dominika picks up the tray. "I will sit with her."I don't say anything. I don't tell Mikhail that I don't think I can stomach a whole meal with him in the room."Fine." Mikhail scowls at me as if I'm

MikhailSilence dominates the stuffy room as concrete trucks barrel past the double-hung windows, heading toward the long, towering chutes. We watch from the window as the truck is lined up beneath the chute before the concrete is poured. The large barrel spins methodically, taking a little sting out of my building anger.I shake my head, clenching my teeth. "You spoke before I arrived."Alexander holds his palms up as if to calm me down. The condescending gesture only makes me angrier. "We could hardly ignore a pakhan while we waited," he replies.I fix him with a blistering look. "You've had plenty of practice ignoring your own."Gunsyn steps forward. "Mikhail Ivanov, we were only discussing the present situation while we waited. All facts you already know."I raise my finger to silence him. "Funny how we all found out at the same time, but you arrived here first."Alexander sighs. "We heard a rumor that led us to Twin Rivers. We didn't want to spread lies until we knew it was true.

MariaI was told to wear a pretty dress, not by him, but by Dominika.She tried to make it sound like something fun that every woman would be thrilled to do, dressing up for my pakhan. But my life isn't a game. Not when it's being controlled by people who are in the business of murder.So, I'm determined to spite Mikhail and chose a bright red evening dress with a deep, plunging neckline that leaves nothing to the imagination. The color clashes with my hair, but I don't care. I swirl in front of the triple mirrors on the closet wall. I look like a she-devil sent to torture him. I stop moving around and frown at my reflection. It looks more like a Halloween costume than an avenging dark angel.Mikhail has made it clear that we're to take meals together. It's his way of checking on me and not delegating it like last time. So, when he returns home from trying to murder people, we sit down together in his office for a meal. I flush every time I see the desk and think of all the things I s

MikhailA dark thought flits across my mind—one that ends with my hands wrapped around her delicate throat and squeezing until the light in her golden hazel eyes is blotted out.My hands tremble at the thought. My heart races.Can I?"Mikhail." Maria's voice breaks through my thoughts, and she's standing in the doorway—still in that tantalizing red dress. She takes a few steps forward, and her gaze locks on mine. "What did Gunsyn want?" she asks quietly. "What did he tell you?"I sit up in my chair and glare at Maria as if my blood has been replaced with venom. "I told you to go."Maria swallows hard as a frail courage makes her stand firm. "Did he say anything about my father?"I stand, moving toward her, my mind screaming at me to stop. "Go."Maria backs away. "If you talked to my father ... I promise?—""Promise? You?" I snap, grabbing her by the shoulders and squeezing tight. "It doesn't bother you that your father is a traitor to the Bratva, a traitor who's responsible for my bro

MariaI jolt awake, disoriented by a change in the room. I blink until I can make out the shapes in the dark. The soreness in my throat and between my legs is a reminder of what we just did.I am alone, yet a part of me wishes that Mikhail was sleeping next to me with his arm draped over my waist. I stare at the door for a moment, wondering if he were here with me, might I be tempted into doing something daring and possibly very foolish?He'd have no way of defending himself in that state. He'd be entirely at my mercy.You're not a killer, Maria, I tell myself.And with that, I fall back into the pillow and feel myself fade back into a deep sleep.Each day, I can feel the distance widening between us until days later, we act like strangers who mutually ignore each other. I spend more time downstairs in the living room, if only to eavesdrop, but Mikhail is careful to keep the office door firmly shut. I eye him as he walks out of the office with Pavel, and memories of that night surge b