Page 1 of The Bratva's Arranged Bride
Chapter 1 - Val
As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I spent too long coasting, doing everything, yet nothing at the same time—Alex would be quick to agree, seeing as he was on my ass more often than not about doing something more. Going bigger.
Sure, I was busy helping with the family business and doing whatever needed to be done there, but beyond that, I was drifting, and I knew it.
I didn’t want to be the brother who wasted his time messing around and indulging…especially not when that was already Yuri’s title. Love him as I might, I didn’t want to be like him.
We looked too similar already, and I’d rather not fall into the typical twin stereotype.
That meant I needed to invest my time elsewhere, but, of course, it needed to be worth my while, and that of the family. If I was going to be a helpful link in the business, then I couldn’t half-ass it. It needed to be an asset, not a setback.
Which brought me to Andrey Fedorov’s proverbial doorstep.
I wasn’t one to approach others for help often or stick my neck out for any kind of partnership, but if anyone knew how to conduct business, and conduct itwell, it was Andrey.
“Am I supposed to know who this is?” Yuri asked while he closed the car door behind himself and looked over at the casino entrance before glancing at me while he pulled his sunglasses off.
“You probably should,” I returned, not at all surprised he had no idea who we were dealing with. Locking the car, I tossed the fob in my pocket. “Fedorov is one of the biggest tycoons in the city. Multi-millionaire—hell, likely billionaire by now—and brushes shoulders with many of the elite here.”
He sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets. “He’s that much of a big deal, huh?”
“Yes, he is. Which means you need to behave.”
Yuri chuckled, letting the faint grin linger on his lips while he followed along behind me as we entered the casino, which was surprisingly busy for the middle of a Wednesday afternoon. “No promises.”
Knowing better than to expect anything more from him, I nodded towards one of the bouncers as he let us in. “Just keep your hands to yourself. That’s all I ask.”
“What…it’s not like he’s some kind of kingpin, right?”
“No, he’s not. But he has enough friends in high places. We shouldn’t ruffle any feathers here,” I mumbled, making sure he kept up with me. “Especially not since I’m hoping to make a deal with him. Just don’t do anything stupid.”
An amused huff escaped him while he held his hands up in defense. “Alright, alright…I’ll be on my best behavior.”
“Good.”
At Yuri’s understanding, I relaxed only slightly and continued through the main floor of the casino. There was certainly more than the lion’s share of patrons there, and I had no doubt they were regulars.
Andrey had a knack for securing business and profit, and I didn’t need to question it—not when I could see it with my own eyes.
When we reached a secluded hall, I let the guards know we were looking for Andrey, and with a single nod, they guided us through. Before long, they took us to one of the back rooms and wordlessly let us inside.
Keeping a cool head, I took in the space, finding the secluded lounge as I expected it to be: decent-sized, full of private tables, a few goons of his own, and enough women to keep them all happy.
Heavy cigar smoke lingered in the air, and sure enough, Andrey was lounging on one of the sectionals with a woman on either side of him, dressed in more feathers and frills than actual clothing. He puffed out more smoke and let his gaze fall on us. Recognition reached his eyes, just barely visible behind the blue tint of his glasses.
“Novikov, yes?”
Nodding, the two of us approached. “That’s us. Val”—I gestured to myself—“and this is Yuri.”
“I’m just seeing two of you,” Andrey chided, pretending to be more far gone than he truly was. “I’m not that drunk already, am I?”
Biding my time, used to the usual twin jokes, I managed a partial smile despite sighing internally. “Not drunk enough, it seems.”
Andrey laughed. “Then I suppose I should catch up…sit, sit. Both of you.”
Exchanging a glance with Yuri, we both took our seats across from the tycoon and slowly felt the ice start to melt, even if we were in someone else’s territory.
While he wasn’t exactly in the same league as us, especially not when it came to manpower, it still felt like we were treading a fine line. If I hoped to work with one of the best business moguls in the city, then I needed things to go well.
