Page 30 of Forced By the Bratva King
“Oh, my God, I am so sorry,” I said, meaning every single word.
My sister-in-law wasn’t someone I should’ve forgotten all so easily. But wait, why didn’t I remember meeting her at the wedding? Guess I was way more fucked up than I had thought.
“Please, come on in,” I said, stepping away from the entrance.
“Thank you,” she replied, walking into the house.
The kid was staring at me, giggling and waving. Her smile was so cute that it melted my heart.
“Hey, baby girl,” I said, leaning close to play with her, but she left her mother and slipped into my arms. “Ohh.” I laughed at the sudden move.
“She likes you,” Kara said, taking a seat in the living room. “Which is weird because she's usually reserved around strangers—not that you're a stranger, I mean, you’re my brother’s wife— you get the point, don’t you?”
“I get it.” I chuckled at the way Kara expressed herself, trying not to hurt my feelings. It felt good, and although she looked a lot like Artem, she was the exact opposite of him. She was friendly, funny, and easygoing. I’d just officially met her, but I already liked her.
“You’re very pretty,” the girl said, playing with my hair.
I smiled, looking at her cheerful face. “Well, thank you. You’re very pretty, too.”
Her cheeks turned red, and her eyes sparkled like diamonds.
“What’s your name, honey?” I asked her.
“Zoya,” she replied.
“Zoya, I'm Sierra.”
“I know, you’re Uncle Artem’s wife!” she declared, her tone laced with joy.
“It’s like the Mary Celeste in here,” Kara said. “Where’s everyone? Where’s my brother?”
I sat on the couch next to her and set Zoya on my lap while she braided my hair. “Artem isn’t home. He’s barely around—sometimes for days.” I exhaled softly. “Irina says it’s the nature of his work, and I get it.”
Kara looked at me for a second. “You miss him, don’t you?”
Her question caught me off guard, and as much as I tried to deny it, deep down, I knew that there was a part of me thatdidmiss him.
“You don’t have to answer that,” she said with a cocky grin on her face.
I saw a glimpse of Artem’s face in hers; she was basically the female version of him.
“He’s not that bad, you know,” Kara said. “My brother has his flaws, but I can assure you that he’s a good person.”
“Why are you telling me this?” I asked, gradually becoming overwhelmed under the weight of this sad reality of mine.
“Because you’re his wife now,” she answered. “How you see him matters a lot if this marriage is gonna work.” She leaned forward. “I know what you’re thinking: You both started off on the wrong foot. The events that led to this moment aren’t exactly filled with joy and bliss, but there’s hope for a better future for you two; trust me.”
“You sound so sure about it,” I said, a little curious to know her reasons.
“That’s because I am.” Kara relaxed on the couch. “I know my brother more than anyone else. He’s changing around you.”
My brows knitted in confusion. “I’m not sure I understand what you’re saying.”
“Okay.” Kara sat upright, the plush leather couch crunching under her weight. “I’m positive no one has told you this, but Artem wasn’t always like this, you know—evil, cold, and ruthless,” she began. “Just like every villain in a movie, my brother has a story that made him the monster he is today.”
She had my attention now, and my curiosity was piqued.
“Artem had it rough growing up, especially because he was the heir to the Tarasov Bratva. Believe me, that’s not an easy task; the crown is fucking heavy, and he had to prepare for that. To do so, my brother was starved of love; all he knew was violence, death, and destruction. It was a part of the job.” She paused, allowing her words to sink in before continuing, “It wenton for years; then, everything changed when he met this girl, Jade.”