Forced to Marry the Bratva: Age Gap Mafia Romance (Zolotov Bratva Book 5)

Chapter 13 - Damien

I wince as Genevieve and I step out of the warehouse, my body aching more than before from last night’s underground fight. The morning sun pierces my eyes, and I shade my vision with my hand.

“The adrenaline’s worn off,” Genevieve explains kindly, helping me into the back of Lev’s car.

“Where to?” Lev asks from the driver’s seat.

“Home first,” I command. “Then the meeting.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to go to a hospital, Brother?” Lev smirks mischievously.

“Just get me back home,” I insist in a tone that leaves no room for argument.

I notice Genevieve and Lev exchange worried glances in the rearview mirror.

“What?” I ask coldly, keeping my eyes fixed on Lev.

Lev looks nervous as he takes a right. “Nothing, Brother.”

“It’s not nothing written on your face, Brother,” I spit back.

I watch a flash of anger pass through Lev’s usually uninterested facial expressions. He frowns, shakes his head, and decides he’s had enough.

“I don’t think you understand how badly last night could have ended, Damien,” Lev tells me. “To you, it might have been just another night in the ring. For the rest of us, we thought we could have lost you.”

“I’m fine, aren’t I?”

“Are you?” Lev laughs sarcastically. “Were you fine when Anoushka and I were chased by the cops? Were you fine when Genevieve spent all night dressing your wounds? Were you fine when you couldn’t put on the clothes I brought you this morning without wincing in absolute fucking pain? Which part of any of this sounds fine to you?” Lev bangs the steering wheel.

“Damien,” Genevieve interjects softly, her hand reaching out tentatively to touch my arm. “We’re just concerned about you.”

I meet her gaze, the worry in her eyes tugging at something deep inside me. For a moment, the hardness that often shields my emotions wavers, and I don’t like one bit of it. It makes me feel weak.

“I don’t need your concern,” I mutter gruffly, pulling away slightly.

Genevieve’s hand falls back to her lap, and I see her jaw tighten in response. Lev clears his throat awkwardly, breaking the heavy silence that has settled in the car.

“Look,” Lev says, kindly now. “No one knows you’re still fighting. Today, you’re going to walk into a meeting in so much pain. You’re a fool to think no one would notice. You’ve got cuts and bruises all over your face. People might not ask about it today, but Boris would become curious. And knowing Boris, it’s better that you come clean yourself than for him to put guys on your track and discover your little secret. You know what Boris is like, once someone breaks his trust…”

I sit back in my seat, Lev’s words ringing in my ears. He’s right, as much as I hate to admit it. Boris is a shrewd man, and he doesn’t like surprises—especially ones that could jeopardize his business or the lives of his family. He’d be pissed to know I put mine on the line. Reluctantly, I nod, acknowledging Lev’s point.

“Fine,” I concede, “But I’ll tell Boris when the time is right. Until then, keep this to yourselves.”

Genevieve’s green eyes flicker with pride as she watches me. She reaches out again in a gesture of support, and this time, I don’t pull away. Her touch is like a balm on my rough edges, and for a fleeting moment, I find solace in her gentle presence.

“I knew you still had some wisdom left in that brain of yours. For a while, though, I thought it got knocked out from all the beating your head took last night,” Lev grins from the front, now visibly happier with my decision.

“I’ll knock the daylights out of you,” I snap back. Lev and Genevieve laugh.

“So what’s the plan?” Lev asks as we turn the corner toward my apartment building. “How do you plan to make it through the meeting today? That is, if you can make it…” his voice trails off as he thinks of my injuries.

“Don’t worry,” I say. “We’ll make it.”

“We?” Lev asks, confused.

I turn and look at Genevieve, her hand still in mine. “Genevieve is going to come and cover for me when I’m in too much pain. She’s smart and can hold her ground, and I’ll tell everyone I want her to be a part of our work since she’s bright.”

“That makes sense,” Lev nods, his energy infectious as he looks back at Genevieve. “I heard you in that last meeting, and girl, you were on fire,” he sings.

“Thanks, Lev,” Genevieve blushes. “Now all we have to do is get Damien up and ready.” She turns to me. “You are going to eat well, take some painkillers, and then I’m going to try to cover as many of your facial bruises as I can with makeup. The rest is up to chance.”

“Ooooh,” Lev laughs from the front. “You’re going to look pretty! But that eye of yours… ugh,” he grunts and shakes his head.

If I could have reached down, I would have pulled off my shoe and chucked it at him.

***

We arrive home and I thank Lev for the pick-up and drop-off. He helps me up to my apartment, tells me he’ll see me at the meeting, and leaves.

Relief washes over me as I find myself back home. I watch as Genevieve takes charge, her assertiveness both surprising and alluring. She disappears into the kitchen, reappearing moments later with an ice pack in one hand and sandwiches in the other.

“First, eat,” she says, gesturing for me to sit down. I comply, feeling vulnerable under her caring gaze. I begin to eat when my phone rings. I check and see it’s Alexai. I decide to call him later, considering I don’t want to deal with him until I’m wholly back in my element.

Once I’m finished, she begins to work on my face.

“Thank you,” I murmur as she gently presses the ice pack to my bruised face, the cold relief instantly soothing my battered skin.

“Does that feel better?” she asks, not waiting for my response as she retrieves her makeup bag from her purse.

She carefully conceals the remaining marks on my face with skillful makeup application, ensuring they won’t raise suspicion during the meeting.

“Genevieve, you don’t have to do this,” I protest weakly, my pride stinging at the thought of seeming so weak in front of my wife. I’m the one supposed to care for her.

“Of course I do, Damien,” she retorts, determination in her eyes. “You’re not just my husband; you’re my partner. And partners take care of each other.”

Her words resonate within me, stirring something deep inside my chest. I watch as she works diligently, her nimble fingers expertly hiding my bruises, and I can’t help but be captivated by her beauty and resilience.

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but she’s won my irrevocable trust.

“Genevieve,” I say, my voice low and filled with emotion. “Thank you. For everything.”

She smiles tenderly at me, her eyes sparkling with warmth. “You’re welcome, Damien. Now, let’s go face the world together.”

***

With our appearances restored, Genevieve and I stride purposefully down the hallway toward Boris’s office. Each step hurts, and it takes everything in me to hold back the pain from showing on my face.

The air is thick with tension, our steps in sync as if we’ve been walking through life together for years. As I glance over at her, her determined expression mirrors my own, and in that moment, I know we are united in facing whatever challenges lie ahead.

“Ready?” I ask, my voice steady despite the fear of being caught brewing within me.

“More than ever,” she replies, her eyes blazing with an undefeated fire that reminds me I want her on my team. I feel an overwhelming sense of pride in this fierce woman by my side.

Just as we approach the conference room, Lev intercepts us, his brow furrowed with concern. “Damien, Genevieve,” he says, glancing between us.

“Is everything okay?” Genevieve asks, her eyes searching Lev’s face for answers.

“Just… watch each other’s backs in there, okay? I’m with you, so just know I’ve got you both,” Lev tells us, his eyes conveying a lingering unease.

“Thank you, Lev,” I mutter, giving him a grateful nod.

“Ready?” Genevieve motions to the door.

“Always.” My voice is firm, leaving no room for doubt.

With our conversation settled, the three of us enter the conference room together. The moment we step inside, all eyes are on us—a testament to the fact that Genevieve’s presence is unnerving to some, just as I predicted it would be.

I need to control the narrative and jump into action.

“Good morning, everyone,” I greet the assembled members, my voice commanding their attention. Genevieve stands beside me, her head held high.

“Today, I want to make it clear that my wife, Genevieve, will be an active participant in this meeting and perhaps all future ones if it so suits her,” I announce, my tone leaving no room for argument. “She’s proven herself to be more than capable, and I expect everyone to treat her with the respect she deserves since she would be an asset to our team. It’s time she learns the ropes of this business.”

As I speak, my hand instinctively finds hers, intertwining our fingers as a subtle display of possessiveness. The gesture doesn’t go unnoticed by the others in the room, and I can see the surprise and curiosity flicker across their faces.

“Thank you, Damien,” Genevieve says loudly, squeezing my hand in appreciation.

Boris looks around the room, his gaze landing on each person before finally settling back on me.

“You heard my brother, everyone,” he says, his tone firm. “Genevieve is welcome to learn about our business. I expect all of you to be accommodating and helpful to her. Do I make myself clear?”

The room nods in unison, but I can see the discomfort in their eyes. I’m well aware that not everyone is thrilled about my wife’s presence here. There’s a lot of power and influence riding on this family operation, and some of them believe that having a woman involved would threaten their positions.

But I don’t care. I want Genevieve to be a part of this. She deserves to know about the life I’ve been leading and the responsibilities that come with it. Boris quickly motions to an assistant and barks at him to bring a chair to the table for her.

Genevieve takes her seat, and the meeting begins.

“One of the most important things on our agenda today,” Boris begins. “Is to discuss our cash flow. We’re suffering on three ends. One, people we’ve loaned to aren’t paying back with the success rate we need. Two, we’ve got tons of cash lying around with no way to transform it into legitimate white capital to expand our operations that require bank transfers. And three, as a result of the cash crunch, our legitimate businesses are struggling to expand. We have that casino that needs to be fixed up and a restaurant chain waiting to be launched. We need ideas, stat.”

I zone out as people begin dropping ideas. Sitting in this one position is causing severe pain down my lower back. I try to reposition myself and feel a sharp pain shoot down my neck. I feel dizzy and close my eyes.

“Damien… Damien?” I feel Genevieve touch my arm gently.

“What?” I perk up, looking around, trying to hold the pain back.

“I was asking what you think,” Boris looks at me pointedly, his expression neutral. But I can see the wheels in his head turning. It’s not like me to be distracted.

“Ahem,” I clear my throat. “I think I would like Genevieve to take this one. Sometimes, a fresh ear is what one needs.”

Genevieve’s voice trembles ever so slightly as she asks, “Me?” I can see a faint blush creep up her neck, betraying her nervousness.

“Damien’s right,” Lev chimes in, his tone encouraging. “Gen, you’ve got a solid business head, and I, for one, want to hear what you have to say.”

“Okay then,” her voice trembles, and her hands shake as she folds them in front of her on the desk. All around us, I notice some men lean forward to hear what she has to say while others snigger. I feel infuriated at the disrespect, but I say nothing for now because I don’t want to distract her. I’ll deal with those fuckers later.

She gulps and takes a deep breath, “I think we could solve the cash issue by expanding our loan interest rates and cutting down our most risky loans. Don’t forego them, but instead…” Here, she pauses, her eyes darting around nervously.

“Go on, Gen,” Lev encourages her. “What do we do if not to forego them?”

“Well, there are buyers for bad loans. They’ll buy you out for less than what you’re owed and collect the loans themselves for a small profit. You won’t get all of your money back, but something’s better than nothing. You get some of your capital out, and with time, that money you get now could grow through investments to beat what you might collect a year or two down the line,” she explains, rambling fast.

“Bloody hell! That’s brilliant,” I can hear Boris’s voice, the sound of his approval resonating through the room. “Can you crunch the numbers?”

“I can,” she declares, now confident. I look down and see her hands are no longer trembling.

“Carry on,” Lev nods furiously.

“For the second problem, use all your cash to buy real estate. You need to convert cash to white, right? Buy expensive property half in cash, half through checks. But then, go to a bank and take a loan against the total value of your property. You’d have more white working capital and invest that in your legitimate businesses. Sell the properties all in white, pay off the loan.”

Why the hell did I never think of that? I look at Genevieve as a few people begin to clap and whistle. Her eyes sparkle with excitement, and her cheeks flush pink as she basks in the applause. In this very moment, the world around me fades away, taking away all the noise with it, and all I can think of is how beautiful she looks. Confident and poised in that tight little suit she’s wearing.

She’s found her rhythm, and it turns me on like nothing else.

My eyes glaze over her figure, and I feel my body respond to the sight of her. She’s sexy, she’s fierce, and she’s mine. I can’t help but touch her thigh under the table, her skin warm and soft under my fingers. A shiver goes down my spine, and I feel her legs tremble.

God damn it. I want her.

“Good job, Gen,” I say, my voice low, and pull my hand away before I lose control of my cock.

Swept away by the sounds of congratulations, none of us had noticed Gerald Russo walk in. We only realize when we hear his angry voice approach the table. “Genevieve,” he sneers with disdain, his voice loud. “Since when did you become Damien’s mouthpiece?”

Everyone’s gazes snap toward the entrance, and there stands her father, his disapproving eyes locked on his daughter. Tension fills the air like a storm cloud, casting a dark shadow over the progress we’d made.

My blood boils at his condescending tone, but I keep my features composed for now. Beside me, I can feel Genevieve stiffen, her confidence faltering under her father’s scrutiny.

“Mr. Russo,” I intervene firmly, “Genevieve is here because she is an integral part of this business, and her insights have proven invaluable.”

“Is that so?” He arches a skeptical brow, eyes flicking between us. “Or is this just another one of your games, Damien? Trying to keep her close so you can control her?”

“Father, please,” Genevieve pleads, her voice wavering slightly. “This isn’t a game. I’m here because I want to be and because I have something to contribute.”

“Enough!” I snap, unable to hold back any longer. My protective instincts kick into high gear, drowning out all thoughts of diplomacy. “Your daughter has shown nothing but intelligence and determination today. If you can’t see that because you showed up late, then it’s your loss.”

Gerald looks taken aback by my outburst, his eyes narrowing dangerously. But I stand my ground, my arm brushing against Genevieve’s as if to reassure her that I have her back.

“Very well,” he grumbles, taking a seat at the table. “But don’t think I’ll blindly support what she has to say just because she’s my daughter.”

“Good,” I retort, my voice as cold as ice. “Because you’ll see just how capable she is on her own.”

The tension in the room thickens, suffocating me like a noose tightening around my neck. I grit my teeth as the pain from last night’s underground fight begins to make itself known beneath my business suit. My body aches, but I refuse to show any signs of weakness.

I try to loosen my tie. Just then, my phone beeps. I look at it. It’s Alexai calling—again. I put it on silent and place it face down, letting out a sigh.

“You alright?” Gerald asks out loud, drawing obvious attention to my discomfort with a small smile on his face as he takes in the cuts that peek through the makeup.

Genevieve’s eyes dart to me, her concern flickering like a candle in the darkness. She must’ve noticed the subtle wince I couldn’t suppress. Before I can formulate a response, she takes control of the situation, her voice steady and confident.

“See? I told you not to skip hydrating after that long bike ride this morning, dear,” Genevieve laughs. “And to think you got into that horrid accident!”

“What accident?” Boris asks, worried.

“I fell off my bike.”

“Oh dear,” Boris chuckles.

Russo narrows his eyes.

“Now, back to the diversification plans,” Genevieve draws Russo’s attention back from me. “What is it you were saying, Lev?”

Gerald scoffs dismissively, but I can see the doubt beginning to creep into his eyes. He knows he can’t break us apart, not when our connection has only grown stronger with each passing moment.

As the meeting progresses, Genevieve and I seamlessly navigate the challenges thrown our way, our partnership only growing stronger. We’re a force to be reckoned with, and nothing—not even her father’s disapproval—can stand in our way.

And as I watch Genevieve stand tall against the barrage of skepticism, I feel a surge of pride and desire course through me. She’s everything I could’ve ever wanted in a partner, both in business and in life, and I’m more determined than ever to protect her—no matter the cost.