19. Cora
19
CORA
W hen I come downstairs in the morning, Dmitri and Maxim are talking in low voices at the breakfast table.
Ivan sits back in his seat, listening to them talk, his brow furrowed. In front of them are blueprints and empty coffee cups.
Dmitri’s wife, Elena, sits beside him, one hand resting protectively over the small swell of her stomach. I’ve not met her in person but I’ve seen enough photos around the mansion to know who she is.
She’s poised, graceful, and utterly regal. Her dark eyes flick over me once, and I get the sense she’s already come to some conclusion about me, though she doesn’t say what it is.
To her left is Maxim, deep scar running from his temple to his jaw, making his face look like something carved from stone. But his hand rests easily on his wife, Veronica’s hip, his fingers tracing an idle circle on the fabric of her dress.
Veronica’s got sharp eyes, a lazy smirk, and the kind of energy that makes it hard for her to keep still.
Ivan, Maxim, and Dmitri exchange a few low words when I enter, something unspoken passing between them before they move off toward the far door, leaving me alone with the two most powerful women in the Bratva.
Veronica folds her arms and looks me up and down like she’s inspecting a stray dog. Then she smirks. “Huh. You’re taller than I thought.”
I blink. “What?”
“Elena and I have been placing bets. She thought you’d be petite. I thought you’d be meaner-looking, taller as well.”
Elena hums, tilting her head. “To be fair, she does look like she’s ready to kill you.”
Veronica nods approvingly. “Yeah. But she also looks like she’d cry while doing it.”
I cross my arms. “Want to see what happens?”
Veronica grins. “Oh, I like her.”
Elena smirks slightly, then gestures toward the mansion. “Come sit down. If you’re part of this world now, you should at least get the grand breakfast.”
I hesitate. “Part of this world?”
Veronica loops her arm through mine like we’re old friends as I sit down. “Oh, sweetheart. You’re in the Bratva wives’ club now.”
Elena nods. “Which means we’ve already heard plenty about you.”
I glance between them. “From who?”
Elena’s lips twitch. “Ivan, of course.”
“He’s talked about me?”
Veronica cuts in, grinning. “Oh, Ivan talks. He doesn’t think he does, but he does. Can’t stop going on about his new wife.”
My heart does a slow, traitorous turn in my chest. “What did he say?”
Veronica winks. “Let’s just say he’s suddenly a lot more… expressive.”
My stomach twists, but I keep my face smooth. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Elena watches me carefully. “Of course you don’t.”
Veronica laughs. “This is going to be fun.”
Elena watches me in silence, her dark eyes calculating. It’s not an unkind look, but it’s sharp.
Then, suddenly, she smiles. “You don’t know whether to kiss him or kill him, do you?”
My mouth opens, then closes. My throat tightens.
“I’d say both is a safe bet.”
Her smile deepens, and she leans back, clearly satisfied.
Veronica lets out a sharp laugh. “We’ve both been there.”
I glance between them. There’s something unspoken between the two of them, a shared knowledge, a quiet solidarity that only comes from surviving the same kind of battle.
They know.
They know what it’s like to love a man who is both protector and destroyer. A man who could burn the world down with the same hands he uses to hold you.
Elena watches me a beat longer before she tips her chin. “You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”
I nod. “Did he tell you?”
“Oh my God!” Veronica practically squeals, sitting up straighter. “Join the club. We should get tee-shirts.”
Elena’s expression softens, and she nods once, approving. “I think it’s wonderful. They’ll all grow up together.”
Veronica grins. “That explains why you look like you’re ready to throw up at the thought of breakfast.”
Despite myself, I let out a breathy, half-laugh. “That obvious, is it?”
Elena reaches forward, placing her hand lightly over mine, her touch warm and steady. “You don’t need to be afraid anymore, Cora.”
Her voice is softer now, less calculating, more maternal. “Bratva protects its family. Always. No matter what our men do in their world, at home, their wives and children are sacred.”
I nod slowly, my throat tight, my fingers gripping the armrest of the chair. It’s not that I don’t believe her—it’s that part of me still isn’t sure if I belong in this world.
My stomach knots. “I don’t know if I can do this.”
Elena leans back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other with the kind of poised elegance that says she’s never unsure of herself. “Do what?”
I gesture vaguely. “Any of it. Be a mother in this world. Be a wife. Be Bratva.” The last word tastes foreign on my tongue, like I’m testing it out, seeing if it even fits in my mouth.
Veronica snorts, tossing an olive into her mouth from the small dish on the table between us. “Sweetheart, you’re already doing it.”
I frown. “How?”
Veronica chews her food before replying. “Heard you stood up at the meeting, held your own.”
Elena’s dark eyes pin me in place. “You’re still here, aren’t you?”
I shift in my seat. “For now.”
“For always,” Elena corrects smoothly. “You love him, right?”
I open my mouth to protest, but she shakes her head, cutting me off before I can form a single word.
“Don’t lie to yourself, Cora. Not to me. Not to her.” She gestures at Veronica, who’s watching us like she’s deeply entertained by the entire conversation. “And especially not to Ivan. Love in this world doesn’t come easy. Once it’s got you, you ain’t going nowhere.”
“I’m scared.”
Veronica leans forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “You think we weren’t scared?” She gestures between her and Elena. “Do you know who my husband was before I married him?”
I shake my head.
She grins. “A bastard. A terrifying, ruthless bastard. Still is, honestly.”
Elena sighs. “They all are.”
Veronica waves a hand. “Point is, I knew what I was walking into. I knew Maxim would level the world for me if I asked. I had to decide if I was strong enough to stand beside him.”
She leans back, crossing her arms. “Guess which one I picked?”
Elena shifts forward, her voice softer but no less commanding. “Listen to me, Cora. It’s not about being safe. It’s about being untouchable.”
The words settle in my chest like a weight.
She continues, her tone calm, deliberate. “A Bratva wife isn’t just protected by her husband. She commands respect in her own right. The moment you hesitate, the moment you let someone see your fear, you become vulnerable. That’s not an option.”
Veronica nods, cracking her knuckles. “Confidence is a weapon. You either wield it, or someone uses it against you.”
I exhale. “Easier said than done.”
Veronica stands abruptly. “Not really. Stand up.”
I blink. “What?”
She gestures impatiently. “Get up. Let’s go.”
I hesitate, then push to my feet. “Where exactly are we going?”
Veronica smirks. “Nowhere. We’re fixing your posture.”
I groan. “Oh my God.”
Elena chuckles, but her gaze remains sharp. “You’ll thank her later.”
Veronica circles me. Then she reaches out and grips my shoulders, yanking them back. “Straighten up. You’re not a scared girl on the streets anymore. You’re a Bratva Queen.”
I roll my eyes but do as she says. “This is ridiculous.”
“No, this is survival,” Veronica corrects. “When you walk into a room, you walk like you own it. Like you expect people to listen when you speak.” She steps in front of me and taps my chin lightly. “Chin up. That’s right. Don’t fidget. Don’t let your eyes dart around like you’re waiting for something to attack you.”
I shift slightly. “What if I am waiting for something to attack me?”
She grins. “You don’t let anyone see it.”
Elena watches us, nodding in approval. “Now, repeat after me: ‘I am not afraid.’”
I swallow.
Veronica nudges me. “Come on, Cora.”
I set my jaw. “I am not afraid.”
“Again,” Elena orders.
“I am not afraid.”
Elena tilts her head. “Not bad. You’ll need to work on the delivery, though.”
Veronica snickers. “Yeah, that sounded more like wishful thinking than confidence.”
I sigh. “I am wishing.”
“Well, stop. Confidence is pretending until it’s real.”
I press my fingers against my temples. “God, you two are exhausting.”
Elena smiles. “And you’re learning.”
I shake my head but can’t help the small smirk tugging at my lips. “What else do I need to know?”
Elena’s expression shifts, turning serious. “There are unspoken rules in this world, Cora. You need to learn them.”
She counts them off on her fingers.
“One. Never assume kindness is real unless you know what the person wants in return. Trust is currency here, and it’s rarely given freely.”
“Two.” Veronica jumps in. “Always know who’s loyal to your husband. Those are your allies.”
Elena folds her arms. “Three. If someone underestimates you, let them. Then prove them wrong when it matters.”
She meets my gaze. “And four. Never, ever show your fear.”
“She’s right,” a deep voice says. I jump, spinning around to find Ivan leaning on the door, arms folded.
“Where did you come from?” I ask.
“You get used to them appearing like ghosts,” Veronica says. “I always say we should put bells on their collars like cats.”
Ivan continues to stare at me. “I need you.”
“What for?”
“Time you learn to shoot properly.”