Page 10 of Bratva Prince

Then the officiant pronounced them husband and wife, and the chapel filled with restrained applause that sounded suspiciously like obligation.Dmitri leaned slightly closer as protocol demanded, and Sofia lifted her chin fractionally.

Their kiss was brief, controlled, and polite enough for public approval.Dmitri still caught the faint scent of expensive perfume and rainwater lingering against her skin before they separated again.

The reception afterward unfolded inside the Volkov estate ballroom beneath crystal chandeliers and enough armed security to invade a small country.Lavish and cold were the words to best describe it.A power summit disguised as a wedding celebration.

Politicians congratulated Dmitri while quietly fishing for information about future alliances.Businessmen offered smiles sharpened carefully into negotiations.Rival captains measured the Marino alliance with visible calculation.

Everyone watched everything, especially Sofia.Dmitri noticed it constantly.Conversations subtly shifted around her now that she carried the Volkov name.She received careful respect from Volkov soldiers who were uncertain how much authority she possessed yet.

There was scrutiny from rival families assessing whether she would become asset or weakness.Through all of it though, Sofia performed flawlessly beside him.

She smiled when appropriate, spoke elegantly, and deflected probing questions with quiet intelligence.Sofia also never clung to him nervously.Together they already looked united publicly, but Dimitri knew it was a dangerous illusion.One that worked surprisingly well.

“She’s handling this better than expected,” Alexei murmured quietly beside Dmitri at one point.

Dmitri’s attention drifted toward Sofia across the ballroom where she calmly dismantled a senator’s attempt to extract information about Marino shipping routes.

“Yes,” Dmitri said after a moment.

She was.That realization carried an uncomfortable edge of admiration beneath it.Later, during a lull in the reception, Dmitri finally escaped onto one of the estate balconies overlooking the rain-soaked city below.

Cold air swept against his face.A moment later, Sofia stepped outside beside him.Dimitri decided it wasn’t a coincidence.She probably needed distance from the crowd too.

For several seconds they stood in silence beneath the covered balcony while rain shimmered across the skyline.

“You look thrilled,” Sofia observed dryly.

“I’m saving my joy for the honeymoon.”

That almost earned him a smile.Almost.Dmitri rested one hand lightly against the balcony railing.

“There are practical matters we should discuss,” he told her.

Sofia glanced toward him carefully now.

“Such as?”Sofia inquired politely.

“Security protocols.Expectations inside Volkov territory,” he pointed out.

Her expression cooled slightly, and since Sofia didn’t say anything more, he continued speaking, “There will be staff assigned specifically to your security detail.Any movements outside the estate should be cleared beforehand.”

“Cleared?”Sofia inquired.

“Leaving the estate without security clearance would create political fallout.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Sofia stiffened visibly.

“Security clearance?”she repeated.

Dmitri immediately heard how it sounded, but it was too late to take his words back.

“Am I your wife or your hostage?”Sofia demanded.

The question landed harder than he expected.The uncomfortable truth was he genuinely hadn’t meant the statement as threatening.

To Dmitri, these precautions were normal, and necessary for survival.Only now, looking at Sofia’s expression, did he suddenly hear the cage hidden inside his own words.It was certainly an annoying realization.Dmitri exhaled slowly, and thought of his next words with care.

“The estate operates a certain way,” Dimitri began, trying his best to explain.