Page 63 of Kept By the Bratva
I shrugged. “I know she’s bothered about that. But no money will be exchanged anyway.” I’d pay Diego with death for her.
I shook my head. “I can tell she struggles with this adjustment. With giving up her independence and her own life to be slotted into ours.”
He didn’t speak, and the silence egged me on to continue. “I won’t give her up. But I can tell that she’s going along with it because she has no choice.”
“You’d rather her choose you?”
I nodded.
“She already did. The night you met.”
Under false pretenses.“I love her, Alek.” I wasn’t a fan of talking about emotions, but I’d try. “Iloveher. But she only tolerates me.” I’d known from the moment I left her apartment that no one would ever compare. She was it. It destroyed me to walk away, and when I saw her again, I’d wanted a second chance. How funny that we’d crossed paths a third time and it stuck.
“Have you told her?” he asked. Talking about romance and falling in love was an odd topic to converse about with myPakhan, but he was still my brother over my boss.
“No. I feel like I need to be wise about approaching her with this.” I had to play my cards carefully. “She’s already so overwhelmed. I want her to settle in and relax with me before having that kind of conversation.”
He shook his head. “Wait. Did you realize how deeply you felt for her before or after you learned that she was pregnant and carrying your children?”
I frowned. “Before.”I knew right away but resisted it.“Why?”
“Just be careful,” he advised as he parked and we got out of the car. “If you tell her that you love her now, make sure that she’s not assuming that you care for herbecauseshe’s the mother of your children. Avoid setting her up to assume that you love her out of obligation.”
“I agree.” I’d already considered that, and it played a part in my choice to hold back the truth. A grand gesture and planned occasion would make more of an impact. So far, we’d only had tense, suspenseful moments of surprises and danger.
After Diego is dead. She will be mine, and I’ll tell her.I’d combust if I kept the truth a secret for too long. I needed her to know how much she meant to me.
We kept an eye on our surroundings as we approached the building that we’d been directed to go to. Even though it looked like just the two of us entering this area, we had men hiding behind us. Alek never went anywhere completely alone. It looked deserted around here, with no Cartel presence, but they were likely hanging back as security too. Shadows were deceptive like that.
After we entered the building that looked like a former restaurant or gambling room, we shared a look. No guards. No sentinels at the door. The faint scents of fried food and spiced meat hung in the air, but it wasn’t so potent to suggest other areas of this building were actively serving food as a cover business.
Security could be out of sight, and I saw ample cameras anchored all over, but not running into someone seemed wrong. If they invited thePakhanof the Valkovs here, and there was an implication of a serious negotiation happening, they’d beef up their presence, not play it down.
Alek was tense, and I didn’t feel any more confidence as we strode down a hall, entering further. Already, things were suspicious, and I strained to listen and look out, remaining alert.
Voices sounded nearby, casual and not like anything of a greeting to us. I grabbed my gun at the same time Alek did, but we turned at an intersection in the hallway, waiting for those voices to pass.
“Yeah, I don’t care,” the man said as he strolled by. Phone to his ear, smiling as he walked leisurely toward the exit, was none other than that fucking cop. Steven Murphy.
“I have it from Juan Ortez himself, man. Another shipment of women will be coming soon, all right? So just be patient, you fucker.”
Alek and I glanced at each other as the member of the NYPD exited the building. We knew he was crooked, but I hadn’t realized he was in that deep with the Cartel.
My brother shook his head once Murphy left. We exited this shadowed corner and hurried through the building.
“I don’t like this,” he said as we searched all the rooms, no longer caring if we were trespassing.
“That no one’s here?” I guessed dryly. Dread twisted in my stomach and I fought to stay level-headed.
“That and that asshole. Murphy.” He gritted his teeth. “We have to deal with him sooner or later. For good.”
Right now, though, we had to run back to the mansion.
All we’d found was a dinky little kitchen where an old couple made tacos to sell at a street cart. No one from the Cartel was here. Diego wasn’t here.
“Fuck.” Alek sprinted outside for the car, no doubt understanding that we’d been duped. Diego—and his helpers within the Cartel—hadlured us out here without any intention to talk about buying Amy from him.
“Maxim’s there,” Alek said in the car as he sped home.