Page 23 of The Bratva's Bounty

Groaning, I ran a hand through my hair. "Just…" Oh man, I was going to regret it but fuck it. "Don't worry about it. They're my problem to start with, so I need to set them straight."

"Straight down six feet underground?" Angel joked darkly with a very dry chuckle.

"If there will be anything left of them to bury. Then, yeah, sure," I joked back half-seriously with my own sardonic chuckle.

"Nicki," Angel began in a chiding tone. "You're a pyromaniac bomb-loving tech geek, not a killer." She teased with a hearty laugh.

Unable to help it, I joined in with my own laugh when I found myself agreeing with everything she said about me. "Well, if they die from the blast of the bombs, then there's nothing I can do about that," I said nonchalantly, shrugging my shoulders. "I'll just leave the killing part to myd?i ca."

Angel's posture relaxed with her piqued interest. The corners of her lips curved up and spread wide as she shot up from the couch and darted over to me, invading my bubble when she plopped down next to me. "Girl, you gotta stop teasing me like that, seriously! Tell me who this handsome hunk is already," she demanded playfully with a giggle.

Stifling a laugh, I chewed atmy bottom lip to keep my thoughts inside my head. Honestly, if she knew who my man was, she would not be using those words. "You might or might not find out soon." I snickered, earning a playful slap on the arm. "It's not even like official or anything, and I just want to be completely sure before telling you guys, you know?"

Actually, I didn't know what we were. Labels might be overrated, but they were needed for clarity. We acted like a couple, but were we really? I claimed him as mine, even went as far as physically marking him, but that didn't…

Okay, what am I saying? After all of that, he is mine in every sense.

Rolling her eyes, she slapped my arm again. "Girl, you just told me the other day that he ate you out like you were a five-star meal with dessert!" Angel remarked with a playful scoff. "You can't just tell me shit like that and not show me who this wonder worker is."

"Weeeell, I guess I can show you sooooomething," I dragged my words out teasingly, shoving her squealing body away when she grabbed me excitedly. "Just a little peek, that's it."

Hiding my phone from her with a giggle, I pulled up a candid picture I took of Lev the other day with our little lunch date and cropped it from his nose down. Of course, Angel wasn't too thrilled to see a nearly faceless man with the unamused glare she gave me when I showed her the picture. "Nicki, that could be like half the people from Meri's Men Magazine." She deadpanned with a teasing voice. "I mean, lovely catch, but I wanna see who he is!" she whined.

Flashing her a mischievous grin, I shook my head while pocketing my phone. "Maybe next time." Or the next, or whenever I felt like it.

Rolling her eyes, Angel crossed her arms and leaned back onto the couch. "Rude, you all knew about Nikolai right away," she retorted.

Quirking a brow at her, I scoffed in disbelief. "Girl, you gotmarriedto the man, and it wasn't like your stepmother kept quiet about it." Didn't help that all of us practically stalked her because we were overprotective of our precious Angel.

Angel'sshoulders tightened with her straightening back. "Does this mean you're staying then? No more foot out the door?" She sounded hopeful as she looked at me with a bright smile.

Forcing out an unsure chuckle, I shrugged my shoulders. "Maybe not a foot, but definitely a toe." The thought of escaping and disappearing from all my problems was still rather tempting.

Taking in a deep breath, I tap my finger against my glass of water while looking out the window. "What have my parents been doing?" If they were doing things off the books with no electronic footprints, then I would have absolutely no idea about it all.

Dragging out a heavy sigh and groan, Angel grumbled under her breath for a minute. "The only thing we know is that they're meeting someone unknown to us. I mean, the only thing we do know about this mystery person is that they're not affiliated with the local gangs." Letting out another sigh, Angel sipped at her water. "Like I said, we haven't been able to grasp at any ends to unravel this whole situation because your parents spin some stupid tale to lead us to dead ends, and this person they're doing business with gives us the slip every time we target them."

Seeing Angel's face weighted down with stress as she talked about things made me feel a little guilty. They were my parents, therefore my problem. My pregnant friend shouldn't be burdened by something I possibly created.

Scooting over, I hugged Angel tightly and rubbed her stomach. "Don't worry about them. I'll handle it with my man." Some more excitement in Lev's life won't kill him. Besides, he wouldn't say no to me. "Send me all the information you have, and I'll take care of it all, promise."

Angel's lips pressed into a tight smile, and she hugged me back. "Thanks, and I'm sorry you're being pulled back into your family drama when that's what you're trying to run from."

Chuckling softly, I patted her back reassuringly. "Hey, my circus, my problem. It's not fair for you to be stressed out about it all, especially being pregnant."

"Ugh, I swear, all youguys are going to make me snap before this pregnancy is over," Angel grumbled with a groan. "I'm pregnant, not invalid. I am still more than capable of handling everything still."

Rolling my eyes, I playfully shoved her. "You really need to learn how to take a step back. Honestly, you are the head of the bratva with your husband. You have all the men and power at your disposal, so delegate, take a step back, and breathe."

Sometimes, I found it hard to understand Angel. Yes, I understood that she was the kind of person who had to keep themselves busy, hence why she loved being an emergency department nurse. Still, I often wondered how she didn't get tired of piling everything onto her plate.

I mean, if I was her, I'd totally abuse the power of being the head of the most powerful mafia group in California. I'd love to do nothing but sit around my work desk and tinker my life away on my ideas while everyone else handled everything to my whims. Oh, to be the boss again, that's the dream.

The couch shifted and creaked as Angel scooted over and hugged me. "Hey, what's wrong? You have that mopey look." Angel's soft concern had me smiling sadly.

"I just…" Sighing heavily, I ran a hand through my hair. "I enjoy this free life, but I kind of miss being the boss of my own company."

Laughing softly, Angel lightly shoved at me. "Oh, you just miss busting men's balls," she teased. "You miss bossing men around, having them kiss your feet, worship the ground you walk on, all that shit." Well, she wasn't wrong, but she didn't have to put it likethat. "Which, honestly, wish I had the confidence you do." Angel pouted softly with a small huff.