Page 17 of Cruel Bratva King
She did have a point. If I accepted Sergey’s proposal, I could live the rest of my life without worrying about working or having a roof over my head, and my baby would live a comfortable life. It would’ve been the best choice if I didn’t have to consider the dangers that came with it.
If Sergey had enemies, which he definitely had since he was the Russian Mafia king himself, my child and I would have to live the rest of our lives in fear. That meant my baby wouldn’t be able to go to school and make friends like every other normal kid, and I wouldn’t be able to run errands such as grocery shopping without bodyguards watching me like hawks. And enemies nearby to gnaw me to death when the guards weren’t watching.
Some people got off on the adrenaline rush that came with that lifestyle, but not me. I preferred to live a reasonably normal life with a roof over my head and food on my table. I wasn’t cut out for being the wife of a ruthless Mafia king and didn’t intend to become one for all the money in the world.
The offer was tempting, though. I wasn’t going to play the hypocrite and pretend I hadn’t thought of the benefits of accepting Sergey’s office since I left the nightclub last night. But my baby’s safety and mine were what mattered the most.
“I’ve thought of that, Eva, but I’m still not thrilled.” I propped my elbows on the kitchen island as I thought of how best to deal with my new nightmare. “Who knows how many enemies he has? What if he dies? What will become of me and my baby then?”
Eva settled down on the stool beside me. “If he really is who you said he is, then I doubt he is the kind of guy to be killed that easily.” She rolled her lower lip between her teeth. “I’m curious, though. How were you able to pull a guy like that?” Her voice was playful as if this was a situation that could be joked with.
I loved my best friend. I truly did, but sometimes it was hard not to smack her in the head and remind her to take things more seriously. “Really, Eva? This isn’t funny. Both my baby and I are in danger.”
“He wouldn’t hurt you,” she said in her defense. “What kind of man would hurt his pregnant… one-night stand? Baby mama? What’s the term for a situation like this one?”
My head fell between my shoulders. “If you keep joking about this, Eva, I swear to God I’ll kill you.”
Maybe she was right. Maybe Sergey wouldn’t hurt me or the baby, but I wouldn’t put anything past him, given his reputation. He was feral and unpredictable from the things I’d heard about him. It was best not to underestimate him.
“Alright. Alright. I’m sorry.” Eva went to the refrigerator and grabbed two bottles of orange juice. She walked over to me before settling back on her stool. “Do you have any idea of what to do?”
I opened my bottle of orange juice and drank it. The cold, sweet liquid sizzled down my throat with ease, cooling my throat as it traveled down. If only it could take my problems with it. “I wouldn’t be this concerned if I had any idea what to do.”
“How was he when you told him you wouldn’t marry him?”
“He didn’t give any hint he hated my reply,” I said. “But that didn’t mean he liked it.” Unlike the first night I met Sergey, his expression was mostly dark and blank last night. It was killing me slowly that I didn’t know what he was thinking.
Eva looked like she was buried in thought for a moment. “Something isn’t right. Men like that are possessive. He wouldn’t just let you go after finding out you’re pregnant with his child.”
I huffed and pinched the bridge of my nose. “What do you think?”
“He’ll come for you sooner or later.” She sat forward, looking more serious now. “Lily, I don’t think you should stay here. You need to leave this city and find a place for you and your baby to live. That’s the only way you’ll be safe from him.”
“Are you suggesting I live in hiding?”
“Not hiding.” She found a better way to put it. “Let’s just say you’re starting over in a new city. I can’t guarantee much will change, but you’ll be safe from him, at least. Think about it it.”
I nodded my agreement. “It was probably time I relocated anyway.” Chicago belonged to the Mafia. I couldn’t hide from Sergey here, but I doubted he would have enough influence to find me if I moved to a new city that he didn’t rule.
There was one problem, though. It was going to take a while to get a passport and book a flight. Sergey could find me before then. “I agree, I should relocate, but what if he gets me before I do?”
“He won’t,” she said firmly. “You’re moving in with me today. He doesn’t know me, or where I live, it’s the safest option you have for now before we can figure a way for you to move to a different city.”
“What if he traces me to you?” As much as I was worried for my safety, I wouldn’t be able to bear it if Eva ended up in harm’s way because of me. For me, Sergey may be considerate since I was carrying his child, but I couldn’t say the same for Eva. “He may hurt you. I can’t risk it.”
Eva reached for my hand and held it tightly. “I’ll be fine, Lily,” she whispered, reassuring me. “I’m not letting you stay here, so don’t try to convince me. You’re my best friend. I don’t care if I die protecting you. My only condition is that you never have another best friend, or I’ll haunt you from my grave.”
I snorted a laugh. Only Eva would make a joke like this, and only she would risk her safety for mine. I was reminded once again of the reason we were best friends. Eva had always had my back since we were teenagers, and she still does even now that we are adults. It pricked on my conscience that I always had to rely on her, but I was grateful to have her nonetheless.
“Fine. I’ll move in with you, but only until I can figure a way out of the city.”
“Perfect.” We didn’t waste any more time. We both went to my bedroom and started packing up. I had so many clothes that even thirty minutes later, we hadn’t picked up all the things I needed. Being a pregnant woman on the run was not going to be easy, so we made sure to pack all my necessities and clothes I could wear as maternity dresses.
I was low on cash, so I needed to take as many things as I needed to cut down on expenses. Speaking of expenses, we’d forgotten one thing. “How about work?”
“Huh?” Eva peeked her head out of my wardrobe. Sweat beaded around her forehead.
“How about work?” I repeated. I couldn’t just disappear into thin air. I needed to hand in my resignation letter, and I didn’t even want to. I needed the cash from work to add to my savings, and I couldn’t just sit around at home doing nothing for God knows how long.