Page 6 of Secret Bratva Twins

They all nodded, hiding behind barrels and crates as they shot back at the assailants. The gunfight went on for a few more minutes before it ceased abruptly, replaced by an eerie silence that sent shivers down my spine. I tensed, ready for anything, my senses on high alert.

Then, from the shadows emerged a very familiar figure. One that had plagued my thoughts morning and night for the last six years—a woman. One of my men walked behind her, the barrel of his gun pointed to the back of her head as he shoved her forward.

Realization zapped through me as she came to a stop in front of me. This wasn’t a nightmare or anything of the sort. This was fucking real. Her brown eyes met mine, hard and cold. Her auburn hair rustled with the breeze, covering half of her face.

If I reached out, I could touch her. Heck, I could feel her and hug her, kiss her like I’ve been dying to. She had no idea how long I’d spent looking for her, hoping she was alive and happy somewhere.

This wasn’t the kind of reunion I’d hoped for, but it was better than nothing. My eyes floated over her, taking in her leather pants and jacket. The aura around her was different. She didn’t seem like the sweet and naïve girl I met in New York.

“Gianna?" I breathed, my voice barely a whisper. “What—why are you here?”

She smirked, her eyes gleaming with malice. “Surprised, Maxim? Too bad I didn’t get the chance to put a bullet in your head tonight.”

She didn’t seem surprised to see me. Heck, she was here to kill me, and there was no hint of remorse in her eyes.

Chapter 3 - Gianna

My scalp prickled, and my heart throbbed against my ribcage. I couldn’t breathe, and I couldn’t even get my thoughts to align as I stood in front of Maxim for the first time in six years.

He still looked the same as he did six years ago. Blue eyes, dark hair, tall and muscular. He had the broadest shoulders ever, his biceps straining against his black t-shirt. It’d been six whole years, and he hadn’t changed a bit. He still had that dark cloudiness about him. That mysteriousness made me fall for him back then, and it clearly still affects me now.

I’d changed, though. I was no longer the naïve girl who could give her heart away to a complete stranger. I was filled with hatred and malice, and I had too much to lose—too much to protect.

He inched closer, and his citrus scent invaded my nose. “Gianna, what the hell are you doing here?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” I asked, smirking at his face so he could see my lack of remorse. I was here to kill him. I’d failed, but I’d try again the second I had another chance. I had no idea how much I hated him until this moment. “Do you need me to spell it out to you, Maxim?”

He pushed his hands in his pocket, staring at me with disbelief. “You’re not that kind of woman. What happened to you over the years?”

“I am this kind of woman. I’ve always been. You were just too stupid and blinded to see it.” A pang of pain sloshed through my chest. I’d also been too stupid and in love to see him for who he truly was. He betrayed me. “I’m Michael DeLuca’s daughter.”

It was satisfactory to see his eyes widen at my revelation.

“That can’t be. I looked for you—” he trailed off, squinting as if just realizing I was telling the truth. “You’re Michael’s daughter. That is the reason I couldn’t find you. Your last name was fake.”

Crossing my arms over my chest, I grinned. “Congratulations on finally using your brain for once.”

“Did you approach me on purpose,” he asked, his tone rough. “Did your father set you up to this?”

What we had six years ago was real; at least, it was on my end. But I didn’t care about that right now, not after he abandoned me and killed my mother. I wanted to hurt him, to make him feel all the pain he put me through. “Yes.”

His eyes darkened, anger flashing in them. Perhaps pain, too. This was what I wanted him to feel, even though it was nothing compared to how much he’d ripped my heart apart.

The sound of cars pulled our attention. Three black SUVs came to a stop right in front of us, the headlights flashing before they turned off. The car doors opened, and it took me a moment to register who they were.

Sergey, the eldest Vadim brother and head of the Bratva, was the first to walk toward us. The air tensed around him, the scowl on his face sending a shiver down my spine. Nikolai followed closely behind him, his expression an unreadable mask.

Vlad came last, with his wife Mariana behind him. She was the woman I met hours ago—my target. I’d lied to her about knowing a way to take down the Outfit and lured the rest of the brothers out.

Her brows knitted when her eyes met mine. “This is it? You lied to me so you could attack the warehouse?”

The disappointment in her voice made my stomach flip. I didn’t feel bad for any of the brothers, but for her, I felt terrible for using her like that.

“Well, well, who do we have here?” Vlad scrutinized me from head to toe as if I were goods he was about to purchase, trying to decipher their worth. “You’re a smart one, I give it to you. You somehow managed to deceive all of us tonight.”

I rolled my eyes. “You lot are not very smart, just like Maxim here.”

Vlad gave me a curt nod. “I don’t deny it, but what good is being smart when you’re going to die here tonight?”

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