Page 49 of Forced Bratva Wife

The idea of being shot in an actively violent situation didn’t sound all that appealing, so despite my intense need to help, I let Lev win this one.

“Fine. But call me. I can help.”

“I will.” He looked over my head again at his men. “Get her out of here.”

With that, I was whisked away back to Lev’s.

***

As we walked down the hall to Lev’s room, his men flanking my steps so close I could smell their cheap perfume, I demanded more of the supplies I’d need to help once the Vadim house proper was cleared.

“If you’re going to be up in my business like this, at least be useful.” I glared between the two tall figures with my back to the door. “I’ll need any spare bandages you have, alcohol. Hell, I’ll take hydrogen peroxide if you have it. Any type of first aid kit, super glue, and lots of excess cloth that I can use to stop bleeding. Gloves, a sewing kit if you have one. Umm—”

When I looked up from listing things off, the two assholes were just standing there.

“Are you going to go? Or what?”

The one on the right shook his head, the corners of his mouth turning down. “We have strict orders to keep an eye on you.”

Sighing, I swiped a hand down my face. “I’m at the house. I’m fine. You need to be concerned for the injured men.”

They still stood there.

“I’m Lev’s wife. Listen to me.” My mind churned with a terrible string of ideas to get what I needed. “Or I’ll tell him that you looked at me inappropriately.”

Both their eyes flared, and I knew I’d struck a cord. Lev would probably seriously harm anyone who did as much, and I did my best to keep up a good poker face so that they wouldn’t see that I would never do something like that to them.

“Don’t leave the room,” Righty said, and I nodded.

“Of course. Wouldn’t dream of it.”

At that, they finally left to get the medical-adjacent supplies that I’d need to do as much good as I could. As it was, I knew whatever I did was going to be a bandaid on a broken bone if they were seriously injured and not able to get to a hospital quickly.

But at least it was something.

I stepped inside Lev’s room, realizing that he had the key still, so I pulled the chaise in front of the door again.

We make due.

Moving the thing was a bitch again, and when I was finished, I tossed the loose jacket I wore on the back, heading for the closet. Despite being flats, the pointy shoes I wore still hurt my toes, and I kicked them off beneath the hanging racks of clothes.

I also wanted to be in something that I could move in and make that wasn’t so nice. I pulled off the blouse and wide-leg pants, opting for the pair of cotton shorts I’d been using as pajamas and a white tank. At least I could just shower if I got blood on myself.

Still, I didn’t want to be barefoot in the event of an emergency, so I padded around Lev’s drawers for a pair of socks and slipped on the low-heeled ankle boots he’d chosen. They weren’t sneakers, which was what I really wanted, but they were better than heels.

I located the one hair tie I had with me, which was miraculously still on my wrist from when Lev grabbed me earlier. With a quick motion, I gathered my hair into a ponytail and secured it in place.My thoughts churred that anxiety of the stillness before a catastrophic event pulled all your focus.

It felt like the quiet when several incoming ambulances were announced at the hospital. You couldn’t do anything until they got there. You just had to wait, and it was oddly one of the most excruciating, difficult parts of the job.

Waiting.

I stepped out of the closet, as ready as I could be, to sit on the end of the bed until Lev or his men came to get me.

But I didn’t make it there.

From somewhere unseen, a set of hands grabbed me around the mouth, and I could feel cloth pressed up against my face. For whatever reason, my instincts flared to life, and I was able to keep myself from breathing. Instead, I pulled myself down through the man’s arms and rolled away across the floor.

This is so not good.

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