Page 57 of Forced Bratva Wife

What had changed so much about me in such a short time?

But I knew what it was. It was Lev.

I found myself in a situation that I never thought was possible, and it felt like I had finally met my match. It may have been a mixture of madness and chance, or even a hint of Stockholm syndrome. But amidst all the uncertainty, there was one undeniable truth underlying my emotions, and I had to face it now—because this could be my only opportunity.

I loved Lev—with everything I had.

And no matter what it cost me, I wouldn’t watch the man I loved die.

Chapter 25 - Lev

“You can't go in there behind me. He said to come alone, and I know we'll get caught.”

My pulse pounded at my temples, frustration gnawing at me like hunger or exhaustion and probably paired equally with both right now. Pieter gave me a narrowed stare as he listened to my words but was surely not planning on listening to them.

“You honestly expect us…expect me, to let you go in there alone? Unarmed?”

He shook his head, and I tracked him across the room as Pietor went to the rack of guns in varying sizes along the far wall.

Our little armory was well stocked at all times, and my fingers itched to take up a weapon of my own. But I knew Pavel would have me searched. I might be able to get away with the ultra-slim vest I was wearing, but a gun was an entirely different matter.

“Damn straight, I do.” I pulled Pietor to look at me, yanking him around by the shoulder. “You’ll maintain your distance until I give the word.”

He rolled his eyes, his gleaming mismatched stare showing how Pietor was as furious as I was.

“And how exactly are you going to call for help? Hmm?”

“I’m going to wear a wire. I know we have one in supply right now, and it won’t be noticeable under the vest.”

I went to the drawers built into the wall beneath the rack of arms. Within, I found the host of technical gadgets we’d pilfered from various locations to use for our benefit. Pietor was still fuming, and when I pulled off the vest to take the wire to my chest beneath my shirt, he just glared at me.

“A wire?”

“A wire.” I slipped the base of the thing down the front of my pants and lined up the thin black wiring with the natural curves of my muscles to make it even less noticeable. It was probably overkill, but I didn’t care much.

Pietor cocked a brow at me. “And if they find the vest? Take it off?”

“If that happens,” I held out my hand for the tape, “then we have far bigger problems than them finding the wire.”

Pietor grumbled and rummaged through the drawer until he found the roll we kept in there. He snatched it up, throwing it at me with force. It was clear that he was aiming to hit me with it.

Raising my brows at him, I caught it in my palm, where it landed hard. “Asshole.”

“Extremely so.” He pulled the wire into place at my side, taking a bit of tape and helping me. “And I’m also the one who’s going to come bail your ass out when all this goes tits up. If you end up dying, I’m taking your shit.”

I smiled despite everything. “Fair enough.”

Once I was good to go, the wire and vest back in place, I looked at the schematics of the building that we’d found. My men had laid them out on the long table in front of us, and Pietor followed suit.

“So, I’ll enter through the main area here. You all, hang back around here and here.” I gestured to the covered areas within nearby buildings or out of sight, thanks to shipping containers. “I don’t want you seen. Any one of you gets noticed, and I’ll kill you myself if Pavel’s men don’t do it.”

My men nodded as one, and Pietor gave them all another scowl for good measure.

“The building is so open. There are no second levels or interior walls. I’m going to have to risk it to get to her. They’re not going to bring Parker out. Make sure to keep eyes through any side windows as well in case I’m dropped before I can make contact.”

Pietor left the table for a moment, going to another pullout drawer in the sterile white room full of weapons and body armor. Sliding it out, he reached inside and procured a thin switchblade that folded up particularly small. Walking back to me, he held it out, and I took it reluctantly.

“I’m not supposed to bring this.” I raised a brow at him.

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