Page 109 of Sinful Bride

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PASHA

“Sofiya, if you apologize one more time, I’m going to throw you out of this car.”

My sister slumps in the passenger seat. “I feel sick.”

“I need your focus, not your self-loathing.” My grip tightens on the steering wheel. “I need you to be my second. You can be my sister later.”

With a miserable sigh, she nods. “I can be both.”

A call starts ringing through the car’s speaker system. I’m ready to send it to voicemail when I see who it is and answer instead. “Mak. Talk to me.”

“They’ve got her sedated for the pain and they’re examining her now.” My brother keeps his voice low, but I can practically feel his rage rolling through the phone. “Lev is filing his report with the cops. I’ve got Sergei and his boys turning over every inch of the gym cameras to see if they have anything.”

“Do they?”

“Nothing so far. Once you’re back, I’m going to hit the pavement and personally pay off every business in a ten-block radius for their camera feeds.”

“When are Mel and Jameson arriving?”

He hisses a few choice words under his breath. “I forgot to call them.”

“I’ll take care of it. Keep going on your end, and get the helipad ready for their chopper.”

“You got it.”

I program in Melanie’s number the second I hang up. I’m not looking forward to this.

“Pasha?” she answers uncertainly. “What happened?”

At least she spares me the indignity of trying to break this news gently. With a grimace, I dive right in. “Daphne was attacked. She’s in the hospital right now. It doesn’t?—”

“Oh my God. Oh my God. Okay.” She sucks in a deep breath. “Which hospital? I’m grabbing my purse?—”

“That’s why I’m calling. I’m sending over a helicopter to pick you and Jameson up. We can get a sitter, too, if you want to bring the kids.”

“Yes! Yes, that sounds—Yeah, she’s in the hospital.” Her voice fades a bit; Jameson must have just entered the room. “She’s been attacked. I don’t know. I don’t know. Babe?—”

Muffled sounds fill the speakers. Then his voice. “What do you need me to do, Pasha?”

“A chopper’s on its way?—”

“I mean about the in-laws. You and I both know they had something to do with this.”

“Jameson!” Melanie’s voice pitches in the distance. “They’re horrible people, but they would never?—”

“Stewart was definitely involved.” My knuckles go white as I grip the wheel even harder. In my mind’s eye, it’s his neck I’m wringing.

“Fucking knew it.” Jameson doesn’t sound surprised. “What’s the plan?”

“To be determined. We’re tracing his movements right now.”

“Did he do this to her?”

“He didn’t beat her up, no.” I glance at Sofi again. “That would be Brittany.”

“BRITTANY CLEARY?!”

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