Page 142 of Sinful Bride

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He blinks at me a few times, then frowns. “Is everyone else okay?”

“Mother is a mess, but she’ll be alright. Sofi is Sofi. Tatyanna might miss you the most, honestly. No accounting for taste.”

He cracks a wry grin. “She’s the only lovable one out of all you miserable bastards.” He chuckles for a second before he lapses back into seriousness. “And Daphne?”

“She’s… good. Great, really. Stronger than even I knew.”

Mak grins wide. “And to think, you never wanted to get married.”

“Don’t remind me.”

“Oh, I am going to. Forever. Every anniversary and monumental life achievement. Gotta keep you humble.”

I clear my throat and push myself up out of the old plastic chair. “Well, let’s get you discharged and out of this hellhole. I have to keep you within state lines and away from trouble. And gun ranges.”

Mak winces, but whether from me helping him up or from the reminder of the raid at his range, I don’t know. “It’s going to be a long road back, isn’t it?”

“It is. But that’s why we walk it together.”

The jail infirmary was a concrete dead zone and my phone takes its sweet time reconnecting to service. It’s not until we’re emerging from the elevator onto my penthouse floor that it buzzes to life with missed texts.

A storm of them.

All from Daphne.

I tried calling a few times. You must be busy. It’s okay, I understand

I just wanted to let you know

It was my parents

They’re behind everything. All of it. The raids, Mak’s arrest, I think even his attack

They’re saying it’s all my fault. That they’re only doing this because of me. Which is a bunch of bullshit because I would NEVER

Please believe me, Pasha. If you believe anything, believe that I would never in a million years do any of this to you. Or to your family. MY family.

So I’m going to take care of this. I’m going to make them stop.

If they’re trying to destroy you because of me, they’re going to stop because of me

I love you, Pasha

Always

I try calling her phone, but it goes straight to voicemail.

“Pash?” Mak shuffles out of the elevator behind me. “What’s wrong?”

I don’t answer—I just run.

I burst through the penthouse door and meet the surprised stares of Hazel, Mama, and Sofi, all huddled around my daughter. “Where is she? Where’s Daphne?”

Hazel swallows hard and glances at the others. “She… she already left. She said she’s got to take care of a few things.”

Mama is the one who instantly picks up on my fear. Probably because I’m never actually afraid. Not until now.

“Pasha? Milyy? What’s wrong?”

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