Page 15 of The Bratva's Forced Bride

Orange lights flashed and spun in a circular motion as the car drove down the highway. The city lights reflected in the windows as we approached the busy streets and stopped at a red light. The honking of the cars was muffled by the soundproof, tinted windows and I relaxed.

Then, after a few seconds, Yuri grew uncomfortable.

It started with a quiet shuffle in the driver’s seat, followed by an exasperated sigh. I ignored him and resumed work on my laptop, checking one email after another and sorting through a few death threats that weren’t even spelled correctly.

A restless tap, tap, tap broke the silence, and I glanced sideways at Yuri’s slender fingers on the steering wheel.

“You have my attention. What do you want to say?”

He let go of the wheel, stared at the traffic lights through the windscreen, and shook his head. “I’m chill. Sorry for the distraction.”

Shifting the laptop on my thighs, my gaze narrowed as it slid over Yuri’s gray, unbuttoned suit. His brown hair was an unruly mess on his head and his expression was stoic.

His jaw jutted, eyes hard, and fingers clenched. Something was bothering him; I could tell. I had known Yuri Smirnov for close to a decade, and he couldn’t lie to me, even if he had two guns pointed at his head.

“Spit it out.”

The traffic light turned green, and he accelerated. The engine purred quietly, and we sped up, moving into the express lane. “It’s nothing, boss.”

I turned in my seat sideways so I could look at him and grinned when I had his attention. “You want me to ask again, big guy? You know I don’t like fucking repeating myself.”

Yuri wasn’t even fazed. If it were someone else, they’d be pissing themselves already. He stroked his chin with one hand and looked at me. “It’s about Logan.”

“Jesus, Yuri. Again?” This was the third time he spoke of Logan’s disappearance. The third fucking time in one day. Something gnawed at his mind. Yuri was one of the most suspicious people I knew.

“I told you; you’re fucking worrying for nothing. The bastard can run, but he can’t hide. We'll get him. He won't slip through my fingers again. I’ll see to that.”

“I’ve seen you in action, boss. I know what you can do. When it comes to you, I'll follow you with everything I've got. But I don’t trust him.” He looked at me and added. “Or the girl.”

I rolled my eyes. The hidden truth revealed itself. It was about the girl. He’d finally gotten it over with—the real reason he kept mentioning Logan; his reservations were about Addison.

“I mean no disrespect, but you are too soft. Even the men have noticed that you’re taking it easy on her,” he said in Russian.

He had no intention of being disrespectful, but his words were like a slap in my face. Good thing I wasn’t feeling trigger-happy. I might have shot his arm and taken the wheel. I glanced at the laptop screen again.

“I don’t fucking owe you or anyone else an explanation, but since none of you can mind your own business, you should know that the girl is innocent. She’s a victim.” Click, click. My fingers pressed harder on the keyboard, and I gritted my teeth. “Just like Irina was.”

“Or so it seems.”

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“For all we know, she could be in on this with Mercer.”

The idea was not far-fetched, but under the current circumstances, it was almost impossible.

“For heaven's sake. Don’t be stupid. You were there when Logan landed two deadly blows and nearly took Ivan’s head off. He ran away like a fucking coward. And … then he left her.”

Addison was clueless, so naïve it almost physically hurt. She thought he loved her and believed the coward would return for her. But I was here to prepare her, to brace her for the impact when the mask would finally fall. And I would smile when I peeled off that damn mask.

Yuri sighed. “I’m just saying, we shouldn’t completely trust her. Even if she’s innocent, it doesn’t mean she can’t stab you in the back for her darling fiancé.”

It was one of those moments when I wanted Yuri to shut up. But I didn’t stop him.

He was right. I saw it in her eyes; her undivided loyalty to him, the immense devotion, the great love she had for him. She adored the idiot, idolized him, held him in high esteem. I couldn’t understand that at all. I didn’t want to either.

She gave him everything in an immeasurable amount, even if he didn’t deserve it. Anger rose in me like hot blood rushing through my veins, igniting a discomfort in my chest. To be loved by Addison Mae, a girl who loved and gave so generously. I wondered what that felt like and suddenly had the urge to see her.

“How many more minutes before we get to the house?”

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