Page 24 of Alpha’s Fake Marriage

The air turned tense as soon as Brian sauntered to the counter, his smug demeanor immediately putting me on edge. His presence alone was enough to set off alarms in my mind, and the words that followed only confirmed my worst fears.

“What do you want, Brian?” I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral despite the unease creeping in to my voice.

Brian grinned, a smug expression playing on his lips as he approached me. “Oh, nothing much, Octavio,” he replied, his voice dripping with satisfaction. “Just thought you might want to know that your little investigation into Irina hasn’t gone unnoticed.”

My heart skipped a beat at his words, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of my stomach. I knew that meddling with the Bratva was a dangerous game, and the thought of them being aware of our inquiries filled me with a sense of dread.

“And what exactly did you find out?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady despite the rising panic.

Brian chuckled darkly, relishing in his moment of triumph. “Let’s just say the Bratva is offering quite the reward for information on Irina’s whereabouts,” he replied, a cruel smile playing on his lips.

I clenched my jaw, my fists tightening at my sides as anger surged through me. The Bratva was not an enemy to be taken lightly, and the thought of them hunting Irina sent a wave of protective instinct coursing through me.

“Get to the point, Brian,” I growled, my patience wearing thin with each passing second.

Brian’s smile widened, knowing he had me right where he wanted me. “Simple, really,” he said, his voice oozing with malice. “You pay me twice what the Bratva is offering, and I’ll keep my mouth shut. Otherwise, well, let’s just say things could get very messy for you and your little mate.”

My blood boiled at his words, fury coursing through me like wildfire. How dare he threaten Irina, how dare he try to extort money from me to protect her.

“Get the fuck out of my shop, Brian,” I snarled, my voice low and dangerous. “And if I ever catch wind of you so much as breathing Irina’s name again, I’ll make sure you regret it. I donotknow why you are still here, to be honest. If it were up to me, you wouldn’t be allowed in this town again. Don’t forget that I’m friends with James and he listens to me. You might not be around here for much longer.”

Brian’s grin faltered for a moment, replaced by a flicker of uncertainty as he realized he had pushed too far. But he quickly regained his composure, straightening up to his full height as he met my gaze with a defiant glare.

“You’ll regret this, Octavio,” he spat, his voice laced with venom. “You and your little mate both. No one gets away with talking to me like that.”

Every fiber of my being screamed at me to lash out, to put him in his place, once and for all. But I knew that violence would only escalate the situation further, playing right into his hands.

Summoning every ounce of willpower I possessed, I rose from my seat, towering over Brian with a new found sense ofresolve. I wanted him to see just how serious I was. He wasn’t going to fuck around with me, and he certainly wasn’t about to mess with Irina.

The air crackled with tension as Brian weighed his options, his gaze flickering between me and the exit. For a moment, it seemed as though he might push back, might refuse to yield to my demands. But then, with a defeated slump of his shoulders, he begrudgingly acquiesced, muttering curses under his breath as he made for the exit.

I grabbed hold of Irina and held her tight, silently letting her know that just because it felt like the walls were closing in around her, didn’t mean I would actually let that happen.

“It’s really going to happen, isn’t it?” she murmured against my chest. “My father really is going to find me here eventually. I can’t escape him ever.”

I didn’t have a solid answer for her, much as I wanted one, so I continued to hold her close, silently letting her know that I was here for her, and that was all that really mattered. We would face this as a team no matter what happened. She would escape him. Someday, somehow, I would make sure of that.

THIRTEEN

IRINA

Despite Octavio’s assurances, Brian’s lingering presence weighed heavily on my mind, casting a dark shadow over the fragile sense of peace we had managed to carve out for ourselves. With each passing day, my anxiety only seemed to grow, gnawing at my insides like a relentless beast hungry for destruction.

Octavio, ever the optimist, seemed hopeful that Brian’s unwelcome intrusion would be nothing more than a fleeting nuisance, easily brushed aside in the face of our new found happiness. But try as I might, I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling of unease that had taken root in the depths of my soul, festering like an open wound that refused to heal.

My mother, perceptive as always, was quick to pick up on the subtle shifts in my demeanor, her keen eyes betraying a hint of concern as she watched me go about my daily routine. Despite my best efforts to conceal my mounting anxiety, it was clear that I was unable to mask the turmoil brewing within me.

“Are you all right, Irina?” my mother asked softly, her voice laced with genuine concern as she reached out to touch my arm.

I forced a smile, attempting to mask the tumult of emotions swirling within me, but my mother’s penetrating gaze sawthrough the façade with unsettling ease. With a heavy sigh, I relented, allowing the façade to crumble as I confided in her the depths of my fears.

“It’s just... Brian,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper as I spoke. “I can’t shake the feeling that he’s not done with us yet. I keep feeling like he’s watching me all the time. I hate the sensation of having to look over my shoulder all the time.”

My mother’s expression softened, sympathy shining in her eyes as she wrapped me in a comforting embrace. “I understand, Irina,” she murmured, her words a soothing balm to my troubled soul. “I am worried about him, too. About everything to be honest.”

“I don’t like him coming into the shop and threatening me with my father when he doesn’t even know the man. Or maybe he does… I don’t know…”

Mom, who knew Piotr better than everyone, frowned. “Your father always had a way of getting involved with the wrong sort of people, which is what I hated most about my life with him. You are never safe. He has fingers in every pie.”

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