Page 73 of Plus-Sized Bratva Prisoner

Tia is shifting nervously in her seat next to me, but I don’t have to pay attention to that—I have to focus on whether or not we are being followed.

The security gates to Vitali’s estate close behind us, and no one comes out. No one follows us.

I press my foot down hard against the accelerator and scream away from the house.

***

I’ve been driving for about five minutes when Tia finally speaks.

“Yefim, please tell me what is going on.”

“Giorgio Vitali. Your friend’s uncle. He is the man who you owe money to. He is the man holding your debts, and the man who ordered an attack against me and threatened you.”

“No—" She looks stunned to her core. Her mouth is gaping open as she stares at me in shock. “But I’ve been friends with Clara for years.”

“Clara might not even know about the debt. It’s her uncle, he might not have told her.” I shrug, still watching the rearview mirror. Still expecting all hell to break loose.

“I can’t believe it.” Tia shakes her head, her mouth tight, her shoulders slumped.

“Sorry, Tia.” I feel bad for her. Her friend. Her graduation party. It’s all a mess now.

“He offered me that job. So that means—he wasn’t really impressed with my grades or anything, he was just trying to manipulate the situation somehow.” She sighs sadly.

“I don’t know for sure, Tia. I mean, you did graduate top of your class. Maybe it was a real job offer, but at the same time, he clearly has no problem threatening your life or mine. He’s not a good man.”

She nods, staring straight ahead, watching the street lights reflect on the damp road as a misty rain starts to fall, making everything glow.

“What happens now?” She asks after a long while.

“We get home, we get safe. Then I want to talk to my brothers and tell them what happened.”

I look over at her and my heart breaks for her. Reaching out, I run my hand over her thigh. “It’s going to be okay. I know today was a special day for you. Don’t let that asshole take away your celebration, baby girl. You graduated. You did so well.”

She shrugs, then sighs. “Does any of it matter?”

“Of course, it does.”

“What would have happened if we’d stayed?” she asks, glancing at me.

It’s the one thing I have been trying not to think about. What would have happened if he’d managed to get Tia alone somewhere? What would he have done to her? He knows she is married to me. He knows he would have huge leverage if he managed to get his hands on my wife.

No, I can’t think about it. It pierces my lungs to think about it. It makes my chest feel tight and the air feel too thick to breathe.

“Nothing happened. Okay? We got away. We’re almost home. Don’t think about things like that. We know who he is now, and we just have to stay safe. But nothing happened tonight.” I squeeze her thigh, trying to reassure her.

The rest of the drive home we are both quiet and lost in thought.

Every nerve in my body is tense and filled with dread at the idea that he almost did get Tia alone. But I have to stop myself from thinking about it, the same way I told her not to think about it.

We pull up into our driveway, and I see the guards standing by the gates and near the front door. Everything looks normal. Everything looks safe.

I climb out of the car, telling Tia to sit tight for a moment.

Walking over the guards, men I know well, I check on how the night has been. “Anything happening tonight? Anything to report?” I ask my head of security.

“No, sir. Nothing happening tonight. It’s been quiet. Is there something we need to know about?”

“Just keep an extra eye out, please. We had a small issue tonight. I don’t think anyone followed us, but I’d prefer if the men were on high alert.”

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