Page 12 of Pregnant By the Bratva

I don’t take my eyes off Sarah as I respond. “Oh, she’s more valuable than we could have imagined. Kace Preston’s daughter might have been a good bargaining chip, but Sarah here? She’s the key to dismantling everything he’s built.”

Sarah’s face hardens, her lips pressing into a thin line. “You’re making a mistake if you think you can use me.”

“Maybe,” I say with a shrug, “but that’s a risk I’m willing to take. Besides, it looks like you’re not in a position to negotiate.”

She glares at me, the anger and frustration clear on her face. “You’re a bastard.”

I smirk, unbothered by the insult. “You’re not the first to think so.”

Maxim chuckles beside me, clearly enjoying the back-and-forth. “She’s got spirit, I’ll give her that.”

I nod, my eyes still locked on Sarah’s. “Indeed. But spirit only gets you so far. Now, tell me, Sarah—what’s your next move?”

She doesn’t answer, but her silence speaks volumes. She’s out of moves, out of options, and she knows it. For now, the game is mine to play. And as I study her, standing there in the dim light of the cell, I can’t help but feel a strange sense of respect for the woman who’s caused so much chaos in my world. She’s not Sophia Preston, but she’s something far more interesting.

I intend to find out just how much more.

Chapter Six

Sarah

The days blur together in the cold, dim cell. I’ve lost track of time—whether it’s morning or night, whether it’s been hours or days since they threw me in here. The silence is suffocating, broken only by the occasional sound of footsteps echoing through the hallway outside. My mind races, bouncing between fear and anger, trying to hold on to some shred of sanity.

I sit on the hard floor, my back against the cold wall, knees drawn up to my chest. I’ve been replaying the same thoughts over and over, searching for any glimmer of hope. Kace has to know I’m missing by now. He has eyes everywhere. The question gnaws at me, relentless and unforgiving—will he come for me?

I’ve served him loyally for years, doing the dirty work no one else could. I’ve taken risks, hacked into systems that should’ve been impenetrable, and delivered results time and time again. I was valuable, an asset he couldn’t afford to lose—or so I thought.

Here I am, rotting away in this cell, and there’s been no sign of rescue. No indication that Kace is even trying to get me out.

Would he pay to get me back? Would he risk his empire for me? The doubts creep in, clawing at my mind, and I can’t shake them. Kace Preston is a man who calculates everything, who weighs costs against benefits with ruthless efficiency. Maybe, in his mind, I’m not worth the trouble. Maybe he’s already written me off as a loss.

Sophia… Sophia would fight for me. I know she would. She might be Kace’s daughter, but she’s not cut from the same cold, calculating cloth. She’s the one person who’s seen me as more than just a tool, more than just a weapon in her father’s arsenal. If she knew where I was, she’d move heaven and earth to get me out. I cling to that thought like a lifeline, but it’s a fragile hope.

Then there’s the other side of it, the darker thoughts that won’t let me rest. What happens if no one comes? If I’m left here, forgotten, what will Ivan and his Russians do to me? They haven’t touched me yet, but the threat is always there, hanging in the air like a storm cloud. Ivan’s cold, calculating eyes haunt me even in the dark. He’s trying to break me, waiting for me to crack.

The fear is a constant, gnawing presence, and I can’t help but imagine the worst. Torture? Death? Worse? I’ve heard stories about the Bratva, about what they do to people who cross them. They’ve already made it clear that I’m not useful to them in any physical sense, so what do they have in store for me?

I can’t let myself think like this. I have to stay strong, keep my mind sharp. I can’t afford to lose it in here, to let the fear win. The silence is loud, the darkness pressing in on all sides, and I’m running out of ways to fight it.

I squeeze my eyes shut, forcing myself to breathe, to think of Sophia, of the possibility that she’s out there, trying to find me. It’s a thin thread, but it’s all I have. I just have to hold on a little longer.

The door creaks open, and I instinctively tense, my heart leaping into my throat. The dim light from the hallway spills into the room, casting long shadows across the cold concrete floor. One of the guards steps in, his heavy boots echoing against thewalls. He’s a big guy, broad-shouldered, with a face that’s hard to read—expressionless, almost mechanical. My pulse quickens as he turns and locks the door behind him, the sound of the bolt sliding into place sending a shiver down my spine.

I push myself further back against the wall, trying to make myself as small as possible, every nerve in my body screaming for me to be ready for whatever comes next. Fear grips me as he steps closer, his eyes dark and unreadable. My mind races with possibilities, each one worse than the last. This is it—this is where things start to go downhill fast.

Without a word, he stops in front of me and slowly begins to unbutton the top three buttons of his shirt. Panic flares in my chest, and I swallow hard, readying myself for a fight I know I can’t win. But then, as he pulls the fabric aside, I see it—inked onto his chest is a familiar snake tattoo, coiled and menacing, exactly like the one I have.

I blink, my breath catching in my throat as realization dawns. He’s one of us. Relief floods through me, so intense that I almost sag against the wall. He works for Kace. He’s here to help.

“You scared the hell out of me,” I whisper, my voice shaky but full of relief. “I thought—”

“Quiet,” he cuts me off, his tone low but firm. He glances over his shoulder, as if to make sure no one’s listening, before turning back to me. “You don’t have much time.”

I nod, still trying to steady my breathing. The fear lingers, but it’s tempered now by the knowledge that I’m not alone. Help has come, even if it’s in a form I wasn’t expecting.

He crouches down to my level, his eyes sharp and calculating. “Did you share anything with Ivan? Anything sensitive about the Prestons or the American family?”

I frown, shaking my head quickly. “Of course not. I wouldn’t give them anything. I’m loyal to Kace.”

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