Page 47 of Bratva King's Secret Twins

“Nadia,” I breathe.

“Move. I am going to kill him.” She speaks through tight teeth, and I believe her. Daddy’s little girl is going to kill her Daddy and as much as her doing that would solve like three problems for me, I stop her.

“I’ll meet with Boris. Get the full picture. Once I have the information, we’ll solidify our plans,” I speak, and she narrows her eyes on me.

The room falls silent, with only the sound of her heavy breathing. She breaks the silence with a low, icy whisper. “If I find out you knew about the Yakuza, or you are working with Dad against us, I will have your fucking head, Nik. I won’t hesitate, brother or not.”

23

GWEN

For the past two weeks, I've been a complete disaster. Nikolai is nowhere to be found, and I miss him. I fucking miss him. It feels like he's gone off to war, leaving me alone and uncertain of when or if he will return. Every moment without him is like a knife twisting in my chest, and I can't shake the deep ache of longing that consumes me. But this is what I wanted, right? I don’t want to be his because then it will be easier if Mason finds me and I disappear. He doesn’t have to worry about the threat looming over our children and he doesn’t have to be my prince charming because I am the girl who saves herself, always.

I walk outinto the living room in pink leggings and a matching pink and green sports bra as I swing my work duffle bag over my shoulder. Taylor works from home on Fridays so he sits in the living room, shirtless with his computer on his lap. I snort at him, pointing at his naked chest. “So what happens if your boss calls for an emergency Zoom meeting?”

“I throwon my polo shirt in ten seconds or less.” He points to the white polo hanging on the back of the couch. Wiggling his eyebrows, he says, “You want to time me?”

“Absolutely…not.”I laugh, running my hands through his shaggy hair before walking into the kitchen. “Please tell me you made biscuits this morning?”

“No,darling, you are on your own for breakfast…” He looks down at his Apple watch. “Well, lunch now.”

“Darn it.”I pout, as I grab an apple off of the counter. “I’ll just be healthy. I guess.”

Takinga bite out of my apple, I lean against the kitchen counter. Taylor speaks without looking at me. “Are you done pouting about your ‘one that got away’?”

I choke on the unchewed chunks of apple as I force it down my throat. My stomach churns with guilt as I recall how I left out crucial details to Taylor about Nik's true identity as Gio and Mia's father. Instead, I told Taylor about how I saw my ‘one that got away’ and screwed it all up again. In a haze of alcohol provided by Taylor, I cried uncontrollably, forgetting all restraint. Who was I to shed tears when I had rejected him so cruelly?

I straighten up, trying to compose myself as he turns around, his piercing gaze boring into me. I shake my head no, allowing my curls to fall in my face. “Aw, Gwen.” He places his laptop on the couch to walk towards me but I take a step back.

I didn’t tell Taylor that Nik owns the club I work at, and that every night I reject every client and just stare up at his office, never feeling any eyes back on me. I don’t even know if he is up there, but I know I want him to be. I want him to watch me and keep his promise to pull me back to him kicking and screaming. A part of me can’t let go of that possibility.

“Don’t wait up for me tonight!” I call out as I make my way to the front door. “I’ll be atJohanna’sall night, picking up an extra shift.”

I don’t waitfor Taylor to respond as I leave the apartment. Desperate to escape my racing thoughts, I shove in my headphones and blast “Dance Dance” by the Fall Out Boy at ear-splitting volume. I drown myself in a flood of music, trying to numb the pain that threatens to break me.

My feet pound against the pavement as I sprint to Johanna's, each beat of the music pushing me further into a frenzy. Every song that blares through my ears becomes a lifeline, drowning out the painful reality that threatens to bring me to tears. But I can't cry, not here, not now, not when I'm about to step onto the main stage for my debut performance tonight.

I refuse to let this break me, even as my heart feels like it's shattering into a million pieces with each step I take.

When I get toJohanna's,Kim is sitting on the edge of the main stage talking to Hudson, waiting for me. Kim is laughing, her head thrown back as Hudson stands between her thighswhispering into her neck. I call out from across the room, “Am I interrupting something?”

Hudson looksover his shoulder with a flirtatious smirk on his face. “You are not interrupting anything you can’t join.”

Kim swats his chest,laughing. “Boy, you better stop. That is the Boss’s girl.” Kim squeezes his cheeks with a pouty lip. “Nikolai will kill you and your face is too pretty for a closed casket.”

I makemy way across the room as Hudson smiles drunkenly at her. “You think I’m pretty.”

Kim lowers her voice,clicking her tongue at him. “Boy, get out my face. You know you're pretty.”

Hudson dons a shiningsmile and winks at her and me before making his way back to the bar. “Kim,” I sing and she shakes her head laughing.

“Innocent flirting, that’s all.”Kim stands up, stretching. “But I heard you were fucking the boss in the upstairs private room?”

“What,” I scoff, tossingmy bag on the floor. “No.”

“Don’t lie to me.”She laughs, crossing her right arm over her chest and pulling. “I said I heard which means I heard you screamingNik! Oh, Nik! Please….just--”I rush over, covering her mouth from mocking my moans.

“Oh my God,Kim! Why didn’t you say anything?!” I whisper-scream. I have been working with Kim almost every night since then and I had not heard a word about this. She has acted like she knew nothing, just like everyone else. She licks my hand and I remove it from her mouth.

---