Page 48 of Mob Bride

“Thank you, Bartek. I still don’t agree with it because I don’t feel safe. But if you’re going to insist it won’t put me on yet another syndicate’s radar, then I suppose you can make sure I survive.”

I stare at my folded hands in my lap, appearing meek. His body twists toward me, before his hands on my arms pull me back against him so that my shoulder presses into his chest and my head rests against his shoulder.

“If it really upsets you that much, Kaja, then you can stay.”

“Thank you, Bartek.”

I might still end up going with him—a last-minute change of heart as a sign of dedication—but for now he doesn’t need to know that.

I scoot back onto the lounger. “You said you’re having a bad day. I’m making it worse. What’s the matter?”

I position myself to make room for him, allowing him to wrap his arms around me as I nestle against his chest.

“I can’t get into it, but lining up this meeting hasn’t been as easy as it would have been if the bratva didn’t fuck me over.”

“I don’t understand any of that. Why on earth would they attack unprovoked if they were supposed to get something out of the deal? It still makes me so angry they risked your life, Bartek. I know they’re a bigger syndicate, but tell me you made them pay for trying to kill you.”

“This blood-thirsty side of you is sexy as fuck, sweet one. It lets me know you care. The bratva believes I made a deal with someone else, and they don’t like that someone else.”

Andranik.

“They must really dislike this person if they’ll give up however much money they were supposed to get.”

Bartlomiej chuckles as he hugs me closer. “The bratva really dislike everyone who isn’t one of them. The unbalanced power between the Poles and Russians is nothing new. It followed us to America. It means I can’t retaliate in the open, but I’ve punished them in small ways here and there for endangering you.”

“You have? Does that mean they know I was there? Am I on their radar?”

“They don’t know you’re the reason. They just know I’m pissed about more than the deal falling through.”

“I know you can’t let the attack go unpunished, but if the Russians are so much bigger than us, wouldn’t it make more sense to reconcile with them or at least make some peace? Deals with them must be better than deals with anyone else. Howmany smaller ones do you have to make to equal one with them? I imagine it must be dozens.”

“Us? A moment ago, it was you.”

“The more we talk, the more defensive I feel about the threat they pose to you, me, and the people who rely on you. I want to stand beside you when you help those people. That makes it ‘us.’ Or—or do you not want me to think like that?”

“I’ve waited for you to feel that way. Prayed you would. When we get back, I want to genuinely talk about our future. Not me issuing you orders or you feeling cornered. Us planning our life together. I love you.”

I stroke my hand over his chest. “That’d be nice.”

From his sigh, it seems like he didn’t notice I didn’t reciprocate his feelings or his interest in the conversation. I can’t say “I love you” anymore—even if it’s pretend—when I’m falling for someone else.

Chapter Eleven

Carrie

I’ve been eavesdropping on Bartlomiej’s call all night. He thinks I’m at my apartment, but I’m in my car a block away. I bugged this office while he showered after his swim. I figured with trip details to finalize and me not there, he would have plenty to say. I haven’t been wrong. He’s been quite the Chatty Cathy last night and well into this morning.

However, it’s the call he’s on now that has me most worried. Jacek’s has been out of the coma for a couple of days. It was unfortunately short-lived, and the fucker didn’t have the courtesy to die. I thought I’d wounded him badly enough he would wind up bleeding out.

Little did I know. That’ll teach me never to walk away before I’m certain the job is done.

They’ve been going back and forth on the phone for the last fifty minutes about the upcoming meeting and how Jacek has certain things he wants to ensure happen while Bartlomiej is gone. As the elder one and the leader, it doesn’t thrill Bartlomiej to hear all of his baby brother’s opinions. It’s been one argument after another this entire call. However, now they’ve moved onto other things that are way more personal to me. Jacek’s been bitching about me for the last couple of minutes.

“Bartek, you are a fool to trust her. I’m telling you nothing good is coming from keeping her around. This will be a disaster if you take her along with you. She’s going to be privy to way too much. There’s a reason I went after her.”

“Yeah and look at what beating the shit out of her got you. Nothing. You are none the wiser than you were before you laid hands on her. You’re lucky you’re my brother, otherwise, I would have killed you for that. Any other man who hurt my woman the way you did would have died a long and painful death to make up for how angry I am and how you made her suffer. Count your blessings, little brother.”

“But look at what’s happened since then. How is it such a coincidence she was not only at the lumberyard, but Shane was there, too? I saw them together. He was protecting her, and she was protecting him. They weren’t just there by coincidence.”

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