Page 8 of Bratva Knight

“I know. I’m always right,” I winked.

She turned, flicking water at me playfully. “Are you excited to finally move out and go to college? It’s what you’ve always wanted to do.”

Warmth spread through me, right down to my fingers and toes, and a bright, beaming smile curled on my lips. “Excited is an understatement.”

A month ago, I got my acceptance letter into FIT, The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. I didn’t tell a single soul I was applying, just in case I got rejected. Not my dad. Not Illayana. Not even Nikolai. No one.

I filled out the application, wrote a kickass admissions essay and submitted pages and pages of my designs, not really thinking I’dactuallyget in. Imagine my fucking surprise when that letter came!

To Miss Tatiana Andreeva,

We are pleased to inform you-

I only read up to there before the scream erupted from my mouth. I’d jumped up and down with excitement, screaming so loudly that my dad had come running up from downstairs because he thought I was under attack or something. He kicked down the door like he was the LVPD doing a drug bust or some shit, a gun in each hand and eyes filled with panic.

I ended up telling him I’d seen a spider and he’d instantly relaxed, because a huge screaming fit was a perfectly normal reaction for me whenever I saw a spider. Creepy, eight-legged freaks.

“By the way,” I began, giving my best friend a suspicious look. “Howdidyou manage to convince my dad to let me go?”

Illayana winced slightly. “Yeah, uh...look, I had to offer him something you’d never in a million years be okay with.”

“Then why did you offer it?”

“Because it was the only way to get him to agree. After you told me you’d been accepted—which, by the way, I’m still ticked off that you waitedthree damn weeksto tell me about—I spoke with Ivan. I offered him the damn moon and stars and everything in between to let you go. When that didn’t work, I threatened him.”

I arched a brow in amusement. “Threatened him?”

“Not with pain. Come on, give me a little credit. I wouldn’t hurt your dad.” I didn’t think she would, but I chuckled lightly as she continued. “I told him if he stopped you from going and living your dream, I’d have Father assign him to the pit.”

A barking laugh ripped from my mouth.Ohhh, that was cold.

Having guard detail in the pit was considered one of the worst jobs amongst the soldiers. It involved standing in front of a door for the entirety of your shift, making sure whichever prisoner you were watching didn’t escape.

“But he still said no,” Illayana huffed, walking out of the bathroom. “I was ready to thump him in the head. I was getting so irritated.”

“I bet,” I chortled.

She flopped down onto her bed and turned to face me, lying on her side. She used her hand to prop her head up, arm bent at the elbow. “I asked him what it would take to get him to agree with the move. He said, ‘Nothing’. I said, ‘There must be something’. He said, ‘Not unless you can guarantee her safety—’

“Which is impossible,” I cut in, sitting back down on the small, two-seater couch opposite her bed.

“Well, not exactly. I told him I couldn’t guarantee it, but I could get pretty damn close.”

“Right. This ‘mysterious’ offer you mentioned that I wouldn’t agree with.” I tucked my bare feet underneath me, getting comfortable. I waved a hand through the air. “Okay, out with it.”

Illayana hesitated for a moment, her eyes avoiding mine. “I said you’d be willing to have a tracking chip put in. Like mine.”

“You what?!” I exclaimed, my voice pitching higher. I slapped a hand to my forehead, groaning. “Illayana, why would you do that?”

“What?” She shrugged innocently. “He said yes.”

“Because he knows I’d never fucking agree to it. You know how I feel about that shit. I’ve got no idea whyyoueven allow it. You’re chipped like a fucking animal.”

“Hey. This thing”—she touched the back of her neck lightly—“saved my life. Without it, I’d probably be dead and buried naked in a ditch somewhere right now.”

I huffed out a breath. “Okay, fair point. I’ll give you that one.”

“Just do it, T. It’s really not that big of a deal. You can’t even feel the thing. If it gets your dad off your back, and will give you the ability to move to New York guilt free, what harm is it gonna do?”

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