Page 68 of Bratva Knight

Nodding, I stood beside her in the mirror, fully dressed and trying to decide what to do with the mop of hair on my head. “Don’t feel pressured to fly out to New York for this trap for Franco and his men. I’m sure Arturo would understand if you stayed here.”

“I feel like Ineedto be there though. Isn’t it my job as—”

“Mrs Don?” I shrugged. “Maybe. But you also have a duty to your family. You shouldn’t have to pick between the two.”

“Arturo told me the plan. You think it’s going to work?”

Scoffing, I said, “Of course it’s going to work. I came up with it.”

The plan was to pretend to set up another distribution house, with an elaborate trap hidden inside. From what they could gather, The Outfit would first enter the houses and raid them, taking anything of value. Afterwards, they would torch it, destroying anything left inside. If they stuck with their current MO, it meant they’d enter the house first, giving us the perfect opportunity to get the drop on them. The plan was already being set into motion. The Outfit would hit only hours after the houses were established, so timing was critical.

My presence wasn’t required for this trap. They didn’tneedme there. But there was also no way I was going to miss it, either. The chance to get my hands bloody.

I fiddled around some more with my hair and added a few light touches of make-up. Illayana chatted beside me as I finished getting ready, telling me all about how, despite feeling guilty about not being with Arturo, that she was enjoying being back at home. There was something comforting about the familiar. About being surrounded by all the things you’d grown up with that just brought a sense of peace to your soul. I had a feeling that Illayana felt that way about home. That being there helped deal with some of the pressures that were currently taking over her life.

“Okay, I’m ready.”

Illayana chuckled, glancing at her watch. “Would you look at that? Only forty-five minutes. Must be some sort of record for you,” she winked.

“It actually is, smartass.”

Her soft laughter followed me into the next room. I grabbed my handbag that was slung across the back of one of the day chairs and checked inside to make sure I had everything I needed. That being my wallet, which had all of $57 in it, my travel make-up bag, a handgun, a couple of daggers and my phone. There was also the emergency credit card my dad gave me just in case I needed it, which I absolutely refused to use.

“Did I hear right that you’ve gotten yourself a job?”

I turned, facing her. “Yes. And before you laugh, know that I am armed.”

Her hands flew up in surrender, lips tilted up in a smile. “I’m not going to laugh. I am confused though. Why did you get a job? You know Arturo will pay you for the work you’re doing for the Cosa Nostra, right? I mean, that’s technically a job right there.”

“I know, but I don’t want it. This is something I need to do on my own, without help from anyone else. I’ve never had a real job before, and I guess I want to see if I can do it,” I shrugged.

“You’re weird, but whatever.” She walked over and slapped me on the shoulder. “Just know, I plan to come inall the timeand annoy the shit out of you, and you can’t say anything because ‘the customer is always right’,” she winked.

“I will spit in your coffee,” I threatened, only half joking.

Her phone rang. She moved to where she’d put her handbag down on her bed and fished it out, glancing at the screen. She smiled.

“Arturo,” she answered in a loving voice.

I stuck my finger into my mouth and gagged. She threw her middle finger up.

“I’m okay, how are you?” she answered. She stayed silent for a few moments, listening to him talk. “No, I have a few minutes. I can talk.”

“I’ll meet you downstairs,” I said, heading for the door to give her some privacy. She nodded, placing her hand over the receiver.

“I won’t be long,” she whispered.

“Take your time. I charge by the hour,” I winked.

Loud, angry voices reached my ears as I descended the stairs. My brows lowered into a deep frown.

I know those voices. My eyes widened.Oh, fuck, Iknowthose voices.Urgency in my steps, I quickly rushed down to the second floor catching sight of my dad throwing a vicious right hook into Nikolai’s face.

Shock froze me solid. I stared, my mouth wide open as they grappled with one another, slamming into the walls, grunting and snarling.

What the ever loving fuck?

A door opened, Aleksandr and Mikhail appearing in the doorway. There was a deep frown on Aleksandr’s face as he watched the events unfold, Nikolai and my dad going at each other like they hated one another. He made no move to intervene. Which meant I had to.

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