Page 147 of Bratva Butcher

“I did.”

“And?” Aleksandr questioned, his gaze still locked firmly on the TV.

“And we had a lovely time.”

Lukyan laughed. “I bet Talon doesn’t think so.”

I merely shrugged, unable to wipe the smile from my face.

Lukyan’s gaze swung to his big brother. “Hey, you think I could have a crack at him? There’s this new torture technique I’ve been dying to try.”

“He’s Father’s prisoner,” Aleksandr grunted. “Ask him.”

“I don’t mind.” I leant my shoulder up against the door jam, crossing my arms over my chest. “Just don’t break him. If he starts to pass out, stop and call the doc. I don’t want him dying any time soon.”

“Yes!” Lukyan jumped up, full of excitement. He saluted us both and went to leave when the phone on the wall started to ring.

It wasn’t a normal phone. It was only capable of receiving calls from the guardhouse at the front of the property. Whenever it went off, it usually meant the soldiers manning the gate needed something.

“Answer the phone,” Aleksandr ordered.

Lukyan blew out an irritated huff, but did as he was told. “Yello?” He frowned slightly before this shit-eating grin broke out over his face. “Entry granted. Let her up.”

Anddddd, that’s my que to leave. It was most likely some woman Lukyan was seeing, and I wasn’t in the mood for the fake pleasantries, especially since I had a woman of my own who I couldn’t get off my fucking mind.

A woman I was avoiding.

Since walking out on Autumn at the DK4 Stronghold, I’d been unable to bring myself to message her. Or even think about her.

The guilt over the past few days had been getting progressively worse, and I wasn’t sure why. At first, it had been manageable, like a small hum in the background that I could ignore most of the time. But something had happened to change that, and it was like a constant ache in my heart. A constant, unbearable pressure smothering my chest. Guilt was eating me alive from the inside out, and I didn’t know why.

Was it the sex?

No. The guilt had started a day or soafterthe last time we slept together.

So, what was it, then?

I had no idea, and it was driving me insane.

I pushed off the doorframe. “I’m going to my office.”

“Wait, wait, wait. Father.” The smirk on Lukyan’s face made me narrow my eyes suspiciously. He moved to the window that faced out to the front of the house and pulled the curtain back. He turned back to look at me, eyes sparkling. “Yourgirlfriend’shere,” he sang mockingly.

My whole body stiffened like an electric shock just hit me at full force.

Girlfriend?

The world started to fade away slowly, everything around me disappearing as I fell into a deep, dark pit full of sorrow and despair. Aleksandr barked something at Lukyan, but I couldn’t hear it. I couldn’t hear anything at all.

Girlfriend?

My eyes landed on a photo of Yekaterina and I hanging on the wall, and guilt exploded in my chest so violently that I couldn’t breathe. I clutched my sternum, trying desperately to get a handle on myself, but it was impossible. Grief crushed me.

Everything hit me all at once. Everything I’d done over the past few months, all the impure thoughts, feelings and actions I’d committed with Autumn, catapulting me into an ocean of guilt I couldn’t get out of.

Sadness tore at my insides. I’d stood over Yekaterina’s grave and promised her that she would have my heart, forever and always. That no one would ever replace her, and what had I done?

I’d had sex with another woman.

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