Page 12 of Knocked Up By the Russian

Amy tried to explain again, but a sob spilled out instead. Zia's confusion was swept away by sympathy as she wrapped her arms around her again. "It's okay. You're allowed to make your own choices."

"No, you don't understand." Amy’s body shook as her breath hitched.

"It's okay," Zia replied gently, her voice thick with emotion. "I'm sure you had a good reason."

No, I really didn't,Amy couldn't help but think as she spilled the truth. The words tumbled together in her haste. "I—I'm so sorry; I know I should've mentioned something, but you've been so happy, and I didn't want to ruin anything. I was supposed to go to the interview tomorrow, but then last night—"

"What happened last night?" Zia interrupted as Ivan walked back into the room, his tie loosened and an open bottle of bourbon in his hands.

"I accidentally walked in on something," Amy admitted, her voice small. None of the men looked surprised, and she remembered that Ivan had been speaking to them last night. They were already aware. "There was a dead body—Zia. No, wait, before you say anything. I know I should've been more careful." Fresh tears spilled out as Zia's face darkened. Before Amy could say anything further, Zia turned to the rest of the room.

"Why the hell were you conducting Bratva business at the club?" she snarled, furious.

"It's not their fault," Amy interrupted, but Zia was already shaking her head and she mumbled the rest as her friend grew angrier. "I should've been more careful."

"No. This isn't about you being more careful, Amy. The Bratva shouldn't have been there at all. That's the one thing I asked for when I hired you," Zia snapped, her voice loud and sharp enough to wake Alexander—Amy hadn't even realized he was there until he let out an upset wail from another room. "Lev,you guys promised."

"I promise, I had nothing to do with this one, Malyshka," he muttered before jogging toward Ivan's home office, obviously eager to leave before Zia lost her temper. He disappeared down the hallway, returning with the baby in a sling as Zia stood up from the couch, hands on her hips.

"Well?" she snapped at the rest of the men. They looked at each other, waiting for someone to speak up, but no one did. Well, no one except for Kostya, who held his hands up innocently.

"Wasn't me."

"Mikhail? Ivan?" Zia's eyes narrowed at Ivan, and he grimaced, slipping a finger through the collar of his shirt to loosen it further. A vindictive part of Amy liked how stressed he looked under Zia's angry glare.

"Zia, it isn't their fault. Ivan did try to warn me, but I was distracted. I should've been more careful."Especially after last time, Amy sighed as she got up from the couch. The lack of sleep was finally starting to catch up to her—it was either that or the emotions leaving her feeling drained. The words Ivan had spoken in the car rang out in her head and Amy felt sick.What's going to happen to my family?

"What are we going to do now?" she asked softly, interrupting whatever Zia had been about to say. She swallowed harshly, trying to dispel the lump that had settled in her throat. "My mom's at work, and I don't even know where my siblings are. What if someone tries something with them? What if they get hurt because of me?" Her breath disappeared just thinking about that.

"No one's going to hurt you or your family," Ivan growled, and she turned to face him.

The promise in those ocean-blue depths steadied her breath and her panic eased just like it had the night before. Only this time there was no way she could hide her face in his shirt, and the look in his eyes left her with a shiver. Ivan broke his stare as he sat down next to Adrian, fingers running through his hair. Resentment aside, she knew he meant it. He'd never broken any promises he'd made before.

"I take it you have a plan," Mikhail said as he handed the bullet and the letter to Lev.

Some fucking plan, Amy thought as she looked at Zia. Emotions played over her friend's features; anger, guilt, regret. A lot of them were the same as what Amy was feeling as they both stared at the objects in Lev's hands.

"We're getting married," Ivan said as he drank from the bottle, and Amy flushed when Zia's gaze snapped toward her.

The room went silent at his declaration. Adrian was the only one who didn't look surprised. In fact, he looked rather grim as he finally closed his laptop and rubbed between his eyebrows. Amy wasn't surprised when he was the first one to speak. His eyes flicked toward her, seemingly apologetic. "Boris' death was uncalled for but predictable. Your entrance, on the other hand, wasn't. Everyone's on edge as it is, so if Ivan hadn'tsaid the two of you are engaged, then you would've ended up dead. Threat aside, there's an expectation. The men wouldn't have allowed you to pretend for a few weeks and just break it off."

"You're saying we would've had to go ahead with it anyway?" Amy questioned, her voice cracking as she looked to Zia for answers. Zia bit her bottom lip, her expression worried. "So... regardless of the threat I've been sent, I'm forced to marry Ivan. Is that what you're saying?"

"Correct," Mikhail answered before anyone else could. Amy's eyes flashed toward Ivan, her anger flaring out of nowhere.Did he know that?

Ivan's face was blank and she hated how it left her wondering what he was thinking. She shouldn't give two shits about his thoughts. Glancing toward his brothers, his tone was cold as he spoke. "None of the men from last night would have sent that package. It just doesn't make sense. They're old motherfuckers—but I've known them since I was a kid. Calling Amy mine should've been enough to satisfy their curiosity."

Kostya snorted, muscles bunching as he folded his arms across his chest. "Gossip spreads, Vanya. The Bratva playboy finally found his match, do you think they wouldn't have run to tell everyone?"

"He's right," Lev agreed with a sneer. "They're worse than a bunch of teenage girls."

Amy blinked, not sure what she should say to that.Then who sent the package?

"Maybe someone should fucking remind them to keep quiet. We've already lost three high-ranking men due to the shit that Boris was involved in," Mikhail shook his head, jaw clenched with irritation—and even knowing him as she did,Amy felt her pulse quicken. This was the Bratva Pakhan. No matter how comfortable she was with the rest of Ivan's family—no matter how many times she'd seen Mikhail with his twins cradled in his arms, the man still left her heart racing with terror whenever he got mad.

"I'll handle the men," Lev murmured, fingers scratching at his five o'clock shadow. "It's the least I can do."

Mikhail nodded before facing Amy. "I'm sorry you got involved; the men were there under my orders, therefore, I take some responsibility for this and I hope you'll forgive me. We'll do our best to ensure that you and your family are kept safe. Unfortunately, this protection does come at a cost—but we can't renegade on what you both told the men last night."

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