Page 69 of Married to the Bratva

“You won’t lose her,” I say, my voice firm, unwavering. “Not while I’m breathing. Do you hear me?”

She searches my face, her eyes desperate, pleading. “How can you be so sure?”

I pause, drawing in a slow breath, feeling the weight of what I’m about to say. “Because I’ve been where you are,” I admit quietly. “I’ve watched someone I love destroy themselves. My mother…she couldn’t be saved. She didn’t want to be. But your grandma? She’s a fighter, I’ve no doubt.”

Her brows knit, confusion softening into understanding as she realizes the depth of what I’m sharing. “Maxim…”

I shake my head, holding her gaze. “I couldn’t save my mother, Sophie. But I’ll save your grandma. For you. Because I want to see you happy. I want to do something selfless, for once in my life. Just this once.”

Tears stream down her face now, unchecked, and she doesn’t try to hide them.

“Trust me,” I say. “You’re my wife, Sophie. My family now. And I’ll hurt anyone who hurts you. I’ll destroy them.”

Her lips part, as though she’s searching for words, but nothing comes. Instead, she lets out a choked sob and throws her arms around me.

I catch her, pulling her close, her body trembling against mine. My hand strokes her hair, the other resting on her back, holding her as if my grip alone could shield her from everything.

I get a call, breaking the moment. I press a kiss to her temple before pulling back, pressing buttons to send it to my earpiece. “What?”

A voice rattles off information, sharp and precise. My grip on Sophie tightens as I listen. “Good,” I reply curtly, ending the call.

“What is it?” she asks, her voice trembling.

“Federico was spotted entering the building,” I tell her. “He thinks he’s there to claim his victory, to gloat over the money when you send it. He’s in for one hell of a surprise.”

I pull a handgun from my jacket, pressing it into her hands. She stares at it, then at me.

“When we land,” I say, my tone firm, “stay close to me. Show no fear. Follow my instructions exactly. And Sophie…”

Her fingers curl around the weapon, her knuckles tight.

“Make sure you hit the target.”

51

MAXIM

I’m the first one through the apartment door, my Glock steady in my hand, every muscle in my body coiled and ready.

“Clear the left!” I bark, my voice sharp and commanding. Two of our men peel off, their footsteps muffled on the carpet as they move into the adjacent room. Gunfire erupts immediately, the staccato bursts echoing off the walls.

My eyes sweep the main room. Empty. Too empty. This is bait.

From the corner of my vision, I catch movement—a shadow darting through the hallway. I pivot, raising my weapon.

A split second later, a thug bursts into view, his gun aimed right at me. I fire first, the bullet punching through his chest with a sickening thud.

He drops, and I’m already moving, stepping over his lifeless body like it’s nothing. It has to be nothing.

“Fire escape is crawling with them!” Nikolai shouts over the cacophony of battle. “They’ve got reinforcements coming in!”

“Let them come,” I growl. “The more we kill today, the better the message we send tomorrow.”

The sound of breaking glass draws my attention. I whip around to see Sophie crouched behind an overturned table, her gun raised.

Her eyes lock on mine for the briefest moment, and I see it there—fear, yes, but also determination. She’s not waiting for rescue. She’s joining in the fight.

More gunfire erupts from the kitchen, and Nikolai’s voice cuts through the noise. “They’re pulling back! Push forward!”

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