Page 51 of Captured By the Bratva

“Just, you know. Don’t tell anyone I told you about this. All right? With my age, I don’t want anyone getting the wrong idea. That I’m too old to handle this kind of life. Like I’m not cut out for a good time anymore.”

I huffed and rolled my eyes. “Veronica, you’ll be fucking someone all the way to the grave.”

She smiled and lifted her brows slightly. It was the first slip of humor since she’d spoken in here.

“I won’t rat you out. I appreciate your telling me.”

We exited, and I didn’t waste another minute to leave. On the drive back to Becca out of the city, I called Alek and brought him up to speed.

“You think it's lousy timing?” he asked once I’d told him everything.

“Maybe. If this was happening when we still owned that club, then it’d be a bigger issue.”

He cleared his throat. “True, but you said something happened at LeVant’s. No, Maxim told me.”

“Those women seemed fine.”

“It might not be a bad idea to put more security at the clubs. Screen the guests more.”

I frowned as I drove. “Only if it doesn’t scare off the clientele.” The last thing we needed was for everyone to think something was wrong and that we were being suspicious at a location where security and confidentiality were expected.

“Yeah.” He sighed. “I know what you mean. And I know you’re out a lot, busy with Becca.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Notwithher.”

“Well, you’re busy with trying to take Murphy out.”

Except, he was right. I was busy with Becca. She was on my mind constantly. “Are you giving me shit for personally watching over her at that vacation villa?”

“Maybe I am. You don’t have to be out there.”

I bit my lip, opting for silence.

“But I respect that maybe youwantto be.”

“It’s not like that.”

“What is it like, then?”

I opened and closed my mouth.

“You moved Margie out there to help Becca with her kid.”

“Because she was sick and needed a break and—” I cut myself off, hearing how defensive I was.

He chuckled. “It’s fine, man. It’s fine. Happens to all of us.”

“Nothing’s happening to me.”

“Sure. Look, I’m not going to get into your business. All I need to know is that you can still handle what I’ve asked of you. If you start to have feelings for Becca, will you be able to kill her father?”

I nodded even though he couldn’t see it. “Yes. Absolutely.”

“Even if it might hurt her.”

I snorted. “I’m starting to think that Becca and Emily are at more risk of being hurt the longer he lives.”

We disconnected the call, and I tried to resist the anxious feeling that came with making that comment. Murphy was a risk to Emily. He’d set her up to be taken. And he had always been a danger to Becca, never caring for her and asking her to do favors when she was just an ignorant innocent.

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