Page 3 of The Bratva's Knocked-Up Bride

Once everything was agreed upon and the Levovs seemed more at ease knowing someone was on the case, Ari ran some additional information by us before wrapping the meeting up, and our group eventually left the establishment.

My brothers were able to go about their day mostly unfazed, but with my new task at hand, I didn’t waste any time considering what I needed to do and how I would go about it.

Before long, I found myself back home and sitting in the spacious living room in one of the plush armchairs, sighing as I sifted through the files.

The stack was significant enough to require pouring a few hours of my time into scouring every detail, so I followed the most logical method and started with the newest hires.

Gemma’s publication was still considered to be in its infancy, but there seemed to be two waves of hires: the ones brought on from the start, and others hired several months back. It seemed they were able to expand.

From what I could garner, the business was fairly impressive, and it seemed Gemma knew what she was doing. Thankfully, she had that appealing Levov money to help her get it off the ground.

Doing a quick sweep through the employee records, scanning names and images, I ran those names through my head—Erin, Raf, Quinn, Tyler…

Then, I paused on a familiar face.

Sky Ridley.

A spark of recognition moved through me then, and as I took in her features, I recalled having seen her at a few gatherings between both families. She was Gemma’s friend and had tagged along a few times.

Blinking down at her photo, I couldn’t help the slight upturn of my lip.

Even at those gatherings, something about her intrigued me. Even if she seemed preppier than what I usually went for, there was no denying how appealing she was anyway. Almost like the temptation of ruining something pure.

Before I could stop myself, my eyes lingered on her picture, then the rest of her information longer than necessary. Halting my progress, I settled on taking it all in, as if to scratch that strange itch of mine.

She had a fairly significant position in the company. In fact, she was some sort of floor supervisor. That was good…maybe she’d be able to get me some information if I asked nicely enough.

But of course, she couldn’t know about my undercover work. It had to be kept under wraps. Nobody other than Gemma or the other Levovs could know, or else I’d run the risk of tipping off the rat to the operation.

Still, looking over Sky’s file made that interest of mine grow, and the thought of visiting the office to scout the place out became harder and harder to resist. That meant having the chance to see her for myself again.

It felt like so long since the last time I laid eyes on her, and something in me was itching for it all over again.

Wearing that faint grin still, I nodded to myself as I decided it was as good of an idea as any, and the job suddenly didn’t seem like such a bother after all.

Chapter 2 - Sky

Before working for Gemma, I was never all that keen to go to work. Sure, I was doing a job that I loved, but something always felt wrong about the previous offices I had come to know. They were typical publications: stuffy, strict, and run by prickly old men.

But her business felt completely different to me. It was a breath of fresh air, and I found myself happier than ever to go in for the day.

Gemma’s expectations were always clear, and knowing I had the pleasure of watching my good friend step into her impressive career was something I held dear to me. It inspired me in many ways and made it all the more enjoyable.

With a warm smile on my face, I moved down the hallway with a stack of revisions in my arms, greeting my coworkers as I always did. The atmosphere in the building was light as usual, and even if it was early on a Monday, those around me were relaxed and ready to begin the work day.

Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. Research was underway, collaborative meetings had begun, edits were being made, and interns were fetching coffee. It all worked with near-perfect synergy, and it was a pleasure to watch as I traveled through the building.

My heels clicked against the polished floor while I entered the elevator and chatted aimlessly with a few of the others already inside on the way down. Our conversation was light as we discussed weekend plans, what was on the agenda, and any notable stories going out that week.

Then, the elevator reached the main floor with a ding, and I said my farewells before heading through the front foyer.

Glancing over the stack of papers in my grasp, making sure I had all the necessary revisions before I found Gemma, I reassured myself they were still there and looked up again.

Immediately, I couldn’t miss the tall figure standing next to the glass doors at the front.

Dressed in all black, the man remained in place while he looked over the entry, wearing a mask that obscured his features.

A shiver raced through me at the look of him. Whoever he was, he clearly had more than enough intimidation points in his favor. Between his imposing height, big muscles hugged by his dark clothes, and the way he stood like a silent sentinel over the place, something in me was screaming to keep moving. To forget what I saw and just get to where I needed to go.

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