Page 7 of The Bratva's Knocked-Up Bride

“I know they were getting anxious about me standing in the foyer, but that’s why I started walking around…plus I can see and hear more this way.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not helping to ease their worries any,” Lukyan mumbled, and I could’ve sworn I heard him drag a hand down his face. “Look, just take it off. Maybe then you’ll start to blend into the background more, and the rat might feel a false sense of security.”

Grumbling to myself, I forced out a breath and pulled at my mask as I continued walking aimlessly through the floor. A flood of fresh air hit me the moment it came off. “Fine, fine…but if this rat ends up recognizing me—”

The words died in my throat as Sky stepped out of her office the moment I walked by, nearly causing us to collide. Luckily, we both froze right in time, wearing mutual looks of surprise.

“Damien?” Lukyan’s voice asked a bit quieter on the other side as the phone was pulled away from my ear. “You there?”

“Gotta go,” I mumbled before immediately ending the call and keeping my eyes on Sky.

God, she was gorgeous…even more so up close.

Like some incompetent idiot, my heart felt like it was in my throat as I looked down at her, immediately taking in how perfectly her work clothes clung to her body again. How there wasn’t a single strand of cropped blonde hair out of place on herhead. Her eyes were so clear and blue, and I almost hated how perfect they looked.

I needed to get a grip, but having her so close…right in front of me, I couldn’t.

“Rat?” Sky asked, brow lifted curiously. She glanced around before murmuring a bit quieter so as not to alarm anyone else, “Do we have some here?”

Blinking back at her, trying to find the words after a moment, I nodded and tried to sound as casual as possible. “Yeah…unfortunately, I spotted one just the other day, but rest assured, someone will be in here to take care of the problem.”

Despite seeming convinced by the response, she looked just as curious. “…and you said something about it recognizing you?”

Shit.

“Uh…yeah, you know…they say rats get to know your face and can associate positive or negative memories with it…I don’t want them getting too scared to come out again.”

She barely tilted her head with quiet consideration. “Is that right? I didn’t know that.”

“Mhm…they’re intelligent creatures.”

I didn’t know a damn thing about rats…I was lying out of my ass.

But she was so polite. So friendly, and so understanding, it was killing me.

Even after knowing her for a short time, and only ever fully interacting with her for the first time in that moment, I knew Sky was like that with most people. She was so outwardly kind and impressionable, but for whatever reason, it felt like that gentle demeanor was meant just for me.

It was a delusional thought but a comforting one all the same.

“Anyway,” I forced out, hoping to steer the conversation away from rodents. “I hope I didn’t startle you too much.”

Sky smiled then and let go of a quiet laugh. “Maybe just a bit…but I’ll be alright. Promise.”

Despite myself, I felt my expression softening a touch just from hearing that sound alone…the gentle warmth of her amusement. Whether she knew it or not, she really was going to kill me one day, especially if she kept that up.

There was no mistaking her friendly, sunny demeanor, and there was something so undeniably attractive about it. Especially since she didn’t cower from me. Even while face to face with me, shocked into a sudden conversation while dressed in my fatigues, she was as cool as ever and willing to talk. To smile and joke.

She was so far from anything I used to entertain myself with, but that was exactly what pulled me in even more.

“Good, good,” I murmured, finding myself wanting even more of her.

“I know it’s none of my business, but has everything been okay around here? Security wise, I mean,” Sky asked, sounding vaguely hesitant to even ask the question. “It’s just that we’ve never had anyone in the building like this before.”

The softness of her tone and how genuinely concerned she sounded immediately made me want to tell her everything. To reassure her that I’d figure out who the rat was, and that I’d keep her safe regardless of what happened.

But I immediately came to my senses and remembered that she wasn’t supposed to know about any of it. Not theincidents with the Levovs, with the rat, or any of the undercover work I was doing. Everyone other than Gemma, Ben, and the others needed to be completely in the dark about it all or run the risk of fumbling the operation altogether.

As much as I wanted to be completely honest with her, I couldn’t.

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