Page 23 of Innocent Bratva Hostage

She steps inside hesitantly, glancing back at me like she expects me to pounce.

“You’ll stay here,” I say, my hand still resting on the doorknob. “Don’t try to leave again, Hannah. I’m not feeling charitable tonight.”

Her lips press into a thin line, but she doesn’t argue.

I let the silence linger for a moment longer before pulling the door closed. The lock clicks into place, and I slip the key back into my pocket, the weight of it a tangible reminder of the control I hold.

As I head back to my office, Andrei is already waiting for me, leaning against the doorframe with his usual air of casual menace.

“She settling in?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.

“She’ll be fine,” I reply, brushing past him into the room.

Andrei follows, his boots thudding against the floor as he shuts the door behind him. “Fine, huh? You sound confident.”

I pour myself a glass of vodka, the burn of it grounding me as I take a sip. “If she has any self-preservation, she won’t try to leave again.”

Andrei smirks faintly, crossing his arms. “If she doesn’t?”

I set the glass down with a quiet clink, fixing him with a cold stare. “Then she’ll learn the hard way that this isn’t a game.”

He nods, his expression turning serious. “The… other thing?”

“She’s seeing a doctor tomorrow,” I say flatly. “If she’s lying, I’ll deal with it. If she’s not…”

I don’t finish the sentence, the weight of it hanging between us.

Andrei studies me for a moment, then nods again. “Understood.”

He turns to leave, but pauses at the door, glancing back over his shoulder. “You sure about this, Boss? Letting her live, I mean. Feels… risky.”

“It is risky,” I admit, picking up the glass again. “It’s also calculated.”

Andrei says nothing, but his brows furrow.

“You’ve got something to say,” I remark, not bothering to look up from the glass of vodka in my hand.

Andrei shrugs, leaning against the wall. “You don’t usually let loose ends stick around. Especially ones this messy.”

I glance at him, my eyes narrowing. “You have a point, or are you just here to waste my time?”

His smirk is faint, but it’s there. “What happens if she’s telling the truth? About the kid?”

His question echoes in my mind, heavy and uncomfortable. I take a slow sip of vodka, letting the burn settle before I speak. “Then it complicates things.”

“Complicates?” Andrei repeats, raising an eyebrow. “That’s putting it mildly.”

I set the glass down with more force than necessary, the sound sharp in the quiet room. “What do you want me to say; that I’ve thought about having children, that I’ve imagined building some perfect little family? You know me better than that.”

Andrei chuckles, shaking his head. “No, Boss. I know you don’t even like kids.”

“I don’t,” I admit, leaning back in my chair. “They’re loud. Annoying. Fragile.”

“And yet….” Andrei trails off, his tone pointed.

“Yet this is different,” I finish for him, my voice quiet but firm.

He studies me for a moment, his gaze sharp. “Why, because it’s yours?”

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