Page 38 of Forced Innocent Bratva Bride

In my head, different scenarios of how this could possibly end wouldn't stop playing—these were the only thoughts that occupied my mind recently. I'd tried to channel my thoughts into something else—something more productive—but I always found myself coming back to my reality.

The only way I knew to get away from these worries and anxiety was by working out hard. But eventhatwas now a problem, considering that Emily was always somewhere around me like a hawk.

Emily was the gym instructor that Alexei had hired to monitor my workout routines and make sure I wasn't in harm's way. As much as I appreciated the gesture, I was pregnant, not sick. I didn't need a babysitter, at least not now that the baby had barely even formed in my womb.

Anyway, I was stuck with Emily the same way that I was stuck with the bodyguards he'd instructed to never leave my side. It was exasperating sometimes, and I felt I had no privacy because those Arnold Schwarzenegger-looking men followed me wherever I went. They'd made it their mission to literally become my shadow.

Even now, while pounding the treadmill belt, I could see two through the floor-to-ceiling window. They stood sentinel bymy sleek black Benz parked outside, their muscles bulging from underneath their black suits.

They wore their signature mean expressions, their dark shades further accentuating their ruggedness. One look at them was enough to send the message that they weren't to be messed with.

People often avoided me the moment they realized that those mean men were my bodyguards. And sometimes, it was quite embarrassing.

Here at the gym, I hadn't made a single friend because none of them were bold enough to approach me. Well, at least not after what happened with the last guy who tried. He’d been flirting with me, truth be told, and it didn't sit well with my bodyguards.

In their defense, they did warn him to back off, but he refused, thinking he was tough. He let his imposing height and masculine physique deceive him. The man did look like someone who lifted a lot of heavyweights, but these men didn't just lift heavyweights; they were trained fighters.

It took only a few seconds for one of them to snap his arm like a twig.

A few people had bowed their heads and laughed when he screamed and begged for mercy. Ever since that incident, everyone else just stayed clear of me.

“Slow down, Lorena.” Emily's voice, firm but gentle, cut through my thoughts. “You're going too fast.”

My brows rose in disbelief, and I shot her a skeptical glance as she stood by my side.

Too fast?

Was she serious?

I checked the speedometer on the treadmill, and according to the display, I was running at a moderate 6.5 miles per hour. That was hardly breakneck speed.

Emily, a petite woman with short, curly dark hair and a warm smile, stood by my side, clad in a white tank top over a pair of black leggings, a whistle around her neck.

She folded her arms across her chest, her brows yanking up. “Don't look at me like that,” she said, a faint grin dancing on her lips. “Your body is going through a series of changes right now, and going too fast can affect the baby's development.”

“The baby?” I asked, my brows still raised, amusement creeping into my tone.

“Yes,” she replied, her expression slightly stern.

“You mean that one that's barely the size of a peanut?” I flashed her a mischievous grin, quickening my pace on the treadmill belt like I was just getting started.

She let out an exasperated sigh, shaking her head. “Oh, my God, you're a stubborn one, aren't you?” Emily stepped forward, reached out, and pressed the stop button.

The machine whirred down, the belt slowing to a gentle stop as I grabbed onto the handrails to steady myself. “Come on, that's not fair!” I laughed, struggling to catch my breath.

“I'm sorry, but I had to take drastic measures.” She smiled, raising her hands in a defensive gesture. “Your husband did say that I could. He warned me that you could be stubborn sometimes, and I can see why,” she said, her voice laced with a hint of amusement. Her gaze swept over me with a knowing glint.

My face contorted into a playful scowl. “Traitor!” I laughed lightly. “I'll have a word with him about sharing my secrets.”

For some reason, I found it funny that he said that to Emily, and I wasn't the least upset about it.

I got off the treadmill, wiping my dampened face with the towel draped over my shoulders. In the floor-to-ceiling mirrorsthat allowed me to monitor my form as I worked out, I stared at my reflection.

There was a sheen of sweat on my skin, my sleek black sports bra clinging damply to me. My matching leggings hugged my curves, and my hair, tied back in a ponytail, sat neatly in place.

I headed over to lift some dumbbells in a corner, but she sped up to warn me, her finger wagging in the air.

“Ah-ah-ah. No.” Emily shook her head, the words bursting out of her in a frantic rush. “Those are too heavy,” she said, her voice laced with caution. “Remember, we want to keep your heart rate up, but not to the point where you're putting unnecessary strain on your body.” She flashed a smile at me.

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