Page 56 of The Bratva's Sold Bride

I grinned as I signed the designated spot. “And hopefully, I’ll become a richer man,” I said. “This calls for a celebration. Can I treat you two gentlemen at the cantina?”

“I have another meeting,” the realtor said, also made richer by his commission. “Good luck with the project; I’ll bring my family to the resort when it’s finished.”

I turned to the retired farmer, and he shook his head. “I take too many medications to be able to drink alcohol anymore,” he grumbled. “But thanks for the offer. I’m pleased the land will be useful again. If I’m still alive when your fancy hotel is finished, I expect a free room for a night.”

“How about an entire weekend,” I joked, shaking his gnarled hand before he hobbled to his truck.

Everything was in place to start clearing the farmland. My plan seemed like it was being derailed for a minute, but I was firmly back on track to giving Olivia what she wanted. A nice, normal life. I couldn’t wait to finally tell her now that things were official and moving ahead at a good pace.

“Where is everyone going?” Ivan asked as I slid into the passenger seat. “I figured we’d all be celebrating.”

“It’s just us, little brother,” I said. “But we’re definitely still celebrating.” I turned to him before he started the engine. “Don’t say a word about it yet, but I’m not just expanding down here. I think this is going to be it for me.”

“What does that mean?” he asked.

“I’m going to pull back on my dealings with Max and live the quiet life down here with Olivia. This resort is going to be legit, not just a lux place to hang out and launder money.”

Ivan was gobsmacked, unable to speak for a few seconds. “What? I thought you were just getting Olivia out of a bad situation. I know you actually married her, but that’s easy enough to remedy.”

I shook my head. “There’s no remedy for what I’ve got. I mean to stay married to that woman, and I mean to make her the happiest she’s ever been.”

“You’re crazy,” he said, turning the key in the ignition as he made a sour face. “Giving up everything and staying in a sham marriage.”

“It’s not a sham. It’s very real. It was real when I proposed that solution to her rotten father, and it’s even more real now.” I was much too happy to let my brother’s bad attitude about married life bring me down. “I’m going to bring her out here for a picnic tomorrow.”

He muttered something under his breath that sounded like ‘sucker,’ but I just laughed. Maybe one day he’d be lucky enough to be in my shoes, with a woman he’d fly to the moon and back for.

Halfway back to town to meet up with Olivia, I got a call from Andre. Before I could say a word, it was clear he was freaking out.

“Slow down,” I said, trying not to let his panic infect me. “Not you,” I hissed at Ivan. “You speed up.”

“She’s gone, boss. I must have been drugged or something because I went out like I got hit by a sledgehammer.”

“What do you mean she’s gone?”

“Nowhere to be found. Once I woke up, she wasn’t in the coffee shop anymore, and the worker can’t remember when she left. The last she recalls was seeing her with that American woman.”

“Have you tried the shops?”

“Heading that way now, and I’ve already called for backup to help search for her in the village. You were my second call.”

I ended the call, quickly filling Ivan in. “She was with Zoey,” I said bitterly, well on the way to panic. “I never should have trusted her.”

“Maybe Andre just got sick with something, and he’s embarrassed he fell asleep on duty,” Ivan said, jumping to Zoey’s defense. “They’re probably just out shopping, or maybe she went to Zoey’s place.”

I wasn’t anywhere near as optimistic as he was, but it was a good start, and thankfully, my brother had that little crush on my wife’s new friend. “Tell me you know where she’s staying,” I said.

“Of course I do,” he said. “Don’t freak out yet, I’m sure this is nothing.”

I hoped he was right, but I was past freaking out even though I wasn’t showing it.

Did Olivia finally see a chance to leave me and take it? The thought nearly had me doubling over in the worst pain of my life. But it was nowhere near as bad as the fear that she might be in danger.

Chapter 33 - Olivia

Why wasn’t I giddy with excitement? I was finally on my way to the freedom that had been stolen from me. I was finally going to be able to make the life I wanted and that only I chose.

Instead, I felt like I was on the verge of puking, my eyes darting from the road that stretched out in front of us, to the other cars on the highway. Every time one of them pulled alongside us and tried to pass, my heart seized, thinking Dima had caught up with me.

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