Page 92 of Brutal Promise

Panic fills my chest. Who do I trust?

Alena.

I send her a nod to meet me at the door. I excuse myself telling Dmitry I’m going to the bathroom.

“What’s the matter?” Alena whispers to me as we meet in the doorway of the private room.

“I’m wondering if I’m being set up. His family disapproves of me. His mother is asking me questions. I have a bad feeling they know more than they are telling me. Why would the bratva in New York be after me when Dmitry and Nikolay have relations with them? They probably have a mole to report back to them on what is going on in the Sidovo family.”

We walk to the bathroom with a guard on our heels.

I push the door open and take a deep breath.

I check under the stalls, and by some miracle, the room is empty.

Alena takes a chair, meant for an attendant who isn’t here, and wedges it under the door.

“I don’t want to be here.”

“You have to get married. You’ll be on the run forever otherwise.”

“Maybe it’s better.” I wring my hands.

“You can’t raise a baby that way. You have no money. You won’t be able to work. What spooked you?”

“The way his mother looked at Nikolay. It’s like they are running an op. I know what you said about not being a Russian in the bratva. They look at outsiders with distrust. And I’m telling you, they don’t trust me.”

She lets out a heavy sigh. “I was hoping they would be different, but they are closer to the old guard and the old ways more than we are in America. Just hold your head high, and don’t let it bother you. It will get better.”

“I’m in a foreign country without access to my passport. I’m a hostage.” My breathing is uneven. I feel like I’m going to hiccup but hyperventilate instead. Tears stream down my face. I try to focus on slowing my breath. I use a finger to wipe tears, but it’s not enough. “He did this on purpose. He wanted a child. He did it to trap me.” I’m numb with the realization that I’ve been manipulated. “I’ve been so naïve. Dmitry did this purposefully, knowing the day would come when I wanted to run. He knew I grew up without my parents and that I would never leave my baby.”

There is banging on the door. Women’s voices are heard in the hallway outside.

“Shit. I never thought about it.” Her face falls. She’s dumbfounded. “I was happy you fell in love for the first time. I never looked at the downside of this. It’s my world. Not yours. I should have been a better friend and protected you.” Her words are rushed as she grabs my hand in hers. When I peer into her eyes, I know we can do nothing.

Another bang on the door interrupts our moment.

“Just a second,” she yells in frustration. “We’ve got time to work on this. We’ll think of something. We always do.”

I nod. “I don’t know how we can get around Dmitry’s trackers. He has my email and phone bugged.”

“Fuck,” she exclaims. “Between Kirill and Dmitry, we have our work cut out for us but don’t give up hope. You have to throw them off. Play the game. We need to find out who wants you, and then we’ll get you out.”

She heads to the door.

I take toilet paper from a dispenser in a stall and dry my eyes. I take a few deep breaths and nod to Alena.

“Finally, the door opens.” Alena jokes as the door swings wide, and women barge in, mumbling their annoyance.

Erik lurks outside the door and leans his head in, making sure we’re both here.

I wash my hands, the water drowning our voices.

“We’ll make a plan after the wedding. We can get burner phones,” I suggest.

“I’ll get one to you before I leave the wedding.”

“Great.” Now that I know where I stand, the panic recedes. I pull my shoulders back. I’m tougher than the bratva. I won’t be broken.

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