Page 75 of Innocent Bratva Hostage

The table went silent, and everyone stared at each other. It was not like me to go all in for a game, but a little change to my usual tactics wasn’t such a bad idea, especially not when I had to impress my woman.

I glanced at Giselle, noting how her lips parted and the plea in her eyes. Winking at her, I mouthed, “I’m doing this for you.”

Her lips curled with a smile, and she nodded with understanding. “Good luck,”she mouthed back.

Volkov stared back and forth between Giselle and me. His lips quirked, amusement bouncing in his eyes. “Ready to risk it all, Yezhov?”

I didn’t like the smile on his face or the challenge in his eyes. For all I knew, the sly bastard was going to do everything he could to ensure I lost, just to make a fool of me in front of Giselle.

Unfortunately, my desire to win surpassed his. “Bring it on, Volkov!”

Antonio’s eyes narrowed on me. He snarled. “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? Trying to push us to the edge and see who shivers first?”

“Trying to push you?” I scoffed. “No, I’m just feeling a little lucky tonight.” And my lucky charm was sitting just across the room.

Victor snorted, tossing his chip to match my bet. “Let’s see where lucky takes you.”

I met his gaze, itching with the need to make things a little more interesting. “I hope it takes me right to bed with my wife.”

He winced in disgust. “That woman can do a lot better than a cocky bastard like you, Yezhov. Take that as a compliment.”

“Gladly.”

We both turn to Antonio, waiting for him to make his bet.

He scratched his jaw in contemplation, then folded with a muttered curse. “Fuck you two arrogant sons of bitches.”

I clasped his shoulders. “Don’t get too emotional over a game, old man.”

He frowned at me, the silver in his mustache catching the light as he inhaled his cigar and puffed a ring of smoke in the air.

It was just Victor and me now.

The dealer burned a card and then flipped the river.

A flush.

Victor’s smirk wiped off his face as he put his card down. “Kakogo blyad’ chyorta?!”

What the fuck?!

The room erupted in a mix of groans and begrudging admiration.

I leaned back with a smile, allowing the satisfaction to settle in, but my gaze went straight to her.

Giselle released a shaky breath, relief flashing across her face before a wide grin curled on her lips.

“Looks like we have a winner,” I said to the grumpy men in front of me. I tapped Victor’s shoulder in fake consolation. “Better luck next time, Volkov. And make sure to keep your eyes off my woman.”

“I’ll get you next time, Yezhov,” he said with a snarl.

I got to my feet, smirking at his promise. “You’ll be needing a lot of luck for that to happen.”

I signaled one of my bodyguards in the corner to collect my winnings and walked over to my wife.

When I reached her, she jumped to her feet and threw her arms around me, peppering me with kisses. “You won,” she said, her eyes glinting with excitement.

I wrapped my arms around her waist and pressed a kiss to her temple. “No.Wewon, baby,” I replied.

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