Page 28 of Used Bratva Bride

I lean back in my chair, rubbing a hand over my face, irritated at my own thoughts. This isn’t about her. It’s about the Spades. It’s about revenge.

A sharp knock at the door disrupts my thoughts.

I straighten, irritation already burning beneath my skin. “Enter.”

The door swings open, and Ivan steps inside, his expression carefully neutral. Still, I don’t miss the flicker of scrutiny in his gaze as he takes me in.

I don’t like that look.

“What?” I snap.

He doesn’t flinch. He never does. “You seem… distracted,” he says, closing the door behind him. “That’s not like you.”

My jaw tightens. “Watch yourself, Ivan.”

He exhales, tilting his head slightly. “You can lie to yourself, Mikhail, but not to me. Something is bothering you.”

I hate how easily he reads me.

I glare at him, my voice dropping to something colder. “You’re here to take orders, not analyze me. You’d do well to remember that.”

Ivan sneers, unbothered. “Of course. Just making an observation.”

I grip the armrest of my chair. “Observing isn’t your job. You’re not my friend, Ivan. You’re a trusted member of the Bratva, nothing more.”

His faces goes blank, but he nods once. “Understood.”

For a moment, the room is thick with tension. Then, he shifts, crossing his arms. “The doctor came. She’s fine. Weak, dehydrated, but fine.”

I nod, already expecting as much.

“She asked about leaving,” he adds.

I scoff. “Of course she did.”

Ivan leans against the desk, arms still crossed. “What’s the plan with her?”

I exhale sharply. “She is not the problem. Her family is.”

“Except they don’t seem to care that she’s gone,” Ivan points out.

I press my fingers together. “They care about how it looks. They care about power and reputation.” My voice hardens. “They’ll come for her. Not out of love, but because they have no choice.”

Ivan watches me carefully. “What if they don’t?”

I smile coldly. “Then I’ll give them a reason to.”

He nods slowly, but there’s something else in his gaze.

“Say what’s on your mind, Ivan,” I snap.

He hesitates, then exhales. “She’s not like them, you know.”

I clench my jaw. “That doesn’t matter.”

Ivan shrugs. “Maybe not. Just don’t get so caught up in breaking her that you forget she was already broken before you took her.”

My fingers twitch. I hold his gaze, letting the silence drag before I finally say, “Are we done?”

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