Page 74 of Used Bratva Bride

“You good?” Ivan asks, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

I school my expression into something unreadable. “Focus on your job.”

He snorts but doesn’t press. The camera feed shifts away from the library, and I turn my attention back to the desk, picking up the stack of paperwork I’d been avoiding.

Business. Power. Control. That’s what matters.

As I force myself to read through the details of upcoming shipments and financial transactions, my mind keeps drifting—keeps returning to the girl in the library.

My fingers tap against the armrest as Ivan flicks through more camera feeds, scanning the estate’s perimeter. The grainy black-and-white footage cycles through every inch of the grounds—gateways, corridors, driveways, even the farthest reaches of the gardens.

“There’s not a single gap,” Ivan says confidently, crossing his arms. “We’d know the second anyone so much as breathed near this place.”

I nod, though my mind is still preoccupied with something else. The Spades will make a move. Whether it’s tomorrow or a month from now, I can feel it coming.

I glance at Ivan. “Focus on Sophia. I want to know who she’s working with, who benefits from all of this.”

Ivan grins. “Funny. You sound like you’re starting to doubt she had anything to do with Valeri’s death.”

I shake my head. “Well, if she didn’t kill him outright, perhaps she had nothing to do with it at all, even coincidentally.”

Ivan huffs, clearly enjoying the puzzle. “I’ll dig. Maybe I’ll even get a few guys to start sniffing around, see if anyone in the Spades’ ranks has loose lips.”

“Good. The sooner we figure this out, the sooner we can put an end to this.”

Ivan leans against the desk, cracking his knuckles. “Then what?” His smirk turns wicked. “Once all this shit is over, you and your pretty little wife can finally relax.”

I glare at him, unimpressed.

He laughs. “What? I’m just saying, man. You’ve had your hands full with business and revenge. Once things settle, you’ll have all the time in the world to really enjoy married life.” He wiggles his eyebrows in a way that makes me want to punch him.

I just grunt in response, not giving him the satisfaction of a reaction.

Ivan shakes his head, still grinning. “You’re really no fun anymore.”

I give him a pointed look. “I don’t remember ever being fun.”

“That’s exactly my point.” He sighs dramatically before pushing off the desk. “Fine. I’ll keep my head in the game, Boss.You should consider loosening up now and then. You might actually enjoy life.”

I don’t bother responding, and Ivan takes that as his cue to leave. The door swings shut behind him, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I roll my shoulders, exhaling slowly. It’s been a long day, but there’s still work to do. I grab my laptop and pull up the details on our latest shipment, trying to shift my focus back to business.

Still, Ivan’s words linger. Once this is over….

What then?

For years, my life has been defined by control—by revenge, power, and calculated decisions. The marriage to Julie was supposed to be just another move on the chessboard, a way to bring the Spades to their knees. Now, she’s here, in my home, in my bed, weaving herself into my life in ways I never anticipated.

I push thoughts of Julie aside and focus on the tasks at hand. I have work to do, loose ends to tie up, and an entire empire to protect. There’s no time for distractions. Not even her.

The phone on my desk buzzes, cutting through the quiet of my office. I answer without hesitation, pressing the device to my ear.

“Sharov,” I say.

A gravelly voice responds on the other end. “Mikhail, my friend. I hear you’ve been asking questions.”

I recognize the voice instantly—Andrei Volkov, an old contact with ears in every corner of the criminal underworld. He owes me a favor, one I haven’t cashed in. Until now.

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