Page 26 of Plus-Size Bratva Bride

"What are you thinking?" he asked, his voice uncharacteristically gentle.

I bit my lip, unsure how to respond. “Nothing,” I shook my head. “Just how glad I am you found me when you did tonight.”

He kissed my forehead softly, and when I looked back up again, his eyes fluttered close as sleep overcame him. I felt guilty for lying.

But what other choice did I have? My emotions were a confused mess, and given that this was just a one-night stand, I felt no need to involve him in it.

All I knew was that the constant tension between us now felt foolish. After the way he had treated me so wonderfully that night, worshiped me in bed, and made love to me like I was some kind of treasure, I knew we could never go back to our bickering ways.

Chapter 10 - Abe

The first rays of sunlight crept through the blinds, and I stirred, my body aching in all the right places. Memories of last night with Pippa flooded my mind—her curves pressed against me, those gorgeous green eyes clouded with desire. Fuck. I hadn't felt the need to be this gentle with a woman… ever.

I rolled over, drinking in the sight of her sleeping form. Her light brown curls splayed across the cushion, full lips slightly parted. My chest tightened with an unfamiliar urge to stay, to protect.

But I needed to get an update. Information was the only leverage I had to truly keep her safe. Last night, I stopped Tony from killing her. But tomorrow, she could be someplace I might not reach in time. Yet as I dressed, every fiber of my being screamed at me not to leave her alone and my gaze kept drifting back to her.

"Get it together, Ustinov," I muttered, putting on my belt. She was safe here and I would only be gone for an hour or two max.

I checked my watch. My brothers were waiting. Before I left, I strode to the kitchen. I scrawled a note and placed it on the fridge, my handwriting uncharacteristically precise:

"Stay put. I mean it, Pippa.-A"

I paused at her door, hand hovering over the knob. Just one more look. To make sure she was okay

"Abe?" Her sleepy voice nearly undid me.

I cleared my throat, aiming for a soothing tone. "All okay, Pip. Go back to sleep."

She mumbled something unintelligible, already drifting off. I lingered a moment longer, observing the curve of her cheek, the slight pout of her lips. Christ, I was in trouble.

Forcing myself to turn away, I walked out and made my way to my car. I had a job to do. And keeping Pippa safe meant facing whatever shit storm was brewing head-on.

***

I strode into Ivan's office, the tension in the air palpable. My brothers' faces were grim, their postures rigid. My older brother Ivan, ever the picture of control, sat behind his massive desk, fingers steepled under his chin. Vlad paced by the window, his usual easygoing demeanor replaced by a tightly coiled energy.

"Nice of you to join us, Abe," Ivan drawled, his tone deceptively casual. "I trust your… lead… is secure?"

My blood boiled. "Pippa's not just a lead, Ivan. She's—”

"She's what, Abe?" Ivan cut in, his voice dangerously low. "A distraction?"

I bit back a retort, the muscle in my jaw twitching. But, I knew if I entered this argument, it would be a simple waste of time. "Pippa's safe and that’s what matters. Now, what's the situation with our mystery man?"

Vlad turned from the window. "He's in the wind. Our contacts haven't picked up a trace."

"Fuck," I growled, slamming my fist on the desk. The impact sent a jolt of pain up my arm, but I welcomed it. It was better than the growing knot of anxiety in my gut. "How the hell did he slip past our net?"

Ivan leaned back, his chair creaking. "That's what we need to figure out. And fast."

I ran a hand through my hair, frustration mounting. "Every second he's out there is a second he could be talking to the wrong people. If word gets out about how that succeeded at getting away from the casino and that Vlad Vadim’s trusted employee was injured—"

"We know the stakes, Abe," Vlad cut in, shaking his head.

I paced the length of the office, my mind racing. The stranger knew too much, had seen too much. If he talked to anyone, enemies would become overconfident and come crawling to attack, believing that the Vadims were weakened.

Besides that, whoever he might have reported would know there was still one loose string in the picture.

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