Page 55 of The Bratva's Virgin Bride

“It's just a matter of time before they attack one of our houses. Do you want your family to get hurt? This is a good opportunity to get him. Cut the head of the snake off and the rest will fall.”

“Is that what Roman said? Cause it sounds like something he would say.”

“It's true,” Riley insists. “Please, Viktor. I'm asking you to trust me. Trust me to do this properly. I won't let you down.”

The plea in her voice all but breaks my heart. I sigh softly. “I do trust you, Love. I just want you to know that I will always find you.”

“I will be fine,” she says. “I need to get home and get ready. Don't come in too soon or you'll scare him off and we might not get another chance. Promise me?”

“I promise,” I say quietly.

“I love you,” she murmurs.

“More than anything,” I respond.

She hangs up and I hand Rigor his phone back. He looks at me. “Shower and get ready.”

“There are clothes in the spare room you can wear. I'll get the guns,” Anton says.

“Do you not think we're rushing into this?” I ask.

Rigor smiles. 'While you were doing your planning, we were doing ours. I promise, Viktor, nothing will harm Riley. We will protect her.”

I go to the bathroom and have a hot shower. I'm slightly achy from when the blast threw me backward, but I finish up and go to the guest room and get dressed. By the time I'm back in the living room, Anton has a range of guns out.

I pick up a handgun and holster and strap it to myself. Anton picks up a shotgun.

“That's subtle,” I comment sarcastically.

“I want to deliver a proper message,” he says. “Nobody but nobody fucks with the Milov family.”

Chapter 26 - Riley

Martin drives me home, and I change into more comfortable clothes. I brush my hair and put it in a bun, so if someone tries to grab it, they’ll struggle. I don't want to give them any chance to gain the upper hand. I approach the safe and punch in the code. I take a gun and holster it, pulling my top over it. I'm not going to be caught off-guard or unprepared. I grab my purse and head downstairs. “Only two other guards, Martin. And when I tell you to leave, wait a distance away.”

“Yes, Ma'am,” Martin replies. I briefed him on the plan during the drive home. We get into the car and pull out. It's ten in the morning now, and the mall is just opening. I watch the scenery zoom past us. I'm keenly aware of my surroundings as we pull into a parking spot. Martin opens the door for me, and we head inside. We need this to be convincing, so I'm going to do some actual shopping. I enter the first boutique and try to find something I believe Viktor would want me to wear. I imagine us finally celebrating the end of this. I spot a cute blue dress and then sift through the rest of the racks. Not finding anything else that captures my attention, I take the dress to the cashier to pay for it. We visit two more boutiques before I lead them to The Gap. I pick out some clothes to try on and leave them at the front door.

“I'm going to try these on. Wait here,” I say, a little too loudly.

“Yes, Ma'am,” Martin says. They turn their backs to watch the rest of the mall and I go to the changing room. I put on one outfit and step outside the dressing room to look in the bigger mirror. I twirl around as though I'm enjoying myself, but no one approaches me. I try on a second and third outfit. I don't think this is going to work. When I step out in the fourth outfit, I noticemovement out of the corner of my eye. There he is, leaning against the wall in the corner.

I look at him with wide eyes. “You!”

“Yes me,” Jimmy says. He gets off the wall and strolls slowly toward me. “You have been on my mind since the day you got away,” he smiles softly, as though the thought is supposed to be endearing. He eyes me out and shakes his head. “I prefer you in a dress. You have sexy legs.”

“Well, you won't get to see me in one, unfortunately,” I say, taking a step back.

I can feel my heart racing and I will myself not to panic. I cannot freeze up now. Not after I promised Viktor, I wouldn't. Viktor has always been right. I need to face my fear and my biggest fear is standing in front of me right now.

“Let's not make this difficult,” he says. “You're going to come with me, out the back, and into the van.”

“What do you want with me?” I ask, stalling for time.

I realize that the changing rooms are out of Martin's line of sight, which actually isn't a great idea. Even if I shout, it'll be too late by the time the guards get here. Jimmy might take off, with or without me. We only have this one chance.

“I want to do so many things to you,” he murmurs, taking another step forward. I stand my ground. “Most of all, I want you to pay. Since your little friends rescued you, I've been at the bottom of the food chain. No one wants to hire me. The Vultures are close to disbanding or kicking me out, whichever happens first. I need to bring glory back to our names and what better way to do that than to take down the most powerful crime family in the city.”

“They won't let you do that,” I say. “They're better than you in every way.”

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