Page 29 of Impregnated By the Bratva

Walking around to my side, I got back in bed with her. Now, I could trace her features. Tenderly, I moved a strand of hair from her face as I spoke. “Good morning, it’s time to wake up. I made you breakfast.”

Grace blinked a couple of times before opening her eyes. With a sleepy voice, she replied softly. “Thank you, but you didn’t have to.”

As she stretched out, I tenderly pulled her left arm towards me. “Careful, you’re going to knock the tray off,” I said, smiling at her.

Looking to the side, she smiled as she replied. “Oh, sorry.” She shifted down before sitting up. Glancing back at me, she spoke again. “Keep the bed warm for me? I’m just going to the bathroom quickly.”

Nodding, I jumped out of bed and moved to her side. I slipped in as she got up. Watching her move to the bathroom, my mood lifted. I felt light and happy. My stomach settled. Now I felt sure it was just nerves and not trouble on its way.

Pleasing her had become a mission for me. I had developed strong feelings, but didn’t know how to tell her yet.

As she came back, I got up. Grace slid back into bed and sat up against the headboard. “I’m going to enjoy this. Thank you so much,” she said as I placed the tray over her legs.

“Excellent,” I huffed, feeling quite proud of myself. I sat down at the end of the bed, watching her as she ate.

After eating about half, she looked at me tenderly as she spoke. “Thank you again, but if I eat more, I’ll explode.”

“No problem,” I replied, taking the tray from her. Placing it on the table by the door, I started getting ready.

“What are your plans for the day?” Grace enquired as I pulled on my shoes.

“I’m meeting Pavel, and after that, we’ll see,” I replied, grinning. Grabbing my jacket, I walked to her side. Kissing her forehead, I spoke softly. “Have fun, and I’ll see you soon, okay?”

Grace smiled and nodded as I headed out. Getting into my truck, I shook as a shiver ran down my spine and goosebumps covered my arms. “No,” I said to my reflection as I looked in the rearview mirror. “Get a grip.”

I arrived before Pavel and took a table towards the side. I ordered our coffee and waited. Glancing around, I could see nothing out of place. I wondered if I shouldn’t have canceled, what if Grace was in danger? Shaking my head, I tried to push the idea out of my mind.

As Pavel sat down, the waitress brought the coffee I had ordered. “Thank you for joining me,” I said, stirring a sugar lump into my coffee.

Pavel picked up his cup and blew across the top, nodding. After a moment's silence, he placed his cup down. Pavel looked me in the eyes as he spoke. “So, why did you want to discuss things here? We could have done this at home.”

“Yes and no,” I replied, scanning the area. “I want to talk about the observations and chats you had at the party.”

Pavel smirked as he spoke. “So, you don’t want to talk about the fact that you were drooling over Grace?”

Clenching my fist, I took a deep breath. I wanted to lean over and smack the crap out of him but held it back. Narrowing my eyes, I glared at him. “Okay, okay,” he responded, laughing. “Let’s focus on work.”

Leaning in, I spoke softly. But I could still hear the annoyance in my tone. “Thank you. So, is there anything that stood out? Did you pick up on any vibes, or get new clients?”

Pavel sat back, exhaling loudly. “Wow, what a mouthful,” he uttered. I could see he was thinking very hard as his face appeared to pull in on itself. Finally, he shook his head. “No, not really. But two people may be interested in doing business,” he added.

“Good,” I replied, looking at the people moving past. Since I got up this morning, I couldn’t shake this terrible feeling. It could all be in my mind, but even my taste buds were acting up. The coffee tasted like muddy water. I had a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach.

“I noticed a man there who looked like he could be Bratva, but I didn’t recognize him. Did you see him?” I enquired.

Pavel rubbed his head. Suddenly, his eyes lit up as his mind sprang into gear. “Yes,” he huffed. “I think I caught a glimpse of him. But I didn’t get a very good look. Every time I moved closer, he moved away. It was like he was I had some disease the way he was evading me.”

Closing my eyes, I breathed in slowly, trying to remember everything I had seen before Grace entered. An overwhelming sense of danger filled me. Opening my eyes, I surveyed the area. Across the road, I noticed three men staring straight at us.

The one in the middle looked like one of the men from the fight. “Who’s that?” I heard Pavel asking.

“We need to move,” I breathed out, placing money on the table for our drinks as I rose. Walking slowly, weaving between the tables, I knew Pavel was following as I heard him getting up.

“Makari,” Pavel enquired with intensity in his voice. “What’s happening?”

We cleared the tables, moving to the corner where my truck was parked. “I think those men could be the guys I went looking for,” I said, keeping my voice low. Before we reached the truck, I saw the men splitting up. Two were heading away from us. But the man I recognized was walking parallel to us.

“We have to get him,” I said, watching him turn up an alley. “Come on,” I added, tapping Pavel on the shoulder as I moved across the street.

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