Page 9 of Pregnant Bratva Wife
I stood as she approached. “Autumn,” I said, by way of greeting.
“Hi.” Her voice sounded small, and she tried to smile at me. But it came out all weak.
“Come, sit,” I said gently, walking over to pull out a chair. She took it, but threw me a look over her shoulder. A look of surprise. Like she wasn’t used to men pulling chairs for her.
What kind of men had she been hanging around? Ungrateful ones, by the likes of it.
I took my seat and handed her a menu. “Coffee?”
“No.” She shook her head stiffly. “I want to get this over with.”
I signaled the barista anyway, ordering her a latte. I’d had her investigated; I knew her coffee preferences.
“You look tired,” I observed.
“Is that really what you want to talk about?” She leaned forward in frustration. “That I look tired? Let’s get to the point, shall we? You offered me a deal. I need to know if it still stands.”
I studied her face, enjoying the flush of anger in her cheeks. “What changed your mind? Last I heard, you’d rather live in your car.”
She flinched. “My circumstances have changed.”
“How so?”
Her eyes flashed. “I…my mom left some debts to be paid. I’m out of cash.”
“How much do you need?” I asked calmly.
She fidgeted nervously, like she was afraid to answer.
“I can’t help you if you don’t tell me,” I reminded her. I obviously knew about the five grand, but she didn’t know I knew.
“F…Five thousand dollars. By Friday,” she whispered, her eyes locked on mine, as though she was trying to gauge my reaction.
Just then, the coffee came. I slid hers over to her and took a sip of mine, nodding at her to carry on.
She held her cup, but didn’t drink immediately. “My mother…she owed eighty grand before she died. The interest itself is hard to cover. I have no other family that can help.”
The interest part? I knew nothing about that.
“How much is the interest?” I asked, leaning closer.
Finally, she took a sip of her coffee, as if the words needed to be smoothed over in her throat. “10% per month.”
I clenched my cup harder. What the actual fuck? That’s exorbitant. What bastard would put a woman in such a situation? Whoever did this to her would pay.
Someday.
“You’ll have the money,” I said evenly. “Five thousand dollars by Friday.”
The color drained from her face like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Just like that?”
“In exchange for the same thing I offered before. Marriage,” I said.
“Why? You could have any woman you want.”
I smiled. “And I want you.”
“Why?” she demanded again.
