Page 5 of The Bratva's Christmas Bump
“Toto, when was the last time you pulled the trigger on someone who didn’t explicitly deserve it?”
His lips part and his boyish face melts with confusion as he struggles to recall an exact time. Like a fish gasping for air, his lips part repeatedly and then he leans back onto his knee. “I ain’t got a clue.”
“Exactly. Until I know exactly why she walked in here, she doesn’tdeserveanything,” I say, and I lock eyes with Stu as he walks back through those double doors rolling one shoulder to free it from an ache.
“Igor won’t be happy,” Stu comments, wrinkling his nose and causing the scar on his cheek to jump.
“Let me deal with my father. If nothing comes of this and she is innocent, you will owe her an apology.”
“Sure,” Stu replies easily. “If.”
“Take her to my penthouse. From there, we’ll find out the truth and keep her quiet.”
“No!” Her voice rises up from behind me. “You’re not taking me anywhere!”
We all turn. She stands in the doorway of the office on trembling legs, brandishing the desk lamp clutched between both her hands. Despite the evident fear in her stunning, crystal clear green eyes, her brow is pinched in anger and her lips set in a straight line.
“Let. Me. Go.”
It takes balls to face down four members of the Mafia with a desk lamp, I’ll give her that.
“If you can make it past all four of us,” I say casually, “then you’re free to go.”
“Really?” She and Toto speak in unison. Toto earns a slap on the back of the head from Stu.
“You idiot,” Stu mutters.
“You mean it?” the woman challenges again.
“Sure. And I’ll make it easy for you. None of us will even move.”
Her eyes dart back and forth between the four of us and I see the wheels turning behind her eyes. She’s trying to find the path of least resistance between us, a path that doesn’t exist given the close build of the kitchen and the amount of space I alone take up.
“How do I know you’ll keep your word?” Her voice trembles and she takes a wobbling step forward. Her grip on the desk lamp becomes so tight that her knuckles become almost translucent.
“I always keep my word.”
She scoffs weakly, trying to appear stronger than she actually is. “Shit like that doesn’t mean anything between strangers.”
“Then make your choice. Either you’re going to my penthouse or you’re trying to get past us. Decide.”
Her lips part. The lampshade quivers in her grasp and her chest rises so rapidly, it’s a wonder she’s getting any air with how she pants. There’s a moment of silence broken by Stu popping his gun. The sound makes her jump, but it spurs her into action. She sprints from the doorway and reaches Rex first, who watches her with a mildly amused smile. He doesn’t move and he doesn’t try to reach for her either, so she slips past untouched. Next is Toto, still kneeling on the tiles next to the stain. He also doesn’t move other than sliding his bucket of water out of her path so she doesn’t trip. Each victory gives her confidence, but I’m next.
And she’s not getting away.
She tries to run past me, hair flying and cheeks vibrant from the adrenaline rush of success, but she doesn’t make it. I sweep my arm out, and she runs right into it with a pained grunt as all the air bursts past her lips. With one motion, I sweep her right off her feet, and the desk lamp slips from her fingers, then shecollides with the fridge next to me as I shove her into it and crowd her in with my entire bulk.
“You said you wouldn’t move!” she gasps as gigantic tears flood her eyes.
“I didn’t. My feet are exactly where they always were.”
“Please let me go. I didn’t see anything, I swear. I won’t tell anyone anything, please!” She dissolves into terrified sobs and tension coils around my beating heart.
“What is there to tell anyone if you didn’t see anything?” My head tilts to the side. “I don’t like liars, and we both know what you saw. So beg all you want. The only place you’re going is my penthouse.”
3
HOLLIE
