Page 80 of Brooklyn Bratva

But there was no time to worry about how I felt now. I had to get back to Brooklyn.

Dad looked up from the stove where he was making pancakes, the news on mute on the little TV in the corner.

“Where are you going?”

“Back to Brighton Beach.”

“Becca, be reasonable! You only just got here. Can we at least talk this through?”

“There’s nothing to talk through Dad. But it’s not that. You don’t understand. Something’s happened to Mama and it’s all my fault. I have to help Ivan find her.”

Dad’s eyebrows forged together and a look of sadness came into his eyes. “It’s not your fault, honey. It can’t be. She’s been ill a long time. That’s why Ivan brought her over here. To get proper treatment. These things just happen, baby.”

“No, Dad, you don’t understand. They were using both of us to get a whole bunch of drugs-”

“Ivan got you messed up in drug dealing?”

“No, the Ukranians! And I wasn’t. They just made it seem like I was in on it. But I wasn’t. And Ivan’s going to be in trouble too because they’ve been blackmailing Mama and now they’re trying to hurt her to get him to do what they want – and I have to do something!”.

Dad blinked at me, mouth hanging open and he set the spatula down, frown drawing in.

“What are you going to do in Brighton Beach? These are gangsters you’re talking about, Becca.”

“I know Dad. And I don’t know what I’m going to do. But they’re out to get the man I love. Your best friend. And I’m the one who should have let him know they were gunning for Mrs. K, and I didn’t, so I can’t just sit here and pretend I don’t know what’s going on.”

I felt so miserable knowing I was so far away and there wasn’t anything at all that I could do to help. I tried to keep it together, but when I drew in a deep breath to calm myself, it turned wobbly and my eyes started to well.

“He’s never going to forgive me!”

Dad looked panicked, just like he did every time I cried. I wished he’d just hug me, but that didn’t seem to come naturally to him. Instead he let out a heavy breath and flipped the stove off.

“Honey, don’t cry. It’ll be okay. I promise. Get in the car. I’ll drive you.”

CHAPTER 40

Ivan

“Where are we going?” I glanced across to the passenger seat, where Jerome has his feet up on the dash. We’d been driving around in the car all morning, and my patience was starting to wear thin?

“I dunno. You feeling pizza? I could be feeling pizza.”

My jaw tensed and I slammed my hand down hard against the steering wheel. “Not for lunch. We have to find Mama. Remember? It’s why I haven’t shot you yet.”

“Sheesh. I told you man, I don’t have a clue. It’s a much better view from the front seat of these things, you know what I’m saying? Maybe you should ask your girlfriend.”

“What?”

“Yeah… Becca, that’s her name, right? She might know.”

“Why would she know anything?” I didn’t like that I’d given this idiot kid her name. I didn’t like that he knew anything about her.

Jerome shrugged a skinny shoulder. “Her and Katja have been all into it with the prescriptions. I’m just saying, it’s not like Katja’s the only one who knows what’s been going on here.”

“What? What’s been going on?”

Jerome stared at me, holding silence for a long beat. “Nah, you’re kidding me. You don’t know?”

“Tell me. Now.” My patience was wearing thinner by the minute.

“Okay. Okay! You don’t got to start threatening to shoot me again. We’re all Starsky and Hutch now, yeah?”

“Jerome.”

He shook his head. “Your Mom got hooked in, I guess. Probably same as anyone.”

My teeth ground together, thinking back to Ruslan describing the scam. He hadn’t mentioned Mama. He must have been laughing inside the whole time. How had I not known that she was involved? Why hadn’t Mama told me she’d gotten into trouble?

“Then Becca and Katja – they’ve been putting the prescriptions through the clinic for her. I mean, I guess they told your Mom they’d get you arrested or something. Becca and Katja they’re saying they’ll get them struck off, or whatever. Katja doesn’t want to lose her job. Shit, I thought you knew what was going on.”

“Apparently not.” I screeched the car down the street, feeling the need to burn rubber as my anger rose.

Becca knew.

How could she have kept this from me? Mama I could understand. She already thought I’d done too much for her, made too many sacrifices, and I knew she’d do anything she thought she had to, to redress the balance.

But Becca should have known better. How could she work for Ruslan without even telling me something was going on? I’d never forgive her if he did something to Mama. How dare she come into my home and betray me like that.

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