Page 55 of British Bratva: A Russian Mafia Romance

“You do look very good in it. I always think that gold’s such a risk, but it works so well on you.”

I couldn’t say no to the pair of them. It was ridiculous. Maybe I was such a pushover because I kind of hoped I’d get the chance to go to at least one of the swanky parties I’d seen Maxim at, in those pictures I’d found online. And this would be just perfect for it.

Espionage was meant to be glamorous when it wasn’t all about staying hidden. Or at least, it looked that way in the movies. I wasn’t about to let myself get shortchanged, or upstage a man who looked like he’d been born knowing how to fit in and play a part.

I thought he might enjoy it nearly as much as me.

Rigby and Peller wasn’t a shop I’d been into before, but Cassie said it was a must, and I let the shop assistant guide me through the silk and lace, plunge lines and padding while Cassie took herself off to browse at the other end of the store.

“No offence pet, but I’m not helping you pick out your bedroom clothes.”

“No argument from me there, Cass.”

The things I picked out were sexy and I came out with a bra in a rich dark green satin and black eyelash lace, with matching french knickers that had lace all over the crotch and made me feel like some kind of burlesque dancer, I wanted Maxim to see me in them, and take them off slow. But no way did I want anyone else with that image in their heads, especially not my boss, even if Cassie was more like an aunt to me.

Hopefully Maxim would manage without ripping through them with his teeth, because I didn’t think the Bratva were going to make an underwear allowance a part of my regular payment. Especially not while I was only training. And this was the most expensive bra I’d ever seen in my life.

Maxim

While Elizabeth was out I told Valentin about our failure with the left luggage lockers over Skype. Knowing him as well as I did meant I saw the flicker of irritation in his eyes, but a stranger wouldn’t have. The man was remarkably cool and always had been.

He leaned forward, steepling his fingers together as he focused in on the screen. “Show me the key again.”

Dutifully, I dangled the neat fob in front of him and he let out a slow, ponderous breath.

“This is a needle in a haystack, Valentin. It’s a waste of our time. The man’s dead and I need to focus on his publicity agent. She’s in charge of when the manuscript hits the publisher, which means she has to have a copy.”

“I understand that. You need to do both.” My handler’s eyes darkened in a way that I recognised meant he was distinctly unamused. “We need his notes, Maxim. I am not going back to the Kremlin without one hundred percent assurance that those names are not going to get out.”

“You tell me where to look then. Am I going to go to every single locker in the whole of London?”

Valentin scowled. “You better think of something, Maxim. If you’ve fucked this up because of a woman, I’m not going to be able to protect you.”

I gritted my teeth. That wasn’t reassuring, but it was exactly what I’d have been telling anybody else who’d done something as stupid. Saving Elizabeth had been the only thing I cared about, but if I’d done it at the expense of the job that needed doing, then we were all screwed.

But I didn’t care. The animal side of me said she was the only thing that mattered and I’d take on anyone who said otherwise.

“I need a training budget.” It was a struggle to stop myself from growling, to keep myself inline, but the primal side of me wasn’t going to let Valentin get away with a single word against her, even though he was my boss.

Valentin blinked pointedly and leaned forward. “I don’t understand, Maxim.”

“I have an apprentice. I need a training budget.”

“You’ve always worked alone. Who is this person? We will need to have them vetted.”

“She’s fine.”

Valentin sat back heavily in his seat, hands falling weightily onto his knees. “She? Oh now I see.”

“I don’t think you do. She’s shown real promise. She’s a natural.”

“Elizabeth Harrington? She’s the reason you’re in this mess, chasing your tail.”

“How did you-?”

“Who else would it be? You’re married to your work, Maxim, she’s the only woman you’ve looked at in months. How do you know she’s not a liability?”

“She was the one who killed Sutherland.”

“Before we needed him dead. That’s called a fuck up, in my book.”

“I should have stopped the situation developing. But, my point is, she could do it again.”

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