Page 20 of Secret Baby and the Bratva

“Nothing.”

“It’s something.”

“It’s nothing. I don’t want you to worry.”

“I’m going to worry now. Show me what it is, and you better have gotten a fucking tattoo and it’s just covered.”

Yeah, if only. Never have I had a lower or less avoidable moment in my life.

I reluctantly pull my shirt off. The white gauze bandage held down by tape looks worse than it is, since the wound is long, but fairly superficial.

She reaches forward, then pulls her hand away. “Peel it off.”

My head falls as I purse my lips and close my eyes. A deep breath does nothing to come up with a magical answer. I peel the tape away and her hand flies to her mouth. “What the fuck happened, Yulian? It was the other night, wasn’t it? You came home and you had changed shirts.”

“It’s nothing, really.”

“Don’t lie to me. What is this? Because I’m thinking the worst right now.”

The look of horror on her face guts me. I should have stayed home. I should have at least talked to her about going. She’ll never believe I was ready to give everything up for her.

She asked me not to lie, and I’ll do my best not to.

“It’s not going to happen again.”

“You won’t have to hide it from me if it does.” She storms out, disappearing briefly in her room, then making her way to the nursery with her laptop. She closes the door gently.

The click of the lock breaks my heart.

At least she didn’t leave.

Fourteen

Feliks

Itrythedoorhandle. It’s no use.

“Margot.” I rest my head against the door. “We got caught in a tough spot with Grandfather. An opportunity of a lifetime, but we’re done. The world will be safer for Maverik…and everyone, without that drug on the street. It was too valuable of an opportunity to pass up.”

“If the bullet had been a few inches to the side, would you still say that? Would it be valuable if Yulian died? What if Yulian is Maverik’s father? What would we tell him?” Her voice comes from near the door, softly but full of hurt and anger.

I want to reach through the door, the wall, anything and hold her. We’ve hurt her in the worst possible way.

“We had to make a judgment call. It was fast. Think of all the people who won’t get addicted, who won’t be dead because of drugs. A hit of this size will send a message to the Soloniks.”

“You’ll never be able to send enough messages.”

My brothers have surrounded me, but there’s no convincing her we are done.

Yulian shakes his head and leans against the wall. “One hit too many.”

“She’ll never understand our need to protect, ourwaysof protecting.” Maxim paces away from us and then returns, over and over again. “We are the Ubiytsa.” He keeps his voice low. “She’ll never get over what we were, what I still am. She makes me question everything. I want to embrace those new ways more than ever. But protecting people is all I’ve ever done. I can’t change myself overnight.”

My world is crumbling. I’m caught between one brother who was ready to give it all up and the other brother who’s not sure he can. What will it take to get everyone on the same page? “While Margot and Maverik are safe in our house, we have time to figure this out.”

“What if this pushes her over the edge?” Yulian’s agony over losing Margot is worse than the pain of the bullet that unraveled the situation.

“We’ll talk to her in the morning. Maybe we can explain. We can put all the details on the table.”

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