Page 36 of The Bratva Bosses' Nanny

She crosses her arms. “You could’ve told me the truth, instead of keeping me in the dark. I thought we were supposed to trust each other.”

I take a step towards her, feeling the hurt and anger tighten my chest. “I didn’t know how to tell you without hurting you.”

She shakes her head, her eyes flashing with something that looks dangerously close to hatred. “You don’t get to decide what’s best for me, Dmitri. You don’t get to keep me in the dark just because it’s easier for you.”

I stare at her. “Is that what you really think I’m doing?”

Her mouth pulls into a tight line, resignation and pain warring in her eyes. “What else am I supposed to think?”

“There are things that you still don’t know about, Emma.”

She pivots to face me, “Like what? Enlighten me.”

I exhale slowly, “Aleksandr and Nikolai don’t want to admit it, but we are in great danger right now. We’ve had an attack the other day and—”

She interrupts. “Is Alina okay?!”

“Yes, yes, Alina is fine. She’s actually in her room, sleeping.”

Emma’s shoulders drop, relief washing over her for a moment before the fight comes back into her eyes. “And what about us? What about the people after you—after all of us?”

I close the distance between us, the need to protect her from everything that’s coming is almost overwhelming. “We’re doing everything we can to keep everyone safe. But Emma, you need to understand—this isn’t a game. It’s life or death, and you’re in the middle of it now, whether you want to be or not.”

Her gaze holds mine, steady and unflinching. “What’s the plan?”

“The plan is to end this. To find out who Frostbite is and to stop them before they can hurt any of us again. And you, you need to stay safe, Emma. Can you do that for me?”

She nods, a flicker of the old Emma shining through. “For Alina,” she corrects, and I can’t help but nod in agreement.

“For Alina.”

Our faces are inches apart. Her breath quickens. I can count the freckles dancing across her nose, feel her breath mingling with mine. I lean in, the world narrowing down to the space between us—

The door swings open. Aleksandr stands there, his gaze sharp, cutting through the thick air. “I was just checking in on you,” he says, his voice flat.

Emma steps back immediately. Aleksandr’s eyes flick from her to me. All at once, the heat from our almost-kiss is gone.

Chapter 15: Treading Water

Emma

Another week with the Bratva men ticks by. It’s noon, and I’ve just put little Alina down for her nap. Watching her sleep, I can’t help but play with a strand of her hair, thinking about the innocence she’s wrapped in, blissfully unaware of the mess swirling around her. Poor little baby.

She is growing on me. I leave her room, closing the door softly behind me, and head towards the living room. It’s strange, but I’m getting used to the constant presence of the Bratva men. They’re like shadows that have substance, dangerous but familiar. And, if I’m honest with myself, I don’t entirely hate the fact it’s just us, alone in this grand house.

Each day, the line between my old life and this new, darker reality blurs a bit more. I’m adapting, surviving—no, more than that—I’m finding my place in the chaos. It’s unsettling how the idea of being with them, in the thick of the mafia world, is getting less terrifying by the day.

My phone beeps. Kate’s name lights up the screen, her message popping up with a familiarpingthat always brings a smile to my face.

How is it going? How is Alina?

I type back quickly.She’s doing great! I taught her numbers today. She’s a quick learner

You’d be a great momAlways the teaser.

I roll my eyes, even though she can’t see it.Stop it. No, I wouldn’t

As I sit there, my thumb hovering over the keyboard, I debate telling her about the Bratva men, about the odd blend of danger and care they’ve shown me. But no, I made a promise to keep quiet. I mean, Zoe knows a bit, but Zoe’s different—she’s like an extension of my conscience.

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