Page 46 of The Bratva Bosses' Nanny

“Tell me,” Zoe urges.

“Okay, so, Aleksandr received a message today,” I begin, and already I can feel the walls closing in, the danger of the words I’m about to utter.

“And?”

“The message leads to… it leads to...” I hesitate, my eyes darting around the room as if the walls themselves might be listening.

“Oh, will you say it already, Emma?”

“The Madden’s beauty salon,” I finally admit, the words feeling heavy and dangerous on my tongue.

Zoe’s brow furrows. “You mean the one your step sis owns?”

“Yeah. That one.”

Zoe’s concern is evident, her hand reaching out to clasp mine. “Emma, what does this mean?”

I shake my head, lost. “I don’t know, Zoe. But it’s not good. It’s not good at all.”

“What did the message even say?”

I feel a knot tighten in my stomach. “I don’t know! Aleksandr didn’t tell me.” My voice trails off as I glance around, “And they are not in the house right now. I’m worried about my sister, and I don’t know if I should text her or not. They might think I’m a spy or something, but what could my sister possibly want from them?”

The questions pile up, each one a heavier weight than the last.

Alina’s attention is captured by the colorful images dancing across the television screen, her previous shyness forgotten. Zoe’s gaze is fixed on me.

“Okay, firstly, calm down,” Zoe says, her voice firm. “Just because the message was from the Madden’s beauty salon, doesn’t mean it’s related to your sister. It could be anyone from there. She has plenty of customers, and employees. Also, this might be a trap. Maybe someone is trying to get your sister framed or something, to...”

“To what?” I feel a lump form in my throat.

“To change the main focus somewhere else. To make them think of something else,” she exhales, “I mean, I’ve seen enough movies, and I know if someone wants to send a threatening message to someone, they wouldn’t do it on a trackable phone.”

“Jesus, Zoe. How do you even know all of this?” I ask, a shaky laugh escaping me despite the gravity of our conversation.

“TV shows teach you a lot. But right now, it seems like you’re in one,” she quips, a wry smile pulling at her lips.

I sigh, feeling the weight of her words. She’s right; it does feel like I’ve become the unwitting protagonist in a crime drama. Except there’s no script, no pause button, and definitely no guarantee of a happy ending.

The sound of a car engine cuts through the quiet, and I can’t help but rush to the window. It’s Nikolai’s car.

“Who is it?” Zoe’s voice pulls me back from the glass.

“It’s Nikolai.”

She looks at me. “They are okay with me being here, right?”

“If they weren’t, you wouldn’t be,” I assure her.

I give Alina’s head a gentle pat, mustering a smile for her before heading towards the entryway. I can feel my heart beating rapidly.

Nikolai steps into the room, every inch the imposing Bratva boss in his sharp suit. I can’t read his face.

“Is this your friend?” he inquires, his voice holding a cool neutrality.

I nod, my mouth suddenly dry.

Zoe stands up, the picture of polite curiosity as she takes his offered hand. “I’m Zoe.”

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