Page 51 of Bratva Wolf

He stands. “What? Now wait a minute.”

I wave him off. “If you love me, you’ll give me time. Let me process this.” I step back. “And I can’t do that around you.”

An hour later, I walk into my grandmother’s house with bothshe and Mrs. Abashin staring at me as I close the door.

My grandmother points to my suitcase. “What’s this?”

I hold it up and shake it. With a sarcastic tone, I answer. “This is a suitcase.”

Mrs. Abashin laughs. “Piss and vinegar today.”

“I’m not in the mood.” I walk down the hall to my room. The walls still hold the posters I had up in my teenage years. My lavender bedspread still covers the simple single bed. I set down my bag and kick off my shoes, climbing into the bed of my childhood, needing the simple comfort of innocence to return to me once again.

Knock, knock. My eyes ping open. “Yes?”

“Want some dinner?”

I glance around my darkened room. “Yeah. Be right out.”

I step out of the room and proceed into the dining room, where my grandmother and Mrs. Abashin giggle like teenage girls. “What’s so funny?”

Mrs. Abashin smirks. “I’ve decided to join a dating service.”

“Oh.” My brows raise. “How’s that going to go over with the Pakhan?”

Both of the women cringe as I scoop stew onto my plate.

My grandmother clears her throat. “Thane called. He explained that you found out more about your father.”

I set down my fork, feeling the anxiety and stress from the last weeks bubble up inside. “About that. Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you share that my father was a bad man who tried to kill families?”

“Oh honey.” She reaches for my hand, and I pull it away. “You know. Maybe staying here isn’t any better than staying at Thane’s.” I stand up.

Mrs. Abashin stands. “Sit.”

Her tone reminds me of Thane’s, and I do as she says.

“Your father didn’t start out as a bad man. He was a goodman until he decided he wanted more. So, he went after Thane’s father and his family. Families are complicated. Yours was no different. Your mother and brothers shouldn’t have been executed with your father. In the Bravikov Bratva, families aren’t blamed for the sins of the father. No one consulted Thane’s father before they went after your family, so you can’t blame Thane.”

I sigh. “I don’t blame him for that. I blame him for not telling me who my father was and who I am.”

She shakes her head. “He was trying to protect you. You need to think about what you’re doing.”

I scoff. “And what am I doing?”

“You’re putting a target on yourself with that cartel. Now that you know what happened. You’re a threat.”

My stomach flips. Is that the baby or me? I can’t deal with this right now. I wave my hand and skulk off to my bedroom.

Four hours later my eyes ping open. “I need to get over myself about this whole thing. It’s never been in my control. Thane loves me. I need to wrap my head around it all so I can go home.” Growling at myself, I get up and throw my clothes back on. I trudge out into the living room to see my grandmother, Mrs. Abashin, Thane and Wystan sitting around the table playing some card game. “What the fuck is this?”

Wystan scoffs. “What is it about beautiful young ladies and their filthy mouths?”

I open my mouth to snap back and catch my grandmother’s expression. Her pursed lips and wide eyes make me regret my attitude. Shit. “Sorry.”

Thane smiles softly. “How are you feeling?”

I put my hand on my hip, standing akimbo. “Fine. Why are you here?”

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