Page 81 of Plus-Size Bratva Bride

Andrei works for them. He was my brother’s best friend. Um. I can contact him—“

She is rustling through information, either trying to tempt me with it to trap me or trying to use it to negotiate for her life.

I turn to glare at her.

“And you want what in return? Your freedom? The chance to go home and live a happy life after what you’ve done?”

She huffs loudly, visibly frustrated.

“I want tohelp,”she practically shrieks, fighting tears.

“I want to help you get your brother back,” she says more calmly, controlled.

“And you think one call to the Enzos is going to get my brother back? How stupid do I look, Jade?” I say, walking slowly towards her with my eyes locked onto her like death rays. There is no point in trying to look away. She is the flame, and I am the moth.

I ordered my brother not to kill her. I couldn’t bring myself to do it. But that doesn’t mean I should let her trick me again, as hard as it is not to fall for her words. She always seems so sincere.

“A phone call, maybe, but I think it’s better if I go there. They are expecting me to anyway. The longer I stay here, the more suspicious they will become, but if I left now and went straight to them, I could pretend like their plan worked. And I could find out where Ruvim is and get that information to you.”

I listen to her words, and if I trusted her, it would be a brilliant plan—but I don’t. I can’t. I can’t make the same mistake twice.

And—

I don’t want her in danger.

I snarl at the thought. Angry with myself for being so weak.

But my heart still belongs to her, until I can get over what’s happened between us. Until I can find a way to heal and piece myself back together. I still want her and long for her, and care for her deeply.

“No,” I snap angrily.

Marching out of the room, I leave her standing alone in the living room. She can’t escape anywhere. The house is a secure fortress, and the guards will stop her before she gets a few feet from the house. And I need space.

I need to think clearly, and I can’t do that with her so close to me.

I head toward the kitchen to speak to Renat. He’s been holding her captive for me and I want to know his thoughts on the matter.

In the kitchen, Renat is leaning against the counter and flicking through his phone.

“Did you get any information from her while you had her?”

“No, I found other information though that will interest you. I wanted to tell you in person—“ he holds up his phone. “This is the image they showed her to prove to her that you were the killer.”

I take her phone and see a screenshot taken from security footage. Grigor’s moment of death.

My heart sputters when I see the man leaning over him. “It looks like me.”

“It looks very much like you and the Enzos did that on purpose. They hired this guy to off her brother. His name is John Grecko. They chose him specifically so that they could then lead Jade to believe you murdered her brother, and then manipulate her into this situation she is currently in. They used her to infiltrate our family.”

I bite the inside of my cheek, my heart sinking for her.

They killed her brother, just to use her in a plot to take me down.

That’s sick.

“I believe they were in her head for months about you, planting seeds and pushing her to hate you and our family. I think they brain washed her like a puppet, using her grief to shape her choices. And using this evidence to solidify their lies.”

Handing Renat’s phone back to him I feel anger and pain boiling inside me—for her. For what they put her through.

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