Page 35 of Bratva Hostage

I answer the call. “Talk to me.”

“We got the confirmation. Intel from the interrogation paid off. Thorne’s men are making moves on Redwood Point. It’s sooner than we anticipated.”

“How soon?”

“They’re staging within the next forty-eight hours, maybe less. Aleksei wants a meeting right now to plan our approach.”

My gaze flicks to Cecily, who’s watching me with a mix of confusion and worry. “I’ll be there,” I say to Maksim, then hang up and stand.

“You’re leaving?” Cecily asks.

“Yes. My men and I need to handle something. You stay here. The estate is safer than anywhere else. There’s still a chance Thorne might try something, but we’ll fortify the gates while I’m gone.”

Her posture turns rigid. “So I’m basically locked in again.”

“I’d prefer you think of it as protection, but call it what you want.” I search her face for some sign of acceptance. All I see is the same anger and maybe with a pinch of concern, though I might just be imagining that.

Maksim’s call replays in my mind, reminding me we don’t have time. I glance at the half-eaten meal. “I have to go now, gather the team, finalize the plan.” I reach into my pocket, pull out my phone, and check a message from Aleksei that confirms the urgency. Redwood Point’s infiltration could be imminent. This is our chance to stop Thorne cold.

Chapter 14 - Cecily

I pace the corridor, cursing every minute that drags by without news. The estate feels too quiet, as if everyone is waiting for the same update I crave. Dimitri has been gone all evening, and my nerves are frayed. Every time a guard passes, I ask the same question: “Have you heard anything?” I receive the same reply: “Nothing yet.”

My frustration spikes when hours pass with no word, and I don’t even understand why. It’s not like I care about Dimitri’s safety. He’s a brute who forced me into a marriage and took advantage of my love for my sister. Yet, my heart skips a beat every time I imagine him facing my father and his men. I don’t know whether Dimitri will come back alive or if he’ll return victorious, but either way, the thought of his absence is more troubling than I want it to be.

So, I wander from one room to another, unable to settle. A kitchen staff member offers tea, but I barely manage a few sips before abandoning the cup. The storm in my head grows each time I imagine worst-case scenarios. Father has proven he’s not afraid to push Dimitri into danger. I wonder if Dimitri’s so determined he’ll ignore caution and walk right into a trap.

Late evening arrives, and the estate remains silent. I perch on the edge of a sofa with my hands knotted. Suddenly, voices sound near the entrance. I spring up and hurry to the foyer, breath catching when I see him enter. Dimitri stands surrounded by men, all looking bruised and exhausted. He meets my eyes across the room. Our eyes meet, and for a beat, I’m unable to move.

His suit jacket is missing. His shirt is splattered with dark stains, and sweat mats his hair against his forehead.He’s upright, though, which means he’s walking under his own power. The tightness in my chest loosens only to be replaced by a fierce rush of relief. I push through the bystanders, ignoring curious stares.

He looks at me as I approach, and there’s weariness etched into every line of his face. “I’m fine,” he says before I can demand details. “Don’t worry.”

“You’re covered in blood.”

“Most of it’s not mine.” He lifts a hand as if to reassure me, then winces at a gash on his arm.

I want to yell at him for scaring me. I want to push him away for forcing me into a vow I hate. Yet all I can do is fling my arms around his shoulders, ignoring the wet stains on his shirt. He tenses for a second, then grips me against him.

A swirl of emotions collides within me: relief that he’s alive, anger at the risk he took, and confusion because I shouldn’t feel any sense of comfort in his presence. But I do.

His men murmur something about debriefing, and the group disappears toward his office. He draws back just enough to see my face. “I told you I’d come back.”

“I was going crazy here. Don’t ever do that again.”

One corner of his mouth lifts. “I had to protect Redwood Point. It’s secure now.”

I clench his shirt. “I don’t care about that. I just—” Words fail me. I tug him closer and press my forehead to his. His warmth seeps into my bones, and I hate how desperately I need it.

It would be so easy to pretend that my fear was purely selfish; that I was afraid of what my father might do while Dimitri was away. But there’s no denying that I care about him,too. As much as I loathe his tactics, there’s no denying his courage or his honor. He didn’t have to marry me, yet he did. And even after I threw my fury and hurt in his face, he hasn’t given up.

Dimitri’s hand cradles the back of my head as his fingers weave through my hair. He takes a deep breath, and I close my eyes. For a moment, I could believe we’re two people sharing a tender moment, not a mobster and the woman he’s using.

I latch onto that delusion, letting the feeling of his heartbeat drown out all my questions.

I tilt my head, and our lips collide. He tastes of salt and copper, the remnants of a battle I know he’s barely had time to wash away. My heart thuds so hard that everything else fades. He brushes a hand against my neck, gripping just firmly enough to keep me there. His tongue parts my lips, and I moan, giving in.

The world fades away. There’s nothing but his hands on me and the pounding of my pulse in my ears. He kisses me like he can’t stop, as if I’m the only thing anchoring him here. I wrap my arms around his neck, letting him pull me closer against him.

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