Page 40 of Bratva Hostage

I can’t dismiss the threat that Thorne poses. Every day he searches for weaknesses in our armor. If he finds one, he’ll exploit it. If Cecily is that weak link…

I don’t know. I hate doubting her. But what if it’s true?

For the first time, I wonder if the only way to protect my family is to push her away.

The idea sits in my gut like a stone, heavy and immovable.

There’s only one problem: I can’t bring myself to do it.

Chapter 16 - Cecily

I’m done sitting on the sidelines.

The moment we returned from seeing Seraphina, my mind has been moving too fast to rest. Seeing her safe, seeing her free—it lit something inside me. I can’t go back to being the woman who lets others decide what happens next. I won’t.

I know my father better than anyone here. His lies, his tricks, the way he maneuvers people like chess pieces. It’s second nature to him. That means I have something Dimitri and his men don’t. A way to anticipate what’s coming next.

I spent years trapped under my father’s rule, and now I’m trapped under Dimitri’s protection. The difference is, Dimitri actually thinks he’s doing me a favor. He doesn’t realize that keeping me out of the fight won’t keep me safe. It’ll just make me useless.

I’ve had enough of being useless.

I find Dimitri in his office, hunched over a stack of documents. He doesn’t look up when I enter, but I know he senses my presence. His fingers tap against the desk. I’ve come to recognize it as his only tell when he’s bracing for a fight.

Good. He should be.

“I want in,” I declare without any preamble.

His pen pauses mid-scratch. He finally looks up, and his eyes scan my face as if weighing how much trouble this conversation is about to be. “In on what?”

“You know exactly what.” I step closer and plant my hands on the edge of his desk. “I want to be involved. Strategizing, planning, whatever it takes to take down my father. I have insight none of your men do. It’s a waste not to use it.”

“You don’t need to be involved in any of this.”

“That’s not your choice.”

“Yes, it is.” He leans back and steeples his fingers. “This isn’t up for discussion.”

I let out a short laugh, one with no humor. “You don’t get to lock me in a marriage for the sake of your business and then expect me to be an obedient, silent wife. I have just as much at stake as you do.”

“You have more at stake,” he corrects. “Which is why you’re staying out of it.”

“That doesn’t even make sense.”

“It makes perfect sense,” he replies. “You’re a target. Thorne already tried to kill you once. If you think I’m letting you anywhere near the fight, you’re not thinking straight.”

I push off the desk and throw my hands in the air. “You have men out there working to destroy him, but none of them know him like I do. I know his weaknesses. I know how he operates. But you’d rather pretend that’s not valuable?”

“You think I don’t see the value? Of course, I do. But it’s not worth the risk.”

“This isn’t just about me. This is about everyone he’s hurt. The people he’s tortured, controlled, ruined. I can help end him.”

“And if he gets to you first? Then what? He doesn’t kill quickly, Cecily. He takes his time. He enjoys it. I’ve seen his handiwork.”

Inwardly, I flinch, but I don’t let it show. I’ve seen what’s left of the men who cross him, too. “I know exactly what kind of monster he is. That’s why I won’t hide while you handle it.”

His chair scrapes as he stands. The room suddenly feels smaller with him towering over me, but I just square my shoulders. “I handle it because I know what I’m doing.”

“So do I,” I shoot back. “You think growing up with him didn’t teach me anything? I spent years learning how he operates. How he manipulates. How he moves pieces before anyone realizes they’re part of his game. And you’d rather keep me locked away instead of using what I know?”

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