Page 52 of Bratva Hostage

“What’s wrong?” he asks, reading the conflict written on my face.

Gently, I nudge him back.

Dimitri takes the hint and slips out of me. A trail of cum drips down the inside of my leg, and I feel a sudden, deep pang of guilt.

I don’t want to talk. Not about what just happened. Not about anything. I can’t let him get close to me, or me to him.

“I need to use the restroom,” I say, pulling away.

Dimitri nods and lets me go.

I hurry down the hall and shut myself inside the bathroom. My reflection in the mirror looks flushed and disheveled, but also happy. Satisfied.

I turn on the water and splash my face. When I look up, the girl in the mirror is a stranger. She looks like she’s lost.

That’s because you are.

Chapter 19 - Dimitri

I see the car the moment I step outside, parked just beyond the gate like it belongs there. It doesn’t. I don’t recognize it, and I recognize every vehicle that’s meant to be in the area. No one’s inside as far as I can tell, but my gut says otherwise.

For a few seconds, I just stand there, fighting the urge to pull my weapon and approach. Two weeks ago, I would have. I would’ve forced whoever was lurking inside to step out and answer my questions. But now, I’ve got bigger concerns. I’ve got Cecily. And the more she grows into her role, the more I realize just how vulnerable I am if Thorne aims to exploit her presence here.

My phone vibrates. I glance at the screen: Maksim texting for an update. I type a quick note—Strange car out front, no immediate threat—and stuff the phone in my pocket. Then I force myself to walk inside. If I make a show of aggression, I might tip off whoever’s watching that I’m onto them. Better to let them think I haven’t noticed or that I don’t care. At least until I decide how to handle it.

I pass two guards posted by the gate. They dip their heads in greeting, then stare past my shoulder at the car. I give a slight shake of my head, signaling them to stand down for now. One of them looks uneasy, but he doesn’t question me. Loyalty. It’s why I trust these men. But trust doesn’t mean I can relax.

Stepping into the foyer, I let out a breath. The memory of last night won’t leave me alone. I can’t shake it. Each time I walk into the dining room and look at that table, I end up replaying every moment in excruciating detail. That’s new for me, letting a woman’s presence consume my thoughts.

She’s done that. Taken my carefully structured life and turned it inside out. And I’m falling for her, no matter how much sense it doesn’t make. But loving someone in this world means handing any enemy a potential weakness. That terrifies me more than any war we’ve waged.

I head toward my office, half expecting to find Cecily there. She’s taken to reviewing intel on her own. The girl is always looking for angles we might’ve missed. I push the door open. Empty. Good. That gives me a moment to think. Or so I tell myself. In truth, I’m avoiding her until I have a plan, a method to ensure she doesn’t end up in a sniper’s crosshairs.

I sink into the leather chair and rub a hand over my face. My thoughts refuse to settle. I keep picturing that car outside, imagining the muzzle of a rifle pointed toward any window Cecily might pass. My chest constricts at the idea of losing her, especially now that she’s more than an asset. She’s become the reason I can’t sleep without double-checking every lock and every camera feed.

The door creaks open. Maksim steps in and closes it behind him. “You saw it?”

“No plates, dark tint. Could be Thorne. Could be a scout.”

“Sure you don’t want me to send someone out there?”

“I want them left alone for now. Let’s see if they make a move. If we spook them, we lose the advantage.”

He arches a brow but doesn’t argue. “Fine. You gonna tell Cecily?”

The mention of her name sets my pulse racing. “I’ll handle it.”

He studies me for a beat longer, then shrugs. “Security’s tight all around, but maybe we should reinforce the second floor. That corridor has too many windows.”

“Yeah. I’m restricting access to any area with a direct line of sight from outside. Starting tonight.”

Maksim snorts softly. “Cecily’s not going to like that.”

“No, she won’t,” I admit as I stand. “But it’s necessary.”

He offers a small nod. Then he leaves, presumably to organize the men. Once he’s gone, I force myself to gather a plan. Tighter security means confining Cecily to certain parts of the house. She’ll see it as me doubting her abilities. In a way, maybe I am. Not because she can’t handle herself, but because I can’t handle the risk of losing her.

I genuinely thought most of this activity would stop if we got married. Instead, it’s picked up. It almost seems to have encouraged Thorne even more.

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