Page 33 of Bratva's Stolen Bride
“Is Ivan dead?” I ask bluntly. That would save me a job.
“I don’t know, Pakhan, we don’t have…”
I look over at the water for my fix of Payton, and frown.
She’s gone. I scan the sea, my heart in my throat.
Evgeni is saying something, but I’ve stopped caring. All I can see is that Payton isn’t there and fuck. Fuck!
Has she drowned? Is she in trouble? Where is she?
“I’ll call you back,” I say, shoving my phone into my pocket as I start running to the water, my blood pumping desperately.
The horror of anything having happened to her is ice in my veins, despite the sun rising warm overhead, promising a beautiful day. I sprint to where the waves lap the shore, and stare at the sea. She’s not there. She can’t have gone past me, but she could have doubled back and swum the opposite way? I pray that my guess is correct, and that I can find her, setting off at a sprint back towards the house, feet slapping on the wet sand.
“Hey, sorry I didn’t answer.”
Spray arcs up as I slide to a halt at the sound of Payton’s hushed voice from inside the house and relief crashes over me. I catch myself and change direction, heading across the beach, my pulse not getting the message that there aren’t any monsters I need to slay to save her, or threat to pull her away from.
I glare at her back, stalking towards the open door. She’s speaking on the phone.
Moya lisichka. She will be the death of me.
“Sorry you didn’t answer?!” A girl who can only be Payton’s sister Hayley yells from the video on Payton’s phone. “Why didn’t you call me as soon as you could?”
“I couldn’t!” Payton glances to the side. “Look, I shouldn’t even be talking to you now, but I heard my phone ringing and ran out of the water.”
“No, you shouldn’t be using that phone,” I say, scowling down at Payton, who peeks up at me. Our gazes meet, and chemistry sparks between us.
On the screen, a man puts an arm over Hayley’s shoulders and growls, “Rykov. What the fuck?”
“Who’s that?!” Payton demands. Her eyes go wide and dart around as though finally taking in Hayley’s surroundings on the screen. The unfamiliar apartment and the intimacy of the pose.
Hayley gives the man a happy glance. “Uh, well, some things have happened.”
He smirks back at her. It takes me second but I recognise Greenwich. What the hell?
“Are you okay?” Payton says worriedly. My sweet girl is concerned about her sister. “I thought you were safe at home.”
“Yeah. Safe.” Hayley slants an eyebrow at Payton. “Your boyfriend tried to kill me, you know? A heads up would have been nice.”
“I told you so,” I say, my arms folded. This is why I kept Payton with me. Safe.
“Oh no.” Payton covers her mouth, but her eyes are distraught. “I’m so sorry.”
“I dealt with it,” the man interjects mildly.
“What do you mean?” I grab the phone and hold it close to my face, scowling.
He turns so the screen is filled by him, trying to look tough. “Bring Payton back,” Greenwich grits out. “And we’ll talk about your son.”
Talk? That’s a euphemism if ever I heard one. Evgeni said Ivan and his friends hadn’t returned from Greenwich, and suddenly everything slots into place.
“Understood.”
“So you’ll return Payton—” Hayley begins.
“Nyet. She’smine,” I snap and hang up.
