Page 44 of Bratva's Stolen Bride
“Payton, are you alright?” Hayley, who looks like a slightly bigger, less beautiful copy of Payton, steps forward.
“We’re here for the girl,” Richmond says, revealing a pistol at his side. “Give her to us now, Beckenham, and no one needs to get hurt.”
“Apologies for your wasted trip, but Payton is remaining with me,” I reply with deceptive calm.
Greenwich steps up. “You’re outnumbered.”
“Don’t come any closer, I’m warning you,” I say mildly, glancing down at my phone screen. Greenwich and Richmond share a sideways glance.
“Payton, come to your sister,” Richmond says.
My good girl doesn’t move.
“One more step forward, and I’ll be forced to protect what’s mine,” I warn.
“Look,” Greenwich snarls and pulls out a gun.
I touch his image on the overhead view on my phone, and he lights up red. I choose the “scare” button, and confirm.
A hail of bullets rain from the sky a few feet to the side of Greenwich and he jumps aside, protectively pulling Hayley with him with a yelp.
“What the fuck, Beckenham?!” he bellows, as the other men go pale, and step away.
I sigh. “You think I have this island all to myself without defence?” I roll my eyes. “And call off your men at the south, or I’ll be forced to deal with them more directly.”
“What have you got there?” asks Harlsden, hands in his pockets. He glances up at the sky. “Drones and, like, a games console?”
“More or less,” I confirm.
“Nice.” He nods. “Good bit of kit.”
“Fucking drones,” complains Richmond looking up. “When did we start doing our business with toys? As bad as poison. Give me a proper shoot-out any day.”
“You sound like an old man,” says Harlsden.
Richmond grumbles, but pulls out a phone and issues an order to stand down.
“Are you okay?” Hayley says, and I growl as she starts to approach. She’s shaking, and her voice is high with fear.
Payton gives me a cross little glance, and I press my mouth into a flat line.
Okay. No killing her sister.
“I could ask you the same thing,” Payton replies. “Who are these men?”
“Maxim is…” Hayley blushes. “My new… Boyfriend? Things happened after Ivan attacked me.”
“And he killed my son.” Might as well take that moral high ground, since it’ll help get rid of them.
“He—” Greenwich begins.
“And I appreciate you disposing of that problem for me,” I add smoothly. I can’t bring myself to feel more than token regret about Ivan’s death when the result has been me finding Payton.
His eyebrows raise to a height only slightly lower than the drones hovering overhead. “You’re welcome?”
“And thank you for letting me know in person, but I think it’s time you left. I have a honeymoon to enjoy with my wife.” I smile down at Payton.
“You really got married?” Hayley cries out, wringing her hands with concern.
