Page 168 of Ripped Lace (Ripped Bratva)

“Sit up and drink some water.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Dying of dehydration isn’t going to help get them back, you know.”

Sighing, I struggle upright and turn around to glare at him.

“Come on,” he says, offering me a tall glass of water. “You can’t have lost all your fight.”

“I can’t lose them.”

“Then don’t throw in the towel just yet,” he tells me. “It’s not over. As long as there’s air in our lungs, we can still fight.”

I nod slowly and take the glass of water. I only want to take a sip so he stops harassing me about it, but it tastes so good that I keep drinking until the glass is drained.

“Feel better?” Matvei asks with a soft chuckle.

“A little.” I wipe my lips.

“If we survive this, Elyssa,” he sighs, “you’re going to have to get used to this life. It’s hard. Brutal at times, but it’s part of the package.”

“It’s torture.”

“That might be the price of being with Phoenix.”

I nod, realizing what he’s telling me. He’s not asking me to change—not quite. He’s asking me toevolve.

To become stronger. Braver. More daring.

He gives me an understanding nod as I struggle to process what that means, what it might look like. “So the question is,” he continues, “do you want to be with him enough?”

I haven’t admitted it out loud, not even to myself. But near-death experiences have a way of forcing honesty out of even the most stubborn of people.

“Yes,” I croak. “I do.”

He smiles. “Then we’ll get him back together.”

“Do we even have a plan?”

“The plan is to wait for reinforcements to arrive. And when they do, we’re going to prepare for an attack.”

“Reinforcements?”

“Phoenix comes from an old Bratva family,” Matvei tells me. “His father called me earlier today and I admitted that more men would be helpful. He’s sending a contingent over as we speak.”

That makes me feel better. “When will they be here?”

“A day or so.”

That makes my stomach plummet back down again. “Matvei…”

“I know how you feel about this, Elyssa. But rushing into things is not going to serve us well. This is not some random thug we’re talking about. Viktor Ozol is a dangerous man, and he’s dangerous because he’s smart. He’ll have planned ahead. Which means we need to do the same.”

What can I do but nod? Matvei is right: I don’t know this world. Not yet. But I’m learning as fast as I can. I just have to pray that it’s fast enough.

“Okay, Matvei. Okay.”

He touches my shoulder gently. Then he turns and walks out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

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