Page 51 of Bratva Bastard

The pressure from everything had become so heavy, I could barely lift it any longer. Cracks had surfaced, ready to burst at any moment, sending the weight crushing into me.

“What the fuck am I going to do, Gab?”

I’d never called her that before, but at that moment I couldn’t even think straight. Maybe it was our connection through Crissy, or our connection through Zoran, but I confided in her, nearly breaking down over the phone.

“I’m not even in Brazil anymore. I came back to Russia, and let me tell you, it’s been a big fucking party ever since. I have a man who’s out for my head if I don’t marry his shitty daughter, threatening to hurt my brothers and their families. And now Crissy is pregnant and missing? What the fuck am I supposed to do?”

Please, Gabby. Give me an answer. Tell me what I need to do to fix everything.

“Find her.”

That was all she said.

“How? How do I find her?”

“Your brother is in Brazil, right? Maybe he could use some of his Bratva magic and track her.”

My shoulders slumped, feeling every potential possibility slipping from my grasp. “Dimitry is here, in Moscow.” But then it hit me. “Gabby, you’re a fucking genius! Gemma is still in Trancoso, and she can help me find Crissy.”

“Good! That’s great. Call her and then call me back once you find out anything.Anything at all,I mean it!”

“Will do.”

I didn’t mean to hang up on her, but the adrenaline to find Crissy had taken over and I called Gemma, not even giving a fuck how long I’d been outside. The phone rang several times, my feet tapping against the pavement furiously as I waited for her to answer.

“Hello?”

“Gemma! Thank fucking god you answered, Gemma. I need your help.”

I explained everything that Gabby had told me, every detail I could remember. “Please, Gemma. Can you please help me look for her? Ask around the hotel or something? Her mother is too ill to be going out, and there’s no one else to search for her.”

“Of course, Maxim. You don’t even need to ask. Crissy is my girl too, remember?”

I nodded, knowing full well she couldn’t see me, but I did it anyway, too distracted by the intensity of the moment.

When I hung up the phone, I turned around to head back inside, but Ana was standing on the front step with her arms crossed, a scowl on her face. “Who’s Gemma? Another one of your whores?”

“Watch your fucking mouth,” I snapped. “That’s Dimitry’s wife you’re talking about. And I don’t think he’d take too kindly to hearing you sully her name like that.”

She straightened herself, trying to appear superior, though we both knew that she wasn’t. “Oh yeah? Well, then let’s just tell Dimitry about your little ‘phone call’,” she quoted with her fingers, “to his wife.”

Stomping inside, I followed her, rubbing the headache that was forming. When we got to the table, I took my seat, but Ana stood there with her hip cocked, tapping her foot.

“Dimitry?” She asked in a sweet tone. “Are you aware that Maxim calls your wife when you’re not around?”

Dimitry’s eyes shot over to me, and I shrugged. “I just wanted to check on her. She’s pregnant and alone in Trancoso. I wanted to make sure Andrei was doing his job.”

He watched me for a moment, and I silently prayed that he took my hint. Andrei wasn’t there to guard Gemma, he was looking after Crissy.Please, make the connection, Dimitry.

“Oh?” he asked, resuming his dinner, unphased. “And how is she doing? Well, I hope.”

I let out a breath of relief, knowing he understood. “She’s doing fine, but I do think you should call her soon. She said she misses you, and has some news.”

He shrugged, playing nonchalant. “I’ll call her as soon as we leave here.” He glanced up to Sorokin with a grin, and resumed eating.

Ana scoffed, taking a seat in her chair and pouting for the remainder of the dinner. No sex, no revenge scheme—she had nothing left of interest, so she picked up her phone, her fingers tapping away, sending me a picture she took from under the table, a full view of her legs spread, not wearing panties under her dress.

I sighed, shooting her a look that saidnot now.She bit her lip in response, an eyebrow cocked.

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