Page 86 of Daddy Brigadier

I glance back at the security guard standing at the front door, firmly blocking the entrance. There’s no way out for me now.

She descends the stairs, pausing at the bottom to pull out her phone.

I swallow hard and run up the steps, my spine tingling with panic as I approach the VIP area. A glance around the room shows both men’s intense gazes fixed on me, patiently anticipating my arrival.

With a predatory grace, I glide across the room, a palpable tension trailing behind me as conversations falter and fade. Power and revenge emanate from me in waves. By the time I reach the corner booth, everyone else has retreated, except for a pretty blonde sitting next to Petrov.

I seat myself across from the men, placing my hands under my thighs to hide their shaking. My eyes bounce between the two evils in front of me.

Valentin’s eyes make my heart thump in my chest, unraveling the confidence with which I strode in here.

Everything about this feels foolish suddenly.Stupid Lexi.You’ve just stepped into Bratva territory without a weapon. This is a dangerous move, and I can only hope my sister arrives before they kill me.

My eyes trail over to him, and a slow grin crawls across his full lips. “Hello, Krasotka.”

Asshole!How dare he call me that after everything he did to me? He embarrassed me, laughed at me, and broke me.

My anger ignites like gasoline meeting flame, hot rage that burns away any vestige of doubt.

“Aww, Lexi. It’s so nice to see you again.” Petrov’s words may be nice, but his tongue is venomous.

“Fuck you!” I say, with a fuck-off smile.

His eyes narrow with amusement. “Tell me, Lexi, did you miss me? Is that why you’ve been looking for me?”

“I’m going to kill you!” I lean in closer, my voice low and fierce, making sure my warning is clear.

His gaze drops to my lips, then lowers, to the exposed skin of my throat. “I see the Brigadier has staked his claim.”

Valentin frames his face and directs his fixed stare at Petrov.

“Well, I no longer belong to the Brigadier,” I hear my own voice petulantly insisting, as if a stranger has taken up residence inside of me. My words come out breathless, defiant.

“Is that so?” Petrov’s voice makes my blood turn to ice water. I fucking hate this guy!

“In all seriousness,” Petrov asks, “you aren’t really foolish enough to walk in here alone and think you’re getting out alive, are you?”

“Who says I’m alone?” I challenge for the second time today, glancing at the woman holding tightly to his arm.

He scans the room, and I follow his gaze. Bratva men mingle with stunning women clinging to them, many of whom seem far too young to even enter this setting. Then he chuckles. “So, where’s your backup?” he asks, clearly amused by my assertion.

I raise my right hand high above my head. The two men exchange puzzled glances.

Once again, they have underestimated me. With just a snap of my fingers, every woman in the VIP area steps away from the men, positioning themselves behind me, their unwavering gazes fixed on the two men in front of us.

With a subtle nod, the striking blonde next to Petrov rises and sits beside me, her presence solid and unwavering as she prepares to protect me.

“So dramatic, I see,” Petrov chuckles, though there’s an unmistakable tension lurking beneath his laughter. “Reminds me of your sister.”

He takes a slow, deliberate sip of his drink, his intense gaze locking onto mine. As he slowly licks his lips, savoring the flavor, it feels as if he’s pondering what I might taste like. The hair on the back of my neck stands up, and goosebumps spread across my arms. “What do you think we should do with her?” he asks, his voice laced with a cruel laugh.

“I say we take her somewhere more private and have some fun with her,” Valentin suggests in a deep, resonant voice, the kind that carries an unsettling tone—a clear threat.

When my eyes narrow, a sinister smirk tips his lips. “Are you sure about that, Brigadier?” Petrov asks.

“That will send a message to her sister,” he answers, tightening his tie.

I stare at him, searching for the man I fell in love with, unsure he even existed and wasn’t just a pretense. “Valentin.”