Page 78 of Bratva Baby

“It’s better than not bad,” I say without looking up.

Anton laughs once under his breath. “You walked into that.”

Kolya ignores him. “If we put men on both points, we’ll need a choice. Grab documents, tail product, or take the office.”

Anton looks at me. “Which?”

My pulse speeds as I realize I’m the one making a live decision.

“If you grab too early, Maks cuts the line and the man in the office gives you whatever lies he has ready,” I say. “If you tail only the product, you may get the movement but not the names above it.”

Anton waits.

I point at the yard schedule. “Take the office first only if the second lane opens late or looks wrong. If it rolls clean, follow the product and take the office on the back end before the paperwork can be burned.”

Kolya studies me with flat interest. “That’s a real answer.”

“Yes.”

Anton braces one hand on the desk and leans closer to the schedule. “What counts as wrong?”

I run my finger down the times. “If the truck changes twice before release, if the office lights up too early, if the cold hold shortens without a matching insurance correction, or if the paperwork gets rewritten in blocks instead of one update. That means panic, and panic means somebody already knows they’re being watched.”

Kolya nods again, sharper this time. “I can work with that.”

Anton doesn’t move right away. He’s looking at the yard times, but I know he’s also looking at me. I can feel it.

When he speaks, his voice is more serious than it was on the couch. “You were right. You read it faster than my men.”

I don’t answer at first because the admission hits me harder than it should. Then I say, “Remember that next time you want to lock me in a room and call it protection.”

A flicker passes across his face and it looks like pride with nowhere decent to go. Kolya closes the folder. “I’m going to pretend that sentence wasn’t aimed at a man who can throw both of us out a window.”

Anton doesn’t even glance at him. “Move.”

Kolya stands. “I’ll take two men to the yard, one to the reassignment office, and keep one free on the brokerage line in case the paperwork doubles back.”

“Good,” Anton says. “Call me the second the second lane opens.”

Kolya pauses at the door, then looks back at me. “You were useful tonight.”

I meet his gaze. “I know.”

His mouth shifts, almost a smile, and then he leaves.

The room goes quiet after the door shuts.

Anton turns toward me slowly. “You enjoyed that?”

“I enjoyed being right.”

He chuckles. “You also enjoyed watching him realize it.”

I sit back in the chair and fold my arms. “You brought him in for that exact reason.”

“Yes.”

“Then don’t act surprised when I perform.”