Page 115 of Bratva Brother’s Bride

“The bad news?” I ask, my voice rough from disuse.

“The council meeting is in an hour,” she says, her voice careful. “Lev thinks you should stay here. Rest, let someone else handle it.”

I push myself up, ignoring the searing pain that shoots through my side. “No. I’m going.”

“Roman, you can’t even stand up straight,” she says, her voice sharp. “You’re in no condition to go anywhere, let alone face down a room full of wolves.”

“I’ll stand if I have to,” I say through gritted teeth. “I’m not letting Konstantin take control. I have the ledger, proof of illegal trafficking, proof that Dmitri framed me and Konstantin knew.”

She presses a hand to my chest, trying to push me back down against the pillows. “The proof will still be there when you’re healed. Right now, you need to focus on recovery.”

“Recovery,” I say, my voice ice cold. “That’s the least of my concerns.”

“Be smart about this, Roman,” she snaps. “Let Vera go in your place. It will show them that you trust her to handle things when you can’t.”

I look past her, to where Vera is standing by the window. She has her back to me, her shoulders tense. She’s been quiet this morning, withdrawn into herself as she processes everything that’s happened.

“She’s not ready for this,” I say, my voice softer now. “She’s been through enough. I’m not putting her in the middle of this.”

“She’s already in the middle of this,” Yelena says. “Besides, she’s stronger than you think. She’s proven that time and time again.”

I watch her, my heart aching. I want to protect her, to shield her from the ugliness of this world, but I know I can’t. Not anymore. Not when she’s proven herself to be more than capable of handling whatever comes her way.

I try to swing my legs over the side of the bed.

“No,” Yelena says, her voice sharp. “You’ll stay here, and you’ll heal. You’ll trust her to do what needs to be done, just like she’s trusting you to be here when she gets back.”

I sink back against the pillows, defeated. The pain is a constant presence, but it’s nothing compared to the helplessness I feel right now.

“She’ll be careful,” Yelena says, her voice softening. “She’s not going to take any unnecessary risks. Lev will be with her every step of the way.”

I nod, but I’m not happy about it. I’m not happy about any of this.

“You need to trust her, Roman,” she says, her voice gentle. “You need to trust that she can handle this.”

I look at Vera, at the set of her shoulders, at the strength in her stance. I know Yelena is right. Maybe I need to let her do this, to prove to herself and to everyone else that she’s not the fragile, broken girl I met at the cemetery.

“Fine,” I say, the word tasting like ash in my mouth. “You can go. But not without me.”

Vera’s shoulders, which were squared with resolve, slump slightly. She turns from the window, her eyes finding mine. There’s a fire in them that I’ve come to adore.

“No,” she says, her voice firm. “You’re not going anywhere. Stay here and heal.”

“I’m not letting you walk into that room alone,” I say, pushing myself up again. I ignore the searing protest of my body. “Not to face them without backup.”

“Backup?” A small, bitter laugh escapes her lips. “Roman, you can barely stand. You’re in no condition to be anyone’s backup.”

“I don’t need to be at full strength,” I say, my voice hardening. “I just need to be there.”

Yelena is watching us with barely concealed amusement, though she ducks her head and pretends to busy herself with her medical bag.

Vera crosses the space between us, looming over the bed. “I’m not just some damsel in distress you need to protect. I’m your wife. I’m the mother of your child, and I’m tired of being treated like I’m made of glass.”

“I don’t treat you like you’re made of glass,” I protest, but it sounds weak even to me.

“Don’t you?” Her voice rises, her hands gesturing wildly. “You act like I’m going to break if I look at the world wrong.”

“Because I love you,” I say, the words ripped from me. “I’ve already lost too much, and I refuse to lose you, too.”