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“Okay, Andrei,” she says softly and looks up at me.
I can’t stop myself from taking her lips again in a deep and thorough kiss. I pull away from her before I take her again.
“I’ll be back before the game tonight. I have a meeting at lunch.”
“I’ll be here.” She smiles at me with her puffy lips, and I step back, adjusting myself.
“You are so tempting, ptitsa.” I groan as I move out of the condo and nod at the door guards.
CHAPTER SEVEN
SPARROW
“You look amazing, but are you sure that’s what you want to wear?” Lennon is standing behind me as I slowly spin in front of the mirror in my closet. Lennon wanted me in more of a sexy and flashy dress. I know that tonight is important, it will set the stage for how the other families will treat me. I want to show a united front with Andrei. I look back at the bed where the skimpy spaghetti strap dress is lying and know that one is wrong. The one I’m wearing might not be as flashy, but it’s perfect for a family dinner. Andrei wanted to hold the dinner at Yelena’s so I wouldn’t have to travel far, but some of the other families coming wanted it on neutral territory.
“I like it.” I turn my back to the mirror again and look over my shoulder. The black sheath dress is designed to go from office to cocktail party. It’s elegant and classy. The dress fits me like a second skin, giving me curves and showing enough cleavage that Andrei won’t like it. It’s long-sleeved and lands at just below my knees, so it’s not indecent.
I called Yelena and asked her opinion on picking out a dress, and she gave me some pointers. I love Lennon’s ideas, but she hasn’t been completely supportive in my decision to be with Andrei. She has called him a thug and other derogatory names. I’ve reminded her that her own father—our father was a hitman before he went legit. That was a shock to learn but surprisingly easy to accept. I didn’t tell Lennon that our father has threatened to make Brett disappear. She wants me to leave Andrei and stay at her house. She has gone as far as to say that if I got away from Andrei, I’d see there are other men out there and I wouldn’t be into him anymore.
“Do you realize you will match him in his black suits? You’re young, you should be having fun and dressing like a teenager, not a grown woman.” I know she doesn’t mean to hurt my feelings, but her words still hurt. I bite my bottom lip and look at myself critically again. I look mature and a bit older in this dress, which is what I want. I don’t want people to think that because I am young they can walk all over me. I snap a quick picture with the new phone Andrei got me and send it to Yelena.
Babushka
You look beautiful. Can’t wait to see you.
I smile as I read her text, then I send her back a response.
Me
Thank you.
I move across the room. Yesterday while Lennon was here, she taught me to walk in high heels, and I’m still getting used to them. I grab the little clutch that matches my dress and the long trench coat.
“Come on,” I say over my shoulder as I look back at my sister.
She’s dressed in a soft olive-green colored dress with a deep V-neck to her belly button. The skirt wraps in a way that one of her legs is almost completely exposed. She wanted me to wear a matching dress to hers or the one on the bed, but I declined both. I know what Andrei can handle, and that dress would have me over his shoulder and us leaving the dinner before it even started.
“I’m ready,” she says, sounding distracted.
I continue through the condo toward the entrance, where my new bodyguards are waiting for me. They are both brotaks under a couple of brigadiers. One from Mikhail’s and the other from Dmitri’s so both will have a united stake in protecting me. I’m learning about each level of the Bratva. I like both Adrik and Arkady. They are both fighters and were bodyguards for their own brigadiers. Being asked to move up to be part of my personal guard is a sign they are held in high esteem with the Boss or Pakhan, as I’ve learned is Andrei’s title.
When I get to them, both move from their lounged stance against the wall and stand tall. I stop and turn around to see Lennon setting a letter on the bar.
“What’s that?” I ask.
She looks down at her purse and rifles through it as she answers, “It’s nothing, just a thank you to Mr. Morosov for inviting me tonight.” She doesn’t look up until she’s done speaking. I smile at her, and we both head out the door.
Last night at the card game Brett was a no-show, and the guys have been on edge since. We head down the private elevator to the second floor, then we walk over to the stairwell and take it down to the first-floor entrance to the back alley. The only way to get to the third floor directly is the internal elevator in the kitchen, and we didn’t want to go through there. It was explained to me that this was the most secure and most private way. I grip the railing tightly and move slow, afraid I’ll slip and fall or twist my ankle in these heels. When we get to the bottom, I take a deep breath and let out the air before I adjust my coat and hold my clutch in both hands.
As soon as we step into the back alley, I notice both Arkady and Adrik go on attention. Something isn’t right. I peek around their bodies and don’t see the large SUV Andrei said would be waiting. Instead, a small sports car is in its place. A gunshot rings out and Arkady grabs his arm as Adrik grabs for me. His body jolts and the hand touching me jerks. My own body twitches and my eyes roll back for a moment as I crumple to the ground.
“You weren’t supposed to bring a gun,” Lennon yells at someone.
I try to focus on what’s happening, but my brain feels fuzzy. After several blinks, I see Arkady with a gun to his head.
“Are you crazy? These guys are killers,” a male voice I don’t recognize says, and then a pair of legs blocks my view.
“They won’t hurt her, and I don’t want Andrei to come after us. I only hired you because my father wouldn’t have agreed to this. Come on, jerk. Put her in the car.”
