Chapter 18

HOLLAND

Grisha guides me into the house, my house, I suppose.

Even though it doesn’t feel like mine. Doesn’t feel like home. I wonder if I should just pack my bags and go back to my apartment. From what Danill said, it’s paid for. At least it feels like home there. My stomach twists and I realize I’m just thinking complete nonsense. It doesn’t matter where I am. I have nothing and now I’m alone again.

Kazimir and Fyodor stand as soon as I enter the living area. They dip their chins, then sit back down. I didn’t realize men did that anymore, stood when a woman walked into the room. Then I realize that I don’t know anything about them, any of them, including the man that I just married.

Walking over to the oversized chair, I sink down and flick my gaze between the men. I watch as Grisha sinks down on the edge of the cushion and they all clasp their hands together, leaning forward and resting their forearms on their knees.

Fuck.

This can’t be good.

“What happened today?” I ask, breaking the silence. “Who took Danill, and why?”

Grisha avoids my eye contact, he keeps his head tipped down so I shift my attention over to Kazimir and Fyodor who both shift in their seats before their gazes find mine. Nobody says anything, we all stare at one another, the three of us, while Grisha avoids all eye contact.

“What happened?” I ask on a whisper.

Kazimir looks over to Fyodor and I don’t know what they say to one another, what messages they’re sending back and forth, but thankfully they turn to me and Kazimir clears his throat before he starts to talk.

“What do you know about the Bratva?” he asks.

I stare at them, my eyes wide. I blink a few times, then lick my lips and tilt my head to the side. “Nothing?” I ask. “I don’t know what that means.”

Kazimir smirks, lifting his hand, he wraps his fingers around the back of his neck and appears to massage the tension that he no doubt has. I sink my teeth into my bottom lip and hold my breath, waiting for them to tell me what they’re even talking about.

“You know Mafia, yeah?” Fyodor asks.

His light-blue eyes meet mine and I suck in a breath at his question. “Yes, I know what the Mafia is. Are you telling me that Danill is in the Mafia?” I ask.

Grisha snorts and lifts his eyes. Looking over to him, he grins at me. “Holland, Danill is the Bratva. So are we.” “Tasha?” I breathe.

He shakes his head. “Tasha is family, yes, but she is not Bratva. Women cannot be.”

“I’m confused. Are you telling me that Danill is part of the Mafia? My husband, the man I just married. And his

arrest has to do with the Mafia?”

“Bratva,” Kazimir growls. “We’re Russian.”

“Okay, Bratva,” I say, rolling my eyes. “Danill is part of your group. What was he arrested for?” I demand.

Fyodor grunts, then he looks over to Kazimir. “I liked her better when she was sweet and clueless, yeah?”

Kazimir coughs, though it’s clear that he’s covering up a laugh and I narrow my eyes on them. I should be freaking the fuck out, and I am. I’m just trying to hide it while I figure out what exactly is going on. I’m trying really hard not to be overly emotional in any way, but I’m very, very close to losing my shit completely.

“I need some step-by-step details here, guys. Seriously. I need to know exactly what’s going on. Talk to me like I’m a baby.”

None of them say a word. They sit in complete silence and exchange looks with one another. Then, they clear their throats, the damn three of them. Fyodor speaks next, he leans back against the couch cushions and he watches me for a moment in silence.

“You’re the wife of a Bratva Torpedo, otherwise known as a hit man.”

DANILL

THE AGENT across from me curses when I tell him that I want a lawyer. I watch as he stands up and walks out of the room, the door slamming behind him. I smirk, staring at the mirrored glass. A few moments later, the agent returns and my attorney walks through after him.

I have no doubt that Kazimir called Ludis himself as soon as I got thrown in the back of the SUV. I’m glad for it too, I need him to keep my fucking ass out of jail. Clearing my throat, I jerk my chin up at Ludis. He shakes his head a couple of times, then sinks down across from me.

Neither of us says a word until the agent walks out of the room. “They’re supposed to turn off the speaker and any recording devices as soon as we’re alone,” he announces.

I almost laugh, because the last time I was arrested in Russia, this was not the case. I could go on and on about the differences between these countries. I don’t though, I’m not planning on being arrested in Russia anytime soon, ever again.

“We won’t be loud then.” I chuckle.

He snorts. “Yes, let’s be quiet. However, these charges are bullshit. They will not be able to keep you on them. This they know. What they wish for is for you to talk.” “I bow to no authority,” I announce.

He grins. “I was hoping you’d say that,” he says.

“You knew that I would.”

“Not everyone does when they’re in the hot seat. I’ve seen many fall to their knees.”

My top lip curls and I shake my head a couple of times. “Then they were never loyal.”

“That and they were never vetted properly, in my opinion.”

“Not from the motherland,” I point out.

Ludis smirks. “Definitely not. Boys playing at being men, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

He clears his throat, then he looks down at his folder. I watch as he reads over a few things before he lifts his head and his eyes meet mine. “It’s all bullshit. But some of this could stick. They’re going to offer you a deal if you give them what they want.” “If I don’t?” I ask.

He shrugs a shoulder. “Could get ugly.” “Will you win?” I ask.

His lips curve up into a smile ever so slowly. “I always win, Danill.”

“Not that I wasn’t going to say this anyway, but I’ll wait.”

He chuckles. “I’ve known you long enough to know that’s exactly what you’d say.”

I watch as he stands and walks over to the window. He raps his knuckle against the glass, then motions for them to come inside. He walks back over to the table, taking the chair and shifting it around so that he is sitting next to me.

“You’ll go to jail for a little while,” he says. “Your wife can bail you out, yes?”

“She has no access to funds. We were only married a couple of hours ago.”

He shakes his head, his lip curling in disgust. “Disrespectful. That’s what these monsters are. Can’t even give a man his wedding night.”

“You’re telling me,” I say with a chuckle. “You are telling me.”

The door flies open and I watch as two agents make their way inside. Apparently, they’re now double teaming. I don’t understand it at all. They truly think that I am going to say something against my own people? Against my brothers in Bratva, my life, myself? They’ve lost their fucking minds.

The agent that has said the most to me sinks down in a chair that he drags across the room. The other agent leans against the wall and watches with his hands crossed over his chest. Sitting back in my chair, I mimic his pose, crossing my arms over my chest and watch them.

I know what I’ll be saying to them and that’s absolutely nothing.

The agent begins by telling me all of the charges they’ve brought up against me. Ludis says nothing as the fucker lists his list of charges. Then when he’s finishing, the agent leans forward, a smile playing on his lips, like he’s somehow won something.

“Do you want to tell me anything now, Belsky?” he grinds out.

I say nothing, but it’s Ludis that speaks for me. “He doesn’t wish to speak at this time, which is well within his rights.”

“So he has something to hide?”

Ludis chuckles, then leans forward, his eyes narrowing as he stares directly at the agent. “My client is not speaking as I’ve instructed, which is well within his rights at this juncture. It has nothing to do with hiding anything. Do not place words in his mouth.”

The agent growls and flicks his gaze over to his partner. I wonder what they’re attempting to silently communicate. Honestly, I don’t care. They want to throw me in jail? Go for it. It’s not like I haven’t been before.

“Do you want to save yourself? Make a deal?” he asks, turning his attention from his partner back to me.

I don’t say anything. Instead, I level them with my eyes and arch a brow. I’m not making a deal for shit. They can suck my fat cock. Though, I don’t tell them that, at least not yet. I’m sure that I will. When I walk away a free man.

Until then, I have to keep a cool head. I know how this story goes, how this will go if I do not remain calm and I’m selfish as fuck, I want to be inside of my wife before the end of the decade. There is no deal made, it’s a stalemate and I’m hauled into a holding cell to await seeing a judge.

What the fuck ever.

I’ll walk.

I know that I will and these motherfuckers think that I’m going to roll over and rat out my brothers. That I’m going to fall on my knees before them? They obviously know nothing about the Bratva. They don’t know shit about me either.