Page 5 of Unbroken

Yuri hesitates, glowering at me. Hewantsto see Vadka deal with this motherfucker.

Sigh. So do I. But not tonight.

“Go,” I snap. I’ve got company protocol on my side, and Yuri doesn’t want to lose his job.

I turn to the girl. Her hands are shaking as she clutches her purse to her chest.

“You okay?” Zoya asks softly. She comes up to us as the rest of the bar goes back to their drinks.

She nods fast. “Y-yes. I think. I?—”

Zoya places a hand on her shoulder. “Hey. You’re not the one who owes anyone an explanation. Do you have someone you can call?”

The girl nods and swallows.

Zoya guides her to a quiet table. The bar holds its breath, watching the scene unfold, before glasses clink and voices pick up again.

I resume my work, filling orders, when my phone buzzes with a text. I expect it to be from Anton, telling me the predator’s been handled.Handledmeans he won’t be back.Handledmeans tonight, the predators don’t win.

But it isn’t Anton.

My heart thumps hard when I seeVadka.

My thumb hovers. My pulse picks up.

Stupid. It’s just a name. Just a man.

Just a man with hands that could crush skulls and a voice that commands attention.

Just a manwho loved my sister.

I go back to pouring drinks like my hands aren’t shaking, trying to get my shit together. Like I’m not already answering him by pretending I haven’t seen it.

Finally, when there’s no one else to serve, I sigh and open the text.

Vadka

Are you hiding something from me, Ruthie?

I close my eyes for a beat, already tasting the fire in his words. He didn’t fuck aroundbeforeMariah was gone, and now that she is, any semblance of politeness has vanished.

My heart beats faster, and my hands are immediately clammy. Which one of those bastards ratted me out?

I handled it without you needing to add another tat to the collage, Vadka.

The Bratva mark actions with ink. He doesn’t need another murder. Not on my watch.

Vadka

You deprived me of the chance of putting a predator in the ground? Why?

“Excuse me? Anyone here to take a drink order?”

“Be right there. Sorry, we had a bit of a commotion just now that I had to handle.” I serve the three young women standing by the bar before I text Vadka back.

Because you have a son and I won’t let my nephew be motherless and fatherless.

Now my handsareshaking.