Page 51 of Owned Bratva Bride

“That’ll be all. One of my men will meet you outside to give you a form. After the necessary steps, the money will be wired to you within 48 hours.”

“Oh, thank you, sir,” he gushed.

“He’ll meet you outside.”

Leonid came in as Mr. Ken stepped out.

“Boss, Harry said Navarro’s men have been moving frequently in the last few days.”

“Have they been involved in any known attack since then?”

“No, Boss.”

“Hm. They are preparing for something.”

“Yes, Boss. Could be us or anyone else. It might not be for an attack at all. Harry hasn’t seen anything heavy.”

“Maybe not us. But if Lucien Navarro is half as smart as I think he is, he wouldn’t move at once either. He knows who he’s dealing with; he wouldn’t want to draw suspicions.”

“They always rely on an ambush. All of them, every time. They never learn,” he scoffed.

“Double the men guarding the estate. Ask Yves to recheck the breach alarms on all the doors.”

“Okay, Boss. What about the warehouse?”

He was right. Protecting the warehouse always came first; it was my business center, after all. Houses could be replaced at any time. But something had changed.

Marielle was in the estate.

“Increase the security here, too. But he shouldn’t be so daft to come here; I’m always here.”

Navarro couldn’t do me harm.

He wouldn’t even come close.

***

The sound of laughter bounced off the study walls as I got close to the door.

There were at least two people in there. But I recognized one voice.

Marielle’s.

She was saying something I couldn’t quite decode from where I stood, but the rush of excitement in her voice was clear.

The laughter came again—loud, nonrhythmic, alive.

It was definitely hers.

Not being in that room with her felt like I was losing out on something. I placed my hand on the knob.

But I held back.

I hadn’t seen her since her small escape attempt. Maybe in a few more days, I’d be free from her invasion of my thoughts.

I shouldn’t be walking deeper into my own undoing.

I turned around and left.