Page 1 of Secret Bratva Baby (Dubrov Bratva #16)

“When does Niko get back?” my brother asks, scuffing his boot against the ground inside the warehouse.

“I’m not sure, Arkady. What are you doing here?

I have work to do, and you’re kind of in my way,” I huff, trying to nudge him out of the path of men carrying crates towards the trucks.

Niko has taken a break and gone on holiday with his new wife, Sera.

In his absence, I’m handling the family business.

We have a lot of deliveries to get out this week, and Arkady is hanging around and achieving nothing other than testing my patience.

Arkady takes a step to the left, leaning on a massive crate with his arms folded over his broad chest. He has that expression on his face, the one he usually has just before he starts shit.

“I’m waiting for Yilian. He’s on his way here, and I’m going to grab a ride to the bar with him. Are you joining us for a beer?”

“Ark, I’m trying to get this shipment out. Can you go wait somewhere else? I have work to do. Or make yourself useful and help me.”

He snorts with laughter and rolls his eyes at me. “Niko left you in charge, not me.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t help.”

“That’s exactly what it means.” He laughs again, pushing off the crate and wandering towards the sound of Yilian arriving outside. A car door closes, and Yilian’s boots crunch on gravel until he steps into the warehouse. “Hey guys, how are things going?” Yilian asks, walking towards us.

“Luka is busy taking life too seriously again,” Ark taunts me.

“If taking life too seriously translates into getting things done, then yes, that’s what I’m doing.” I’m losing patience with him. “Yilian, you can take him off my hands now.” I tilt my chin towards my other brother. “You’re on babysitting duty.”

Yilian chuckles. Arkady has always been the reckless, irresponsible one of all the brothers. Ark throws me a glare, full of warning.

Yilian ignores our normal banter and looks towards the truck. “Are you almost done loading the shipments?”

“No, I think it’s going to take another hour or two. This is only the second truck.”

“Will you come to the bar afterwards?” Yil asks.

“No, man. I’ve got other things to do after this.” I gesture towards the trucks.

Ark pouts in annoyance. “You used to be fun,” he huffs. “Why don’t you let me set you up with that blonde chick—I got her number last week, what was her name?”

I roll my eyes. “No thanks. I’m done with the drama of one-night stands.

” The truth is that casual hook-ups used to satisfy me, it was good for stress relief, just to let off some steam—but at some point they started to become empty and leave me with a hollow feeling.

I can’t do it anymore. I want something meaningful.

And since Niko got married, I’ve noticed how happy he is. I want that.

It reminds me of someone.

I’ve only once, in my entire life, come close to something meaningful.

Rose. Fuck, I loved that girl.

No, I can’t be thinking about that shit. It’s over. It was four years ago, and I’ve moved on. There is no point in dwelling on the past, despite the undeniable fact that just the thought of her name leaves me with a deep ache in my chest.

“Come on, man. You just need one night with her, she’ll make you forget you have that stick so far up your ass that you can’t go for a beer with us,” Ark says, punching me in the arm.

I snort. Nothing I say is going to convince Ark that this work is important. He’s got one thing on his mind—going for a beer.

“Yil, can you drag this idiot out of here before I shove him into one of these crates and ship him off somewhere. As far away from me as possible.”

Yilian tries to hide the smirk on his face, but Arkady catches it and narrows his eyes towards him. “Whose side are you on, Yil?” he asks, almost a threat.

“I’m staying out of this,” Yilian says with his hands raised.

His phone buzzes in his pocket, and he pulls it out, making a face as he answers.

“What happened?” he snaps into the phone, tense and eager for an update. “Did it work?”

Both Ark and I turn towards Yilian, our ears prickling for more information. It must be about the operation we set up earlier this week. The truck left our other warehouse early this morning—a very purposeful and targeted trap for a specific rival group who has been messing with us.

“Yes?” Yilian says, pacing up and down. “Okay.” He glances at us, noting the expectation on our faces. But he says nothing and looks away again.

I clench my jaw. Can’t he give me some kind of indication? A thumbs up. A thumbs down.

He wanders off into the warehouse, still talking on the phone.

“He’s not giving anything away,” Ark grumbles. “Do you think it worked?”

“For sure. Those idiots are going to be furious when they realize they’ve wasted their energy on bricks. They’ll be so embarrassed by the whole thing that they’ll lie low for a while and leave us alone. It’ll give us time to get ahead on things. And it’ll teach them not to underestimate us.”

“Mm. I hope so,” Ark says, staring in the direction Yilian walked. He suddenly turns back towards me with mischief in his eyes. “So, about the drink.”

“No,” I sigh.

“Fine. What about the blondie?”

“No.”

“You’re seriously boring. Is it because she’s blonde? Do you want a redhead? What’s your vibe, man?”

“Nothing. Nothing is my vibe except getting this shit done and for you to get out of my hair.”

Ark grins.

“I know a cute goth chick? What about that?”

“Ark, I’m about to punch you right in the face. Give it up already.”

We’re still arguing when Yilian comes back, slipping his phone into his pocket, brows furrowed. I don’t really like the look on his face.

“Why doesn’t it look like good news?” I ask, my shoulders tensing.

“No, it’s good news. It worked. Those assholes are furious. They spent a good few hours hauling crates of bricks out of the hijacked truck after blowing its tires out. Then they hauled those same bricks to their warehouse.”

“Okay—that sounds like a success. Why are you upset?”

“Ugh, just my informant said that their rivals are so pissed off that instead of leaving us alone, they’re hell-bent on getting revenge.”

I chuckle. “We really pissed them off then. Embarrassed them properly.”

“We did, but listen, man, the informant mentioned a name. Their target that they plan to use against us—"

Yilian looks so uncomfortable that I put down the clipboard I’m holding, setting it on the top of one of the crates, in order to give him my full attention. “Yilian, talk to me, man, it can’t be that bad. Who are they going after? We can send protection.”

He takes a deep breath, pressing his lips tightly together for a moment, then lets it out with a loud huff.

“Rose Harper,” he says tensely.

My heart stills in my chest, then drops to the pit of my stomach.

“Rose Ann,” I whisper her name, quiet and filled with emotion.

“Yeah, man. I have no idea why they are going after her. Like what they expect to achieve with that—she’s so far in your past, it doesn’t make sense.”

Ark frowns, scrunching his nose. “Isn’t that the chick you were head over heels for a couple of years back?”

I turn away from Ark and Yilian. I need a moment to pull my thoughts together. My head is going crazy. Why would they bring Rose into this?

How do they even know about her? It’s been four years since I even spoke with her.

“Luka?” Yilian says cautiously.

“We have to warn her,” I say. Rose was never a part of the mafia world. The only reason she became entangled with it was because of me. And now, all these years later, because of me, she’s in danger.

If the rivals get their hands on her—

But what if they are after her for some other reason?

What if she’s some kind of informant?

Fuck.

Okay, either way, I need to find her before they do.

I have no choice.

Yil reaches out and grabs my arm. “Luka, calm down, man, I’ve already contacted our security team to track her down. I’ll send a car out to get her as soon as we know where she is.”

“I know where she is. I’ll go there myself. There’s no reason to draw attention to her or make a scene.”

“It might not be safe,” Ark mutters.

“It doesn’t matter. We don’t know why they want her, and we have to move before they do.”

Yilian nods. Ark grumbles, “We aren’t going for that beer, are we?”

“No, you’re going to make sure these trucks get packed properly and the shipment isn’t late,” I sigh.

“I’ll help him,” Yilian says. “Shout if you want backup, I’ll have the guys ready just in case.”

“Thanks, man,” I say, already jogging to grab my car keys.

Memories of her face flood my mind, teasing me.

Why is her name popping up in my life again now? Why are they targeting her?

Curiosity drives me to run faster, out to the cars. I have to reach her before anyone else does.