Page 7 of Secret Bratva Baby (Dubrov Bratva #16)

We’ve been locked up in the hideout for two days now, and the small space is making it difficult to avoid them. I keep bumping into Lily and Rose, in the kitchen, in the hallways, in the living room—I can’t seem to escape them.

It’s difficult to be so close to her, but there are other things on my mind.

I’m also worried about all the things I’m not getting to while I’m here.

Are the shipments getting out on time? Is Yilian pissed off with me for dumping everything on his plate?

Does Niko know what’s going on? I can’t take it.

I know I’m supposed to keep contact to a minimum when in a safehouse, but I need to know what’s going on out there.

Late afternoon, after lunch, I pull my phone from my pocket and dial Yilian’s number.

Sitting on the sofa, looking out of the window into the small garden, I press the phone against my ear and wait for him to answer.

It takes longer than usual, and each ring makes me more tense, but when he answers, he sounds fine. Maybe I’m just wound up. Maybe it didn’t take that long to answer.

“Hey man, how are things going over there?” he asks.

“It’s okay. We’re safe. Are you managing to stay on top of things for Niko? I’m really sorry I dumped all of that on you at the last minute.”

He chuckles. “That’s what brothers are for, right?” he says, a smile in his voice. “What’s it like, seeing her again?”

I didn’t tell all of my brothers about how it felt to lose Rose, but Yilian was a source of strength for me through that time. He knows how much it hurt me to lose her.

“It’s—“ I pause, searching for the right word to describe what I’m going through, what it feels like. But I can’t find one.

Yilian laughs again. “I see,” he teases.

I chuckle. “It’s complicated, man.”

“I’m sure it is. Listen, if you need anything delivered, just shout. I can bring it myself; that will be the best way to make sure no one follows.”

“Thanks, for now we’re okay. The place was really well stocked. I know I don’t really have to ask this specifically, but can you just keep it all low-key? Ark tends to be a bit crazy with things, and I don’t want to worry Niko while he’s away.”

“I get it. It’s on the down-low. I haven’t been talking to any of them about it,” he agrees.

“And the rivals—with Rose out of the picture, what are they up to?” I ask, having had very little contact with the outside since I got here, which means I have no idea what’s been going on since I killed that guy. I’ve had no updates regarding the situation.

Yilian sighs. “We’re not sure. They’ve gone quiet. We’re going to have to wait this one out. At least we know she’s safe. I have some guys trying to suss out and hear what’s been talked about on the streets, but I’ve got no news yet.”

“Okay. Well, tell me if you hear anything.”

“Will do.”

We end the call, and I stand up, pacing up and down the living room.

I doubt the rivals are just going to accept the situation for what it is and let it go.

They were hell-bent on revenge, and they’ll be furious that I killed their guy.

I don’t know who he was to them—just a hired gun, or part of their family.

It’s the principle, though. I took one of theirs, and their target, Rose.

They will want one of ours. And they still want the revenge they were set out to get in the first place.

At least I feel a bit better after talking to Yil. He doesn’t seem to have any resentment towards me for giving him the extra work.

The safehouse is a fraction of the size of my mansion, and I’m agitated and claustrophobic being locked up in here all day. It doesn’t help at all that she’s constantly around me.

Her beautiful face watching me, those gorgeous ocean-blue eyes, and her willowy curves. The sweet scent of her skin and the way every movement she makes is enticing to me. I’m losing my mind in steady increments.

I need to get away from her, but there’s nowhere to escape.

Walking away from the living room, I head towards a little sunroom, situated near the back of the house, where I might find some solitude.

I pick up one of the books sitting on a small coffee table next to the single armchair by the window. I sink into the chair. Leaning back, I let out a loud groan, trying to release some frustration.

I open the book and stare blankly at the words written in black ink across the cream-white pages.

I stare until they blur.

Who am I kidding? I’m not in the mood to read now.

“I want story time,” a bubbly, excited little voice comes running towards me.

I turn to find Lily standing next to my chair, her tiny fingers gripping the arm. “Story,” she says again, grinning and pointing at the book.

“Hey, you, this book isn’t for—"

My words cut off as she giggles and squishes her way onto my lap, taking her time to crawl over me until she’s fully comfortable, with her back resting against my chest and her legs curled up beneath her.

“Dragons,” she says, pointing at the book.

“You like dragons?” I muse, opening the book again and clearing my throat. I don’t know why it’s entertaining to me that she likes dragons, but I can come up with a dragon story—how hard can it be?

“Alright, once upon a time, in a land far, far away from here, there was a little girl who lived in the forest.”

Lily wiggles excitedly.

“Dragons, pink ones,” she says.

“Okay, okay, we’re getting to that part,” I grin.

I turn the page, pretending to read from the book.

“This little girl was prettier than any little girl who ever lived on planet Earth. And her favorite color was pink.”

“Yes,” she shouts, clapping her hands.

“You’re very energetic for story time. I thought this was supposed to calm you down?”

She shakes her head, her little blonde curls bobbing about her face.

“Okay. The pink dragon. Where were we? Okay. The little girl lived in the forest. She had a tiny house that her friends, the pixies, had built in the trees for her. She was safe there, and it was beautiful, surrounded by lush green leaves, and all of the forest animals would come and visit her.”

I turn the page again, and Lily waits patiently.

“One day, the little girl was out walking by the river and she saw something moving just beneath the water. It was pink. It moved fast under the surface of the water.”

“Dragons,” Lily shouts.

“It was…” I pause for dramatic effect. “A dragon.” I laugh.

Lilly points to the book, tracing her finger over the words.

I watch her, my heart wanting to wrap around her, to keep her safe from everything. I brush her curls from her eyes, wondering why I feel so connected to her. Again, I think about how much she looks like her mother.

“What’s going on?” Rose’s voice comes from behind us. She sounds alarmed and worried.

“It’s okay. She’s here with me,” I say, turning in the chair with Lily on my lap. Rose must have panicked when she couldn’t find her.

“That’s the problem, though,” Rose snaps. She marches towards me and lifts Lily off my lap. Lily squirms in protest, clearly not happy about being taken from her story.

“We were just reading,” I say defensively, lifting the book to show her.

“I think it’s best if you don’t even speak to her. Just stay away from her. I don’t want her thinking…”

“Thinking what? That I’m a decent guy? Rose, I’m not going to hurt her or you. You’re both safe with me.” I sigh, my chest tight with overflowing emotions.

“It’s a bit late to be saying that, Luka, don’t you think?” Rose says, looking away from me, clutching Lily against her chest. Her words are full of accusation.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You already hurt me. The day you left me.” Her words are tight, clipped, and full of pain.

It breaks my heart to see the expression on her face, so obvious even though she’s turned partially away from me. The hurt is etched into her gorgeous eyes.

“Rose,” I stammer, wanting to apologize.

Maybe I should tell her. She deserves not to be so confused by it all. She deserves to know that I never wanted to let her go and that I still thought about her, over and over again, after I pushed her away.

I open my mouth, then close it again. I have no idea how to explain everything. Where do I start?

What parts can I share? Will it scare her? She’s already seen me kill someone. Does she want nothing to do with me now, or when she finds out what I do and the type of life I live?

If I open up about everything, she might be overwhelmed, possibly even terrified.

But I have to tell her anyway. At least some of it.

Whatever the consequences of her knowing the truth, I’ll have to deal with that afterwards. It’s better than her thinking I stopped loving her or that she wasn’t good enough for me.

“Rose, I think it’s time we talk about what happened. About why I did what I did,” I say cautiously, watching her body language.

She looks at me, her lips pressed together. “Why would you tell me now, after all this time has passed?”

“Because you deserve to know the truth. And I don’t want to hurt you or have you thinking it had anything to do with how I felt about you. It didn’t. You were my world. The problem was that my world wasn’t the best place—"

A loud explosion bursts from somewhere inside the safehouse. I’d recognize that sound anywhere. Someone has blasted the front door’s lock open.

Another crash as the door falls to the ground, kicked in.

“What was that?” Rose squeals in terror.

“We’re under attack. Stay close. Do everything I tell you,” I demand, running towards the door, drawing my handgun as I do so.

Rose moves quickly with Lily in her arms, running at my side. I reach out and push her behind me, determined to keep her and Lily safe.

“Get into this room,” I say as we run past my bedroom. She ducks inside, crouching low, near the door. Lily squirms, trying to run after me.

“Stay with your mother,” I say sternly.

A man flies out from around the corner in the hallway and slams into me. We both hit the floor, and the air is knocked out of my lungs.

Lily screams. Rose stands up, ready to defend me, but I’ve already fired two bullets into his skull. I push his lifeless body off me.

Lily comes bolting from the bedroom into the hallway, and I move as fast as I can to block her view of the dead body.

“Rose,” I shout, scooping Lily into my arms.

She bursts out of the room after Lily. “Luka, where’s our daughter?” she demands.

“Our?” I say in stunned disbelief.

“I mean—Lily,” she stammers.

But it’s too late.

She’s said it.

The look in her eyes is a dead giveaway.

She’s in shock, pressing her lips together, her eyes wide with horror.

She’s let out a secret she had no intention of sharing yet. Or ever.

My mind is spinning, my heart is racing. But there’s no time to deal with this now. I have to get both of them out of here.

“Take her,” I say, pushing Lily into her mother’s arms. “Just stay behind me, keep her face covered.”

Rose nods. She looks terrified.

We move forward. I fire a single shot at a man who runs at us from the living room. Another one comes out of the kitchen. I take him down in a matter of seconds.

“The garage,” I shout to Rose, covering her as she runs towards the door and punches the code in. Thank goodness she still remembers it.

As soon as the door opens, she bolts inside, and I follow behind her.