Page 10 of Thorns of Love

She winked and Vasili already turned, heading to wherever. Then as if he remembered something, he narrowed his eyes on me. “I mean it, Konstantin.” His gaze darted to Tatiana, then back to me. He gave me a hard look. “She’s off limits.”

I leaned back on my heel. “I see that’s worked out with you and your brothers,” I retorted dryly. “If I remember right, you bribed your wife’s boyfriend then chased him out of the city. Your brother kidnapped his bride.”

“Maybe I’ll just marry her off today,” he baited.

“You can try.” My voice was dark and I clenched my teeth. “And you’ll see how fast your empire crumbles.”

Vasili opened his mouth but his wife stopped him before he could say another word. “Vasili, not today.” Her voice was soft as she nudged her husband forward.

She stayed behind though and I cocked my eyebrow, waiting for her to say what she clearly wanted to.

Once her husband was out of earshot, she turned to me. She tilted her head as she studied me.

I held her gaze. It was peculiar that she and Tatiana were best friends, considering how different the two women were. But then maybe that was what made it work for them.

“You’re inviting trouble,” Isabella said softly, tilting her head. “But then you already know that.”

My gaze flickered to the blonde hair. The group around her grew larger. She must have been entertaining with a story because the crowd grew louder and rowdier.

“She’s always been the social butterfly,” Isabella remarked. “Miss Popularity. She even won the title at Georgetown.”

“Remarkable,” I noted wryly. If only the men would clear away from her. I pondered whether it would be going too far killing any man in her vicinity with the exception of family. I didn’t think so, but my thinking might be skewed when it came to the woman carrying my child.

“How is her pregnancy progressing?” I asked her. “Is the baby healthy?”

Isabella stiffened, then gave me a cautious look. But the truth lingered in those brown eyes.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she remarked slowly. “And even if I did, doctor-patient privilege and all that.”

A corner of my lips lifted and satisfaction ran hot through my blood. My chest grew full as I thought about becoming a father soon. Fuck, it couldn’t come soon enough.

I smiled. “Thank you, Isabella.”

“For what.”

“You just gave me all the answers I needed.”

SIX

TATIANA

Istepped outside, my eyes flickering to where I’d seen Konstantin last. He was no longer there. Not that I expected him to stand there all that time.

Shaking my head at my idiocy, I took a step forward and noticed a black Land Rover driving by and from the corner of my eyes I spotted the window lowering. The barrel of a gun was aimed at me.My heart stopped. The world ceased to turn for a fraction of a moment.

Bang.

The nearby glass window to my left exploded, blasting shards of glass everywhere. I froze, so stunned that I didn’t even feel the glass digging into my bare arm. The screams reached my ears first. Adrenaline flooded my veins as my brain finally started to function again.

They are shooting at me.

Then I saw him. The head of Yakuza. Jesus Christ! This chip must have some serious shit on it if he was coming for me personally. Another black car, an Expedition, stepped on the brakes behind it. I watched in horror as its window lowered, but much to my relief the bullets were aimed at Yakuza.

My feet reacted and I started to run just as another bang sounded behind me. It had missed me by the width of a hair. Terror flooded me. It tasted like blood and copper. Did I get shot?

My heartbeat drummed in my ears, like the roar of a loud engine. Screams, shouts, and the screech of tires all sound like a distant noise. But I was alive. I could feel the burn in my muscles as I continued to run. It was harder to run in my five inch heels, but I’d be damned if I’d slow down.

I was finally pregnant, and there was no chance in hell I’d let anything happen to my baby.