Yeah, everything feels normal again.
Well, as normal as it can be when I’m married to the powerful pakhan of a Bratva.
Willow drinks the rest of her tea and clears her throat. “What’s your next plan?” She waves and shakes her head. “I mean, Pavel’s enemies are going to be making some moves soon. I’m sure you two have talked it out, right?”
I shrug. “We haven’t discussed an overall plan. We’ve just gone over some small details.”
And then fucked each other’s brains out in the interim. No big deal.
I cough anxiously and straighten my shoulders. “We’ll probably talk greater details soon.”
“What’s your plan for Zoya?”
“The idea is to bring Kiril back into the picture.”
She wrinkles her nose. “Remind me who that is again?”
“Her father—the one who defected,” I explain. “If Pavel and Kiril reconcile their differences, then Kiril can come back to Pavel’s side. That pokes holes in Felix’s plans.”
“Sounds reasonable.”
I nod. “I think it’ll work in our favor so long as Kiril doesn’t have any ideas about betraying us again.”
“Is that what you want?”
“To make peace with Kiril? Absolutely!”
She grins politely. “That’s what Pavel wants. What doyouwant, Liya?”
“Well, I…”
“The things Pavel wants are going to be bloody.” She glances at my stomach. It’s almost too subtle to pick up, but I get her implication.
How can I possibly want what my husband wants when it puts my baby at risk?
I thread my fingers through my hair. “I don’t know what I want.”
“Figure it out fast, Liya,” she warns. “You might not have much time.”
While blinking away fresh tears, I nod and thank her for her kindness. No matter what, I can’t bring myself to diss my best friend.
Even if what she’s suggesting goes against what I feel.
I’m sure Pavel wants the same thing. I know he does because he’stoldme so.
But part of me is starting to question that.
Chapter Eleven
Liya
Three people sit at a table across from me. The chair cradling me feels far too big for my body, but I’m doing my best to take up as much energetic space as possible.
The woman in the center shuffles a few pages around and then smiles. “Thank you, Liya. We’re quite impressed with your background.”
I grin politely. “Thank you for the opportunity.”
“We’re going to review your application and get back to you soon with our final decision.”