Page 76 of The Bratva's Nanny
Chapter Twenty-Two – Maria
Adrenaline.
Shortness of breath.
Heart racing.
Fear.
I drove through the streets, and my heart beat more harshly with every passing mile. The GPS led me to the designated location, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of trepidation. As I passed the old sign that read ‘Brooklyn Yards’, I knew I was getting close.
The warehouses and factories that once thrived with activity now stood as crumbling relics, their brick facades cracked and worn. Rusting steel beams and twisted metal scraps littered the grounds.
The graffiti-scrawled walls and faded signage were an eyesore, their peeling paint and rusty hues a stark contrast to the vibrant city just beyond the yard’s perimeter.
Fucking scary, that’s what this place was.
As I turned a corner, I felt a shiver run down my spine as I gazed out at the decaying landscape.
Growing up, I had heard rumors of secret meetings in the old yards, a gathering of shady figures and illicit dealings. But never in a thousand years would I have believed I’d be one of those shady figures draped in a sleazy dress and nude heels: bait for a mobster to trap a monster.
In the backseat, Polina slept peacefully, wrapped in a warm blanket. I glanced in the rearview mirror, my heart aching with love for the little girl.
After three more turns to the left, I pulled up to the abandoned warehouse. Finn was already in a dull gray suit, matching pants, and black polished shoes, flanked by his men.
I took a deep breath and stepped out of the car, my heels clicking on the pavement, my eyes locking onto Finn’s. The air reeked of decay and abandonment, a pungent mix of rust, mildew, and forgotten dreams.
The only signs of life were the scavengers: rats, pigeons, and the occasional stray cat, all scrounging for scraps in a desperate bid to survive.
He opened his arms, and his eyes swept over my figure with a lick of lust. “You look as stunning as ever. What’s the occasion?”
Ha. Ha.
He sure had a sense of humor.
Deliberately, I became agitated. “Look, I did what you asked.”
“Easy there, tigress. Or should I say, vixen?” He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I’ll do what I promised. I’m a man of my word. Your escape has been arranged. You have tickets booked to Oahu, Hawaii. You’ll be far away from all this mess.”
I fought not to recoil as he approached me with burning eyes. He brushed my hair behind my ears and lowered his face to mine. “You know, I really did like you. You’ve always been so pretty, so sexy….”
His arm went around my waist, and he pressed me against the bulge between his legs.
God. I wanted to gag.
“I could fuck you right now, if it weren’t for all these men watching—”
“Okay…” I drawled, slowly loosening his arm around me. If I had to stand there one more second and endure the torture of being that close to him, I was going to blow our cover.
“We can do that some other time,” I said in a hurry. “There’s no time. You should get the girl, and I should be on my way before anyone notices something’s off at the house.”
He licked his lips but backed off with raised hands. “Later, then.” He looked behind me, peering at the car. His grin grew wider and turned wolfish. “You sure she’s in there?”
I nodded. “She’s right there.”
Finn sneered, gesturing to his men. “Get her.”
Their heavy boots pounded on the asphalt as they approached the car, their guns drawn. My heart hammered harshly, and my chest heaved.