Page 57 of Forced By the Bratva King
The moment he saw us, he lowered his weapon, clearly shocked that we were the ones who had invaded his territory. “Mr. Tarasov. Mr. Donovan.” He swallowed hard.
“Surprised to see us together?” Donovan asked him.
“Chris, Chris.” I clicked my tongue, walking over to the front of his desk as Niall and the others occupied the space. “You’re good. ‘'ll give you that. But you were sloppy, and that was your mistake.”
“I…I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he stuttered.
Donovan didn’t waste any time shooting him in the arm. Chris grunted in pain, dropping his weapon.
“That was for my daughter,” he said to him.
“You attacked Sierra for your own selfish reason.” I frowned, shaking my head. “You never should have done that.” I pulled my trigger and shot his other arm. “That’sfor betraying me.”
Staggering back with a yell, Chris glanced frantically between the two of us.
Donovan shot his left leg. “That’s for messing with the Irish.”
Chris wailed as he limped. “Please,please, show mercy.”
I aimed at his forehead, ignoring his cries. “Sierra is untouchable.”
“No, no, please, don’t!” He managed to stretch out his hand as he babbled, his face crumpled in resignation.
His pleas fell on deaf ears as I squeezed the trigger. The bullet forced his head to jerk, and he fell backward, dead. Threat neutralized.
Donovan glanced at me, and we both nodded subtly.
For now, there was an understanding between us.
Chapter 23 – Sierra
Waiting was the worst part. Even though I knew my husband was more than capable of taking care of himself, I still couldn’t help but worry for his safety. Since he left, I’d paced around the house more times than I could count, seeking ways to remain calm until he returned. However, I couldn’t find anything to help get my mind off this war against Chris. No spot in this mansion could offer me comfort.
I left the bedroom and headed down to the living room where I tossed myself on a couch. Heaving a sigh, I decided to distract my mind with the fact that at least I was able to somehow end the conflict between these two powerful families.
It didn’t seem possible a couple of days ago, and I was glad that Finch’s failed attempt on my life had led to this moment.
I guess every cloud does have a silver lining.
These thoughts helped me stay calm, and I focused on what the future might hold for me and Artem; was it good or bad? Either way, I was going to find out soon enough. However, the fact that my father was still breathing, and they were, in fact, working together for the very first time was enough for me to conclude that there was a ninety-eight percent chance that we were going to be fine.
At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about him, but since this whole drama began, I realized that I wasn’t just attracted to him; I’d also gotten so attached to him. It was clear that he meant a lot to me, more than just the father of these unborn twins in my womb.
Being his wife came with its own bad sides, but I couldn’t deny the positive effect it had on me. For instance, I hadn’t always been so bold and fearless, but recently, I’d done stuff that left me wondering where I got the guts. I’d exercisedmy authority on that guard the day my husband went after Donovan, and it didn’t end there.
I’d been courageous enough to walk through the valley of the shadow of death just to stop unnecessary violence. I even stood up to both Artem and Donovan when they deviated from the purpose of our meeting to something else. Both of them were mafia bosses—ruthless mafia bosses—yet I spoke without fear or timidity.
Artem’s confidence was starting to rub off on me, and I loved that. I could also say the same thing about how I’d affected his life. He wasn’t one to show compassion to anyone, but recently, around me, he displayed his compassionate side without holding back, and he also let my father live. Artem could have killed Donovan, and there was nothing that I could have done about it. But he chose to listen to me.
We hadn’t had enough time to talk since the little conversation we had back in the car while returning from the hospital. Frankly speaking, there was a lot on my mind that I needed to divulge to him. I was ready to damn the consequences of what I’d say because there was no point in keeping it silent anymore.
I heard the sound of his car pulling over outside, and my heart skipped a beat. I was so tense, and now all of my prepared speech had flown out the window.
The front door opened, and I rose to my feet, watching him.
There he was, standing by the entrance with something that resembled a smile on his face. I felt the urge to head over to him, and I did. As soon as I got closer, I slipped into his warm embrace. I felt so comfortable and at peace when he wrapped his arms around my waist.
“How’d it go?” I lifted my head, my voice soft and tender even to my own ears.