Deadly Devotion: A Russian Mafia Romance (Avilov Bratva Book 1) by Kat Steele

Author:Kat Steele [Steele, Kat]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2024-10-30T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

Aleksandr

Talia’s apartment felt like a fragile refuge amid the sprawling chaos of the city. Its walls seemed to pulse with tension, shadows dancing across the dimly lit rooms. My men stationed discreetly outside kept watch, their presence a muted reassurance amid the uncertainty that engulfed us. Inside, Talia moved about, gathering her belongings with quiet determination.

I watched her from the doorway of her bedroom, leaning against the frame with my arms crossed over my chest. She moved gracefully, her chocolate brown hair cascading over her shoulders as she packed. But then her steps faltered, her complexion paled, and I sensed something was wrong.

“Are you alright?” I asked, pushing off the doorframe and stepping closer.

Her response was a weak smile, a hand pressed to her stomach. “Just a bit queasy,” she replied, her voice strained.

“Maybe you should sit down,” I suggested, my eyes narrowing with worry.

“I’m fine, really,” she insisted, though I sensed her discomfort.

Before I could press further, she excused herself, disappearing into the bathroom. The sound of retching echoed faintly through the apartment. I hesitated, then approached the closed bathroom door. “Talia?” I called out, my tone softening.

She emerged moments later, a faint flush on her cheeks. “I’m okay,” she said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “Must’ve been something I ate.”

“Come, sit down,” I instructed, leading her to the sofa in the living room. “I’ll get you a glass of water.”

She sat on the sofa, pulling her legs underneath herself. “It’s amazing how quickly your crew cleaned the apartment,” she noted.

I glanced around, impressed at how neat the apartment looked. In a matter of hours, my cleaning crew had turned the ransacked apartment back into a livable space.

“I appreciate what you’ve done for me and Sandy,” she says, peeking at me from underneath her long lashes. “And I appreciate that you agreed to take me to see her.”

I nodded, sitting across from her on the sofa.

“You’re not how I expected you’d be when you told me you’re the pakhan of a Russian mafia family.“ She slowly sips the water, waiting for my reaction.

“Oh? And what did you expect?” I ask casually.

“I don’t know,” she chuckles. “I expected you to be more like the mobster guys in the movies, not an uncle of two awesome little kids and a nice guy that helps clean up ransacked apartments.”

“I’m not that nice,” I reply nonchalantly.

“You’re nice to me,” she breathed quietly. Her mouth opened and closed as if she were going to say something else, but then she simply smiled.

“Let’s finish here,” I suggest, shifting the subject. She finished drinking the glass of water, and we gathered the last of her things. Taking one last look around the small apartment, she closed and locked the door behind us.

As we made our way downstairs, unease settled in my gut. Dimitri opened the SUV trunk in anticipation of loading up Talia’s belongings. I glanced around the street as the air outside crackled with a forewarning of the violence to come.

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