Page 61 of Caught By the Bratva Boss

“Thanks.” I headed towards the front door, my heart was beating so fast that it felt like it was going to pound its way out of my chest. Something was wrong here. Really, really wrong. What would I do if he had hurt her? Really hurt her or worse, and I hadn’t been around to save her.

I’d already failed one person I loved. My hand lifted to knock on the door, and I froze. Loved her. I loved Lily. There was no denying that now. I wasn’t even sure why I had tried to fight it. She was everything I had ever wanted, and I had put her in harm’s way.

“Greg,” Lily groaned from the window above my head. My eyes snapped up.

She had groaned his name. Were they? Anger boiled up, and I pounded on the door using all my weight. When no one immediately answered, I did it again. The plastic door creaked.

A minute passed, but it felt like an eternity. I knew she was home, and if she didn’t answer soon, I would kick the door down. Finally, another light appeared, and the door swung open to reveal Greg. Dressed in nothing but a ratty pair of boxer briefs that had seen better days.

“What do you want?” Keeping hold of the door, he studied me.

“Lily. Where is she?” I had to keep taking shallow breaths to control my anger.

Why the hell was he in his underwear in the middle of the day? I couldn’t help it, I looked up at the window.

“She’s not here.”

I snapped my eyes back to him. “You’re lying. Just get her down here before I—”

He laughed, actually laughed in my face. “She doesn’t want to see you. She was using you, and now she’s home with her man.” He ran his hands down his chest like somehow that proved something. “Her real man.” He mocked me. “Take the hint, Mr. Popov. She doesn’t want anything to do with you.”

His voice mocked me. It seemed to say I told you I would ruin you, and I did. I took her away from you, and she’s mine now.

“If you hurt her—” I trailed off. What would I do if he had hurt her? What if what he was saying was true, and Lily didn’t want anything more to do with me? “Listen to my words.” He cut me off. “Lily is no longer your concern. She is exactly where she wants to be. At home with me.” And then he slammed the door in my face.

My gun was in my hand in a second. I didn’t care if what he said was true. Lily was mine. Mine to love and mine to protect, from herself if need be.

“Mr. Popov.” A firm hand came down to force my hand down. “I know you’re angry, but think. This is a residential street. If you shoot their locks and take her against her will, that’s kidnapping.”

“She doesn’t want to be in there with him,” I muttered. Still, he had a point. I couldn’t go in there with all guns blazing. I had to be smarter than that. “I don’t believe that for a second,” I added more to myself than anyone else.

“I know.” He answered softly. “But you need to be level-headed about this.”

I nodded once. Sliding the gun back into the holster under my jacket, I strode back towards my car. “I want everyone called in, and I want to know everything about that asshole.”

Greg was smart, but he wasn’t the only one who was a genius. And one way or another, I’d get Lily back and destroy the man who thought he could take her from me.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Lily

I was frozen to the bone. Not even a boiling hot bath had helped warm me up. My whole body felt like it was frozen. Shivers racked my body and left me with no choice but to crawl under the covers to try and warm up.

The overhead light was flicked on, and I let out a cry, half-hiding my face under the quilt when the light assaulted my eyes.

“Turn that off,” I grumbled. “My head is killing me.”

In answer, Greg simply threw the covers off of me. Grabbing my ankle, he flipped me on to my back. I flung an arm over my eyes to shield them.

“Are you getting sick?” he asked, his hand flexed around my ankle.

“Yeah, I think so. The walk home in the storm must have—”

Trailing off, I flinched back when he grabbed my arm and forced it down at the side of my head.

“I know something that will cure you, Lily.” He climbed over me. His hands pinned mine to the mattress and his thighs were on either side of my hips. “I have someone coming to meet you tomorrow, Lily. I need you all rosy cheeks and smiles.” Lowering himself over me, he brushed his lips against my jaw and then lower still. Licking along my neck.

Against my stomach, I felt him swell, the thin boxers giving no protection at all.