Page 102 of Reclaimed By My Ex’s Bratva Brother

The flames in my chest shot up my throat. I slammed my fist into the door beside her. The heavy thud made her flinch.

"When she went into the water, she had my child inside her. You almost killed them both."

"I didn't know."

"That doesn't make what you did any lighter."

She started trembling. It wasn't an act.

I should make her kneel. Make her confess every frame-up to Briony. Make her return every humiliation Briony endured.

But Briony wasn't here. Neither was my child. Even if Brinny knelt and begged forgiveness, it wouldn't mean shit.

And compared to Brinny, my sins were worse. I'd enabled her to hurt Briony. I'd never once firmly chosen Briony.

"Get out."

Brinny pressed against the door, like she hadn't understood.

"Varlam..."

"I won't kill an unarmed woman."

A flicker of hope appeared in her eyes. Then I kept talking.

"But starting today, all cooperation between Petrov and Vasiliev ends. Tell Vigo everything he spent decades building—I'm taking it. Every last piece."

"My father doesn't know anything." She was crying again. "Varlam, you can't go after my family because of her."

"You almost killed my family."

Family. The word had always felt foreign to me. But now it came out like it belonged there.

Brinny stared at me like she was seeing me for the first time. The fear in her eyes deepened. Finally she yanked the door open and fled. That always-straight back finally lost its elegance as she disappeared down the hall.

My phone buzzed on the desk.

Gleb sent a photo and an address.

"Found her."

I boarded my private jet to Philadelphia.

Briony was pregnant. Every time that fact surfaced, my heart clenched hard.

If she wouldn't forgive me, I could wait. As long as she was there. As long as she and the baby were safe. I'd do anything.

The plane finally landed. I rushed to the apartment in the photo and ran straight into Briony and Makar returning from outside.

Briony held a hot drink. Makar walked on her outside, shielding her from passersby and traffic. Briony smiled and said something. Makar scratched the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. Their dynamic looked easy, like there was no room for a third person.

Then Makar reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. My sanity melted.

"Don't touch her." I crossed the sidewalk in two strides and grabbed Makar's collar.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" Makar shoved my hand away and immediately moved in front of Briony.

That gesture stoked the fire in my chest even higher.