Page 108 of Reclaimed By My Ex’s Bratva Brother

"Stay with Gleb," I said. "Follow his orders. You go rogue, he'll knock you out himself."

Makar looked doubtfully at Gleb.

Gleb added calmly, "I will."

Makar had no choice but to agree.

Our car stopped two blocks from the factory. Gleb sat in front, checking communications one last time.

Then he and Makar disappeared into the darkness. I drove alone toward the factory.

The iron gate stood half-open. A big man at the entrance, gun hidden under his coat. He signaled me to stop, had another guy check under the car and trunk.

Thorough search. They examined my suit jacket, waist, pant legs—everything. Satisfied, they waved me through.

"Inside."

The main building door closed behind me.

The air reeked of rust, mold, and old grease mixed together. Half the corridor lights were dead; the survivors hummed their low drone.

Two men ahead. One at the stairs, another shadow behind the second-floor railing. At least four. I didn't look around, just scanned with peripheral vision.

"Straight ahead." A gun muzzle pressed into my lower back.

I complied.

We stopped at a door. The heavy metal swung open. Briony sat in the center of the warehouse. Same as the photo, but the image hadn't captured the marks on her wrists, the faint redness on her left cheek, or her ankles bound to the chair legs.

The instant she saw me, her pupils contracted. Fear surfaced. My heart felt crushed in a fist. She quickly suppressed it, shaking her head at me. Small movement, but clear enough.

I didn't stop.

Brinny stood behind her, gun in hand.

"You actually came alone." Brinny laughed.

Her eyes were bloodshot, lips pale.

"I'm here," I said. "Let her go."

"You think you're in charge?" Her voice turned vicious. "Varlam. You took our family business, kicked my father's people out of New York. Now you want to give me orders?"

"This is between you and me," I said. "Briony's not part of it."

"Wrong." She pressed the gun to Briony's head.

Briony's body trembled. My spine locked tight.

"This is all because of her!" Brinny's voice shot up. "Before her, you loved me. You waited for me all those years. When I came back, you still held me, took care of me, dropped everything when I said I hurt."

"I never loved what you've become," I said. "The person I thought I loved never existed."

"Shut up." She swung the gun toward me. "Shut up!"

Next second, Brinny shoved it back against Briony's head.

"You chose her because she's carrying your baby, right?"