Page 42 of The Bratva's Secret Baby
Sergei leans forward just enough to make the point. “Continuity matters. Stability matters. When a man like Markov dies, there are obligations left behind.”
Vasiliev lets out a laugh. “‘Opportunities’ is the word that fits better in your case.”
Dominik’s jaw shifts. He doesn’t speak.
For a while, they repeat the same points about legacy, unity, and responsibility. About how a woman in my position shouldn’t be left unanchored. They say widow like it’s a clerical error. Marriage comes up, not with a name, just as something that needs to be arranged. I’ve heard all of it before.
Then the questions start. Where I stayed. Which neighborhoods I moved through. Who I spoke to. They click their tongues and tilt their heads, like I’d done something careless and predictable.
I keep my voice steady. I don’t argue. I answer what they ask and nothing else.
“You’ve been moving,” Nikolai says at last, his tone matter-of-fact, like he’s reading from a report. “Changing addresses. Cutting contact.”
“I was advised to keep a low profile,” I say.
“By whom?” Sergei asks.
I glance at Dominik before I remember not to.
Viktor watches the exchange without blinking. “Mr. Volkov,” he says finally, “you’ve taken a very active role.”
Dominik holds his gaze. “I was assigned to protect her.”
“And yet you continue to act beyond that assignment,” Viktor replies.
The silence that follows isn’t long, but it presses in tightly. I feel it settle deep in my chest.
Nikolai shifts slightly where he stands. “There are concerns,” he says, choosing his words with care. “About influence.”
“Influence,” I repeat.
“Destabilizing,” he adds, still refusing to look at Dominik.
That word lands hard. My blood goes cold.
Sergei lets out a faint smile. “It’s not personal. But integrity matters. House matters. Honor matters.” Coming from him, it sounds as if a pair of teeth is clattering in a polished mouth.
“A man who doesn’t understand where his authority ends becomes a liability,” he continues in the same tone.
Vasiliev nods. “Especially when he forgets his place.”
Dominik keeps his voice even. “My place has always been clear.”
“Has it?” Viktor asks.
I watch Dominik closely. His posture hasn’t changed, his hands stay where they are, and his breathing stays level. But everything about him feels held in place.
Nikolai speaks again. “There’s talk. Nothing’s final. But the matter is still open.”
“Talk of what?” I ask.
“Removal,” he says, no frills. His mouth contracts into a thin line.
The room goes very still. I don’t look at Dominik. I don’t need to. I feel the shift in him. It's immediate.
Viktor clears his throat. “This is why arrangements must be made swiftly. To resolve uncertainty, and of course to protect assets.”
Assets. They’re using clean words to cover what they want. This isn’t about me choosing a husband. It’s deeper than that. They want me to stand alone. Out of the shade.
