Page 85 of Daddy Brigadier

And that’s when I see her.

Time feels as if it is paused entirely. The breath escapes my lungs in a hurried rush, and in that moment, I lose all sensation of my body within my own skin.

CHAPTER THIRTY

LEXI

“Lexi, you have to stop. Please. You still have the chance to walk away from this.” Robyn’s voice trembles, filled with fear.

I struggle to break free, but her grip is firm on my forearm.

“Valentin might kill you.” She shakes me, desperately pleading with me.

For a moment, I freeze, hearing his name. This isn’t merely about revenge. It’s about making Valentin feel the pain he’s inflicted on me.

“Then if you won’t leave it alone, at least let us join you,” she insists.

“No. I have to do this alone.”

With a single swift motion, I bend her hand back just enough to elicit a gasp, and then I turn and walk across the street to the club.

I stand on the sidewalk, my dress black as midnight and a slit to kill. A plunging neckline showcases my perfect breasts, and the fabric is so thin it might as well be painted.

It doesn’t take long for the security guard to notice me. “A girl like you shouldn’t be out here by herself,” he says, his eyes raking over me.

“And who says I’m alone?” I respond, my voice just above a purr.

“Then I’d say he’s one lucky motherfucker!”

I take a deep breath. “I’m here with Brigadier Volkov,” I say, keeping my voice steady.

He looks at me, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

I raise my chin and point to the tattooed V on my neck.

He contacts someone over the radio in Russian, and though I can’t grasp his words, his smirk and nod reassure me. With a gesture, he swiftly opens the red rope.

As I brush past him, my breath is catching in my throat to enter the Bratva-owned nightclub. The last time I set foot in this place, I slayed a man.

Just then, Ruby appears in the doorway. Dark circles underline her eyes, suggesting she hasn’t slept in days.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, my voice tinged with worry.

“Petrov is here,” she replies, struggling to catch her breath.

“Is he working with Valentin?” I ask.

“I think so,” she murmurs, her voice quivering and her hands unsteady.

I squint to get a better look at her. She’s drenched in sweat and trembling, nearly as if she’s…fuck!“Are you high?”

“It’s just the pills the doctor gave me,” she replies, avoiding eye contact. Her words hang heavily in the air, charged with unspoken anxiety.

“I don’t have time for this,” I dismiss her, charging up the stairs.

With Petrov’s presence, the situation has become much more complex, and now I must confront both the men who have hurt me, each a powerful Bratva boss.

Ruby’s footsteps trail behind me, prompting me to turn and stop her. “You need to call my sister,” I urge, raising my voiceover the stirring loud music, gripping her shoulders to make sure she listens.