Page 70 of The Bratva Sinner

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want to be… what I was before. I’d rather deal with the pain and be coherent. It’s not that bad.”

“A true warrior.”

She snorts. “Not really. Like you said, I’m stubborn.”

“Lila?”

“Yeah?”

“Why are you mad at Cinder?”

She sneers. “I don’t need your girlfriend poking at me. She doesn’t like me.”

“My girlfriend?”

“I’m not jealous. Have all the girlfriends you want, but maybe don’t force your girlfriend to take care of your wife. It’s awkward.”

I laugh. “Neither of you knows what awkward is. Get some rest. If you change your mind about the meds?—”

“I won’t.”

I sigh and start to open the door.

“Maksim.”

I turn to look at her. “Yes?”

“Thank you,” she says. “For caring.”

“You’re welcome.”

Damien is waiting in the hallway. He takes one look at my face and nods.

“Where are we hitting?” he asks.

“Everywhere.” I start walking, calculating targets. “Every Albanian operation in Miami. I want them to feel what I felt today.”

“This escalates things.”

“Good.” I look at him. “I’ll keep hitting them until they can’t strike back. Until they’re too broken to come after her again.”

“And if they bring in reinforcements?”

“Then we hit those, too.” I text Sampson, calling in every man we have. “Get everyone ready. We move in two hours.”

Damien knows better than to argue.

I head to my room and change into black cargo pants and a long-sleeved shirt. I’ll be wearing Kevlar today. I have to stay alive to keep her alive. I open my weapons closet and load up. They fucked with the wrong man.

My phone buzzes. Nikolai.

Need me?

I type back:Not yet. But soon.

Say the word. I’m there.