Charlotte moved toward me and I was tempted to push her away, but I wouldn’t do that. Not with her. She pressed a kiss to my cheek and then smiled at Ivan before leaving the dining room.
“I can see thetwo of you are getting along swimmingly. Just as I knew you both would.”
“What’s going on?” I asked.
Ivan picked up a glass of juice and took a sip. He continued to drink and I ran a hand over my face.
“Have you killed Hank?” I asked.
He finished drinking. “Nothing of thesort. No, Hank is very much alive. I mean, he’s pissed off that he is, but he has a nice little cellmate with him.”
“You found Benjamin?”
Ivan smiled.
“Shit.”
“No shit.”
I got to my feet. “Then we need to talk to them.”
“That we do, but here’s the thing, Ive-none of them are talking.”
“How long have you had Benjamin?” I asked.
“Five days.”
“Five days? Why the fuck didn’t you come and get me?”
“Victor, Slavik, Andrei, and I could handle it.”
This made me even more angry. “You have Slavik and Andrei in myterritory?”
“I hosted a dinner party,” Ivan said. “In fact, I only came here to tell you the news and to invite you and your beautiful wife to tonight’s dinner party.” He smiled.
“What game are you playing?” I asked.
“I’m playing many games, Ive. Surely, you don’t expect me to explain how many I have going on.”
****
Lottie
I don’t know what news Ivan brought, but for some reason, Ive hadn’t been the same since he arrived.
I was in the game room for a good two hours. I think I bored Hubert, and I came close to beating him, which told me I could potentially beat Ivan as well. No, there was no way I would beat my husband. He was far too skilled when it came to this.
Ive had come to find me and let me know that our plansof enjoying a nice romantic evening by the fire had been changed. Ivan had invited us to dinner, back in the city, at a restaurant.
Reaching out, I brushed the steam from the mirror and stared at my reflection. Dinner with my husband and his boss. What could possibly go wrong? I had no idea what I was doing. The past two weeks had been amazing because we got to stay home. At home, I didn’t have to know the proper protocol of being a brigadier’s wife, or a member of the Bratva. I could be myself. There was no acting.
“Try not to get yourself killed,” I said to my reflection and then stepped out into the bedroom.
That horrible voice reared its ugly head inside mine.
You’re nothing but trash.
Trash is meant to be thrown away.
You’re nothing but garbage and one day they’re all going to see that.
“Areyou sure I need to go with you?”
“Ivan invited both of us,” he said, putting the dress onto the bed. “And that means he expects both of us there.”
I can’t help but wrinkle my nose at the thought. “I have no idea what I’m doing.” I have to be honest with him.
“Charlotte, there’s no right or wrong. Aurora, Slavik’s wife, is the only one who truly understood what it meant. Adelaide never stood a chance, but she is still living and breathing, and doing everything she can.” He reached out and tucked some hair behind my ear. “You don’t need to be afraid.”
I nod. What else can I do? It doesn’t really matter if I think I’m prepared. The truth is, I’m not.
I’d met Aurora and Adelaide at the wedding, it was an introduction and then I was moved on to the next person. There had been a lot of people at the wedding, most of whom I didn’t know.
None of the MC that had been present had come to say hello to me or hug me. Just Rage and Cassie.
Reaching for the dress, I tried to settle my nerves, but that was next to impossible. I felt sick to my stomach.