Til Death Do Us Part (Kornilov Bratva Duet #2) - Nicole Fox Page 0,35

hand in her direction. “That was—”

“If you say ‘nothing,’ so help me.” Hannah’s eyes narrow for a moment and then soften. “Come on, Molly. We both know that was something. And the way he came in here and demanded to speak with you. What is going on?”

I lay my fork down next to my plate, no longer hungry. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Neither do I,” Hannah says. “It’s why I waited all day to bring it up. But I’m too worried about you to keep quiet. Something is going on, and I’m scared for you.”

My vision goes blurry, and my chin wobbles.

It has been so long since I’ve had someone who genuinely wanted to talk to me about my life that I can’t handle it. Her basic kindness overwhelms me, and before I know it, I’m sobbing into my napkin and Hannah is kneeling next to me, her hand rubbing circles on my back.

“It’s okay,” she whispers. “Just tell me what is going on? Who is Viktor?”

Through hiccups and sniffles, I tell Hannah everything. I tell her Theo’s father is Viktor’s brother, Fedor. I tell her Viktor was sent to kill me, but took mercy on me and Theo and tried to hide us from his brother. Then, when his brother found out about Theo and wanted to take him away from me, Viktor put us in this apartment to protect us.

“And you fell in love?” Hannah asks, blinking as she processes the story.

The opportunity to tell her the entire truth presents itself—about the first pretend marriage and the current one, as well—but I’m embarrassed. Embarrassed that I could allow myself to be controlled by a man, but also the idea of Hannah thinking my entire relationship is fake is embarrassing, too.

Because it isn’t fake.

Not all of it.

Not what just happened in the office this afternoon or the concern Viktor has for me and for Theo. Or the concern I have for him.

Despite the marriage being fake, our feelings aren’t. So, I just nod.

“Yes, I fell in love.”

“Oh man,” Hannah says, shaking her head. “That’s the scariest part of everything you just told me. A woman in love makes the stupidest decisions.”

Despite the raw ache in my chest, left there by Viktor’s announcement that I can leave once Fedor is dealt with and by Hannah’s kindness, I laugh. I wipe my nose with my sleeve and shake my head.

“I’ve definitely made some stupid decisions.”

Hannah wraps her arm around my shoulders and presses her cheek against mine. “That’s okay. I’ll be here for you. You aren’t in this alone anymore.”

I’m so relieved I feel like I could cry more.

10

Viktor

It has been two days since Molly and I were together in her office, and nothing has gone right since.

She told me she didn’t want to do this anymore. This. Us.

I knew that she had doubts about our arrangement, but I always assumed she’d come around eventually. The way she looks at me makes it obvious there is a connection there. Something more than just the physical. I assumed once Fedor was taken care of, we would have time and space for that connection to grow.

Now, I’m not sure.

She expressed her desire to leave, so I compromised. My big stupid mouth said she could leave when this was over if she wanted.

I can’t hold her against her will. I mean, I can … but I shouldn’t. I won’t.

So much of Molly’s life has been without her consent, and I don’t want to be responsible for any other bad memories for her. Telling her she can leave was the right thing to do, but now there is a time bomb ticking over my head.

Between it and the actual bombs Fedor has been setting off, it’s a wonder I haven’t lost my mind.

Three Kornilov Bratva hangouts have been targeted in just two days. The warehouse where Fedor was staying before is empty now, and I have no idea where he is or where he is launching these attacks from. The only thing I know for sure is that he is ruthless. Men, women, and children have been caught in the crosshairs, and he doesn’t seem to mind.

He is a far cry from the boy I remember screaming at me the night our parents died.

Fedor fought my tight hold around his middle, digging his fingernails into my arms to try and free himself to get inside and save them. He was so angry at me for holding him back, for sacrificing our parents to