Page 117 of Bratva Menace

“Lukyan.” My father’s voice was softer this time. More cautious. “Come with me, son. Please,” he implored. The alarm and fear on his face was what urged me forward.

I walked toward him and left.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

LYLA VOZNESENSKY

“Lyla!”

I turned at my brother’s loud, excited voice. Lev strode toward me, a laptop bag slung over his right shoulder and a duffel bag dangling from his left hand.

“Lev!” Running the short distance to him, I jumped into his open arms, squeezing him tightly.

A sense of home instantly filled me, and I breathed out a contented sigh. Despite all our differences and disagreements, despite what his presence represented, I was so happy to see my brother. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed him.

He was a few years older than me, but the stress and hardship of our teen years had aged him well beyond his years. His hair was light and honey-colored like mine, his eyes a similar color as well. He was only a little bit taller than me, coming in at 6’3, with a strong build and wide shoulders.

Lev laughed, returning my hug before stepping back. He went from being the warm, kindhearted brother who took care of me when there was no one else, to the hard, cruel man hell-bent on revenge in the blink of an eye.

“Did you get the information we need?”

No how are you? or what have you been up to? Just straight down to fucking business. I was compelled to roll my eyes, but refrained. “Yes.” My gaze did a quick sweep of my surroundings. “We should go somewhere more private. We need to talk.”

Lev seemed to finally take in the fact that we were standing in a crowded airport with lots of prying eyes and nosy ears. Given the reach the Bratva possessed, I wouldn’t have been surprised if they were having the airports monitored.

Two hulking men appeared behind my brother—part of his security detail, I assumed. He never went anywhere without someone watching his back. “Where are you parked?” he asked.

“Just out front.”

He nodded and began walking toward the exit. I let him lead, even though he had no fucking idea what my car looked like or where exactly it was parked. But Lev loved to lead.

A cold burst of air hit me when we stepped outside. I shivered, pulling my coat tighter around my body. “There,” I said, pointing to the black SUV parked between a taxi and a red sedan.

He made a beeline straight for it. I went to get into the driver’s seat.

“No,” Lev said, opening the back door. “Sit back here with me so we can talk.”

I didn’t want to. The idea of someone I didn’t know driving my car irked me, but I did as my brother asked—no, demanded—getting into the back seat. One of the men who’d accompanied him got behind the wheel while the other jumped into the passenger seat.

“Give Kane your address,” Lev said, eyes plastered to his phone.

I was most certainly not doing that. I would be giving Kane the address to a decoy house I’d rented in preparation for Lev’s visit. There was no way I could take him home to Lukyan. Not until I’d had a chance to explain everything.

I spouted off the address. Kane started the engine and put the address into the navigation before flicking the indicator on and pulling out into the street.

“So where is he?” Lev asked.

“At his father’s compound, like we predicted.”

“And the security measures?”

“Extravagant. There will be no way to infiltrate on our own. We’ll need an in. My cover was blown.”

His brows snapped together. “I only just gave you that identity. How is it blown already?”

I internally winced. I had to choose my words very carefully. Lev couldn’t know how far my obsession truly went. He was liable to have a heart attack if he did.

“One of the maids recognized me.” Plausible. Completely plausible. “I thought it better to leave than risk capture.”