A Treacherous Killer-Dark Bratva Romance

twenty one

Nadia

The rest of the week goes by without any issues. Maks and I sort of fall into a comfortable state of coexistence.

We eat meals together and manage to make it through them without biting each others heads off. Just tonight I voiced that I was craving something sweet and he took me to an ice cream shop just around the corner from his place.

If I wasn't aware of just how cold Maks could be, I'd say he was a half way decent human. He was generous without even really intending to be and a surprisingly good conversationalist, even adding some humorous jokes to the mix.

I was starting to find our little arrangement tolerable. If it continued like this, I would have no problem staying with him until the Bratva figured out who was behind the messages.

I hadn't asked Maks outright if he had heard anything else from the unknown stalker but I overheard him on the phone with Caine the other night saying he hadn't received any new messages. I guess no news was good news.

It's mid morning and I'm sitting at the counter eating pancakes that Maks prepared. I'm generous with the amount syrup I pour on them, biting into the fluffy sweet goodness. I had slept in later than normal this morning and missed sharing breakfast with Maks. He was now loading the dirty dishes into the dishwasher.

He had stayed here with me at his penthouse all week and I wondered if he missed doing his usual biding for the Bratva. I wasn't a complete bore but it couldn't be easy handing over your duties to someone just so you could play babysitter for their sister. I felt sorry for him in a way.

"Do you miss working with the rest of the Bratva?" I question, watching him regardfully.

"What do you mean?" He straightens.

"Well you're stuck being my babysitter while Simon gets to do your job. It must suck right?" I tease.

"This is the closet I've ever gotten to a vacation princess. If I don't go back to work soon, Simon might have to take over my duties permanently." I know he's joking but I fix him with an exasperated look anyway.

"What are your duties exactly?" I raise a brow.

He smirks, before closing the dishwasher and leans his forearms on the counter.

"You planning to join the Bratva?" He teases.

"I would rather shovel shit for the circus." I roll my eyes.

He barks out a laugh. "You practically just described my job duties."

"You shovel shit?"

"I clean up messes," he amends. I narrow my brows in confusion and he continues.

"Caine owns several businesses in the city as you know, but he also collects payments from small businesses in exchange for protection. I go around every week and collect the payments from the owners."

"I also head a lot of trade deals. If one thing goes wrong, it usually falls on me to fix it. If the dealers don't meet their end of the bargain or we if don't get what we asked for..."

"By fix it you mean use force right?" I question. He simply nods in response.

"What else do you do?" I say, sitting the fork down and resting my elbows on the counter. Maks eyes me curiously, a slight smirk on the corner of his mouth.

"How do I know you're not a rat?"

"A rat?"

"You know, a spy for another organization who was sent to steal secrets from the Bratva," he teases.