Plus-Size Bratva Bride (Vadim Bratva #9)

Chapter 8 - Abe

I gunned the engine, tires screeching as we peeled away from the curb. My eyes darted between the road and Pippa, slumped in the passenger seat. Her normally rosy cheeks were ashen, bottle-green eyes wide with shock.

The car fell into a tense silence as I sped toward the safehouse. I couldn't help but steal glances at Pippa. This wasn't her world—the violence, the danger. She was all prim blouses and manicured nails, not blood and knife fights.

"Abe," she said softly, breaking the silence. "Can you just… take me home?"

I shook my head, my jaw clenching. "No can do, Sweetheart. We're heading to a safehouse first. Need to patch up that wound and make sure you're really okay."

Blood seeped through her fingers where she clutched her shoulder. Fury ran hot through my veins. That bastard I killed fucking stabbed her. If I could go back and kill him a million times over, I would.

"Pippa, are you in pain?" I asked gently, trying to assess just how dire the situation was.

She startled at my voice, her eyes flickering over to mine just briefly before she looked away in near panic and nodded, biting her plump lower lip hard enough to draw blood. Her curled hair was coming undone, sticking to her damp forehead. Fuck, she looked terrible.

Not to mention, terrified. Every time she looked at me now, she probably remembered me smashing a man to death. This was exactly what I was afraid of—that she would see who I truly was, and run in the opposite direction.

God, how I wanted to hear her say she understood. Couldn’t she see? I killed him for her.

I gripped the steering wheel tighter and pressed harder on the accelerator, weaving through traffic like a madman. I needed to get her somewhere safe and patch her up. Before that, she would be in no state to talk. The thought of her hurting and the fact that I couldn’t do anything about that made my blood boil.

"Hey, look at me," I said, gentling my tone. When those green eyes met mine, I managed a reassuring smile. "You're safe now, okay? I've got you."

A tiny nod, but her trembling didn't subside. I wracked my brain for a way to distract her from the pain and shock.

"Pippa, can you tell me what happened back there? What did you see?" I kept my voice calm, like I was asking about the weather instead of a violent incident.

She opened her mouth, then closed it, swallowing hard.

"Take your time, Sweetheart. Just walk me through it step by step."

As she began to speak, her voice shaky but growing stronger, I divided my attention between her words and the road.

Pippa's voice quivered as she spoke. "I… I saw Tony talking to this stranger. They were exchanging something, Abe. It looked like something illegal—money? Drugs? I don’t know. They were talking about some plan and how the Vadims were no longer around." She bit her lower lip and stared out of the window.

"When I confronted Tony, the other guy freaked out. Tony, he just… he just lunged at me with a knife."

The fear in her voice was palpable, and it stirred something protective deep within me. Yet, at the same time, I had to have more information to keep her and the Vadims safe. "Did you get a good look at the stranger?" I asked, keeping my tone level despite the rage building inside me at whatever betrayal was taking place right under our noses.

She nodded. "Tall, bald, with a scar across his left cheek. He had this… this cold look in his eyes." A shudder ran through her body, and I resisted the urge to smash my hand through a window in rage.

My mind was racing, piecing together the implications of what Pippa had witnessed. This wasn't just some petty drug deal gone wrong. No, this reeked of a larger operation because had it been an innocent exchange, Tony wouldn’t have come after Pippa with the intention to kill. Whatever he was up to, whoever he was involved with, could potentially threaten the Vadims' interests—and now, Pippa's safety.

I glanced at Pippa, her curvaceous form huddled in the passenger seat, and made a silent vow. Whoever was behind this would pay dearly for hurting her. The Unholy Trinity didn't take kindly to threats, and I'd show them exactly why I was the muscle of our operation.

"You did good, Sweetheart," I said, my voice low and reassuring. "Real good. We'll figure this out."

"Abe?" Pippa's voice was small, uncertain. "What's going to happen now?"

I reached over and took her hand. She flinched and moved it away. I felt a stab in my heart, but what was I thinking? She couldn’t just forget the damage I caused, the life I took.

Instead of dwelling on what felt like rejection, I cleared my throat and looked straight ahead, giving her an answer. "Now, we keep you safe.”

“No.” She spoke with such fierceness, that I almost forgot she was just stabbed. “What will you do to protect the Vadims? They could be in trouble, Abe. You must get to the bottom of this.”

I kept my eyes on her, realizing in that moment that she was truly something special. Even after taking a knife to the shoulder, she cared first for the Vadims.

“You’re right. Now,” I told her quietly. “I call my brothers.”

I pulled out my phone, my fingers flying over the screen as I dialed. The call connected after two rings, and I wasted no time.

"Ivan, Vlad, conference now," I barked, putting the call on speaker. "We've got a situation."

"What's going on, Abe?" Ivan's voice crackled through, concern evident.

I glanced at Pippa, who was watching me like a hawk. "Vlad Vadim’s most trusted employee witnessed something she shouldn't have. A guy called Tony’s involved with an unknown player. I need you two to dig deep and find out who this stranger is. Dark hair, scar on his left cheek. Bald. They were talking of the Vadims and exchanged a package. I killed Tony."

"Christ," Vlad muttered. "How bad is it?"

"Bad enough," I growled. "Pippa's been stabbed. Minor, but it could've been worse. The other guy ran off. I want everything you can find on this guy, and something tells me it could be those Italians—the Pietros. With Ivan Vadim no longer looking after operations, they might consider the casino as their personal playground for vengeance."

“That’s a good lead,” my brother Vlad said.

“We’ve been hearing whispers of them being all up in our business over the past few weeks,” Ivan said.

"Let’s start there" I reiterated and ended the call.

"Your brother’s called Vlad too?” Pippa asked when I ended the call.

“You don’t miss a thing, do you?” I grinned, realizing just how sharp she was.

***

Five minutes later, I guided Pippa into the safehouse, my hand hovering at the small of her back. Even now, I could feel the slight tremor in her body. Once inside, I flicked on the lights and led her to the living room.

"Sit," I instructed, gesturing to the plush sofa. "I'll grab the first aid kit."

When I returned, Pippa was perched on the edge of the couch, her eyes darting around the room. I knelt before her, setting the kit on the coffee table.

"I need to take a look at that shoulder," I said, my voice softer than usual. "Is it okay if I…?"

She nodded, biting her lower lip. I gently peeled back her blouse, revealing the angry red gash. My jaw clenched at the sight, but I forced my hands to remain steady.

"It's not too deep," I murmured, cleaning the wound with practiced efficiency. "You won't need stitches."

As I worked, I found myself hyper-aware of Pippa's every breath, every slight movement. Her skin was soft under my calloused fingers, warm.

"You're good at this," Pippa said quietly, breaking the silence.

I chuckled. "Occupational hazard. You pick up a few things in my line of work."

She tensed slightly, and I cursed inwardly. Way to remind her of the danger, idiot.

"Hey," I said, meeting her eyes. "You're safe here. I promise."

Pippa held my gaze for a long moment before her shoulders relaxed. "I know," she whispered at last, as though she’d battled out her stance in her head before answering.

Those words hit me like a punch to the gut. Though she didn’t say, she trusted me enough to know she was safe with me, despite what she saw.

I finished dressing her wound, my touch lingering perhaps a moment too long. "There," I said, clearing my throat. "Good as new."

Pippa's lips curved into a small smile. "My hero," she teased through her fatigue, but there was a warmth in her tone that made my heart skip a beat.

"Don't let it go to your head," I smirked, trying to regain my usual swagger. "I have a reputation to maintain, you know."

She chuckled, the sound chasing away some of the tension in the room. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of ruining the great Abrahim Ustinov's bad-boy image."

I grinned, settling beside her on the couch. "Smart woman.”

I watched as Pippa's smile faded, her green eyes clouding with worry. She tucked a stray curl behind her ear, a nervous habit I'd noticed before.

"Abe," she said softly, "what exactly did I stumble into tonight? And why did you have to kill that man?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. This wasn't a conversation I wanted to have, but Pippa deserved the truth. "Listen, Doll," I began, my tone serious. "What you saw tonight… it's bigger than just Tony being a dick. There are dangerous people involved, people who wouldn't hesitate to silence a witness. Letting him live could have spelled more trouble for you, down the line."

Pippa's eyes widened, her full lips parting in shock. "But I didn't see anything specific! Just two men talking—”

I cut her off gently. "Doesn't matter. In our world, even the smallest bit of information can be deadly."

She swallowed hard, her fingers twisting the hem of her blouse. "And Tony was… what? Betraying the Vadims?"

I nodded grimly. "That's what we need to find out. Did someone bribe him to betray the Vadims? Or was he implanted as a spy? Are there others in our midst who could be a danger? But until we know these things for sure, you're a liability. Someone they might want to eliminate."

She nodded, putting two and two together. “And you’re also…The Bratva?”

I took a deep breath, knowing I had to reveal more. Vlad Vadim had told me she was aware of who they were, but she’d never been an actual part of the Bratva. That night had been her first tryst with the darkness of it all, and however shaken she had been, I could tell that her very being demanded the truth.

"Not exactly, Pippa. My brothers and I… we're not just employees of the Vadims. We have a contractual agreement with them. My brothers and I formed a group called the Unholy Trinity."

Her eyes locked onto mine, and I watched them widen slightly. Just then, her gaze traveled over my tattoos, as if seeing them in a new light. "And what exactly does that entail?"

"We each have our specialties," I explained slowly, not wanting to scare her. "Ivan's the brains, the strategist. He can hack into anything, find anyone. Vlad's our shadow—he infiltrates, gathers intel, becomes whoever we need him to be."

Pippa nodded slowly, processing. "And you?"

I sat up straighter, stiffening. "I'm the muscle. When diplomacy fails, I make sure our enemies regret crossing the Vadims."

“How?” she asked, her chest rising and falling with anxiety.

“Sometimes with a threat,” I began. “Sometimes, with a kill.”

She shivered but didn’t look away, and I wasn't sure if it was from fear or something else.