Silent Heart (The Vlasov Bratva #5)

Chapter 45 – Harley

“ N onna wants a family Christmas photo,” Daniella said, holding up two dresses. “So we smile and say ‘yes, ma’am.’ It isn’t that hard, Cami Joe.”

With a dramatic sigh, the young woman held up a black dress. “At least you aren’t making us wear matching pajamas.”

Daniella flattened her hand on her chest. “Nonna? Having us appear in bedroom clothing? Have you lost your mind?!”

I took a long sip of my iced gingerbread latte. This—this normalcy, this devotion and love—was nice. These two didn’t vie with one another. Or tear each other down. Granted, belonging to a mob, they had their own problems. But it was like they took the good parts of being related and kept them, and not the bad.

I was enjoying the hell out of myself.

I fit in here.

Turning abruptly to me, Daniella held up a dress. “Black or white?”

“I think either of those would look lovely on you.” I smiled. Daniella had one of those willowy figures. She seemed to float on air when she walked and even pushed a stroller with grace.

“These are your choices, Harley.” Her smile was on full watts. It could have burned a building.

My jaw nearly hit the floor. “I can’t be in the family photo!”

Daniella arched a brow. “Do you want to be the one to tell my nonna?”

I gulped. “Look, I don’t know where Kolya and I stand. Let alone where this thing is going—”

Daniella held up her hand, cutting me off. “He’s ring shopping, Harley.”

Those words had the power to knock the wind from my chest.

Suddenly, Cami was in front of me, plucking the coffee from my fingers. Her small, yet strong hands rubbed mine.

“Now you’ve done it,” she snapped.

Daniella shrugged. “Motherhood means not sugarcoating it.”

“That’s exactly what motherhood means!” Cami rolled her eyes. “You’re supposed to put sugar on everything, ya freakin’ health nut.”

Daniella waved her off.

The youngest cousin, Brittany, popped into the aisle. “This one. It’s black. It’s got a high enough neckline, and none of the guys will tease me about being a princess.”

“You can’t be goth or punk,” Daniella said sternly.

Brittany huffed. “But Vivian—”

“Vivian knows how to dress appropriately when necessary. She would never appear for family pictures in a heavy metal tee, wearing too much eyeliner.” Daniella plucked a cream dress off the rack. “That means you’re in cream, Cami Joe.”

My friend huffed. “I don’t understand this family photography thing. Pavel is out of the city—”

I stiffened. What happened to our guard? What made him leave?

Oh, no! Was it because I was nice to him and Kolya hurt him? My heart pattered wildly.

“—Stephan is gone. And babushka is in the hospital for a minor procedure.” Cami crossed her arms over her chest.

At least she didn’t seem to mind that I was participating. Ring shopping. Holy cow! Were things really that serious with Kolya? And I didn’t even know what I would say.

Yes…you do .

I looked through the clothing choices. It was true, I knew how I felt about him. Not wanting him to disappear again, wanting to be part of his life, regardless if the details were settled—it added up.

“Holy crap, I’ve fallen for him,” I muttered.

“Dani, Dani! ” Cami hissed. “Where are the guards?”

Their conversation fell silent. Daniella held up another garment, but she was looking past the material and across the boutique.

“They’re not outside,” Brittany added. “Sergie isn’t in the street with the car, either.”

“Let’s go back here, by the back of the shop,” Dani said, words hushed.

“Why not by the dressing rooms?” Brittany said, flipping through her phone, and managing to look like a bored teen.

“Walls are too thin.” Cami walked beside me.

Through tightly gritted teeth, I murmured, “Is this normal?”

“Having the guards disappear while we’re out shopping? Nope.” Cami Joe squeezed my fingers. “Welcome to the bratva.”

This is it. This is what being with Kolya means . Threatening messages and shopping trips where the guards mysteriously disappeared.

Surprisingly, calm surged through me, tempering the rising panic. “Tell me what to do, Dani.”

She shot me a look. “Thanks for not freaking out. It’s a good start.”

“I’ve sent messages to the guys,” Brittany continued to tap on her phone.

Cami plucked a fuchsia cocktail dress off the rack, holding it up to her sister. “We just pretend everything is normal until it’s not.”

The pop-pop of a rifle the next second announced that it most certainly was not normal.

We dropped, taking cover by the thick wall joining the shop to the back storage area. Glass in the front window shattered. Bullets sprayed over the clothing.

The moment the firing paused, Daniella shot to her feet, a small handgun in her tiny grasp. She fired three times before dropping back down.

“Thank heaven I left the babies napping with nonna!” she wheezed. “I wouldn’t think straight if they were here.”

“Who is it?” Brittany rasped, phone pressed to her ear.

“You’re not calling the cops, are you?” I choked. “They’ll never make it in time.”

“That’s why I carry this.” Daniella held up her gun. “Whoever it is, they’re gone. Which means we need to get the hell out of here.”

I nodded.

Brittany winced, holding the phone away from her ear. “You talk to them.”

But Daniella already disappeared into the back. Her fingers frantically scrambled across a computer keyboard. At the front of the store, the screeching shopkeeper and stylist hyperventilated behind the counter.

“Should we go to help them?” I breathed, peering back into the boutique.

“No!” Daniella barked. “The gunmen are here for us. They’re safe behind that marble desk.”

“Give me that, chicken brains,” Cami said to her sister. Into the phone, she snapped, “Kazimir, shut the hell up. We’re heading out of the store. Cops will be here in minutes.”

“Get out the back, but take cover,” Dani instructed, furiously clicking the mouse.

“There’s already sirens,” I added, hearing them over the chaos outside on the windy street.

“No!” Cami Joe said angrily into the phone. “You won’t let me have a gun, so your bride is the only one prepared!”

I shepherded the girls to the thick metal back doors but waited for Daniella to finish up in the office. That’s it. I’m carrying a pistol from now on. Life was going to be far more interesting now that I was a mobster’s girl. But…I was going to need lessons on handling situations like this. Thankfully, I knew just the guy.