Page 81 of Auctioned to My Bratva Boss

"Goddammit!" I cursed under my breath.

Riley and Adrian both turned toward me. I kicked the door open and strode toward them through the rain without even grabbing an umbrella. Adrian's hand fell awkwardly to his side. Good.

"Riley." I stopped in front of her. My voice came out rougher than I'd intended.

When she saw me, those beautiful eyes turned cold and guarded. That look choked the air from my lungs.

"Matvey?" She stepped back, putting distance between us. "What are you doing here?"

"Picking you up." I moved closer. Rain slid down my temples. "Come with me."

Adrian frowned, stepping forward to block me. "Hey, boss, it's pouring. I was about to give Riley a ride home."

The kid had grown some balls. Still not enough.

"I wasn't talking to you." I didn't spare him a glance, extending my hand to Riley. "Let's go. We need to talk."

Riley looked at my outstretched hand, then shook her head firmly. "I don't want to talk, Matvey. We're done. There's nothing to say."

"There is. I have a lot to tell you. About Veronica, about those threats—"

"I said I don't want to hear it!" Her voice rose. "If you really had something to say, you would've said it already. You wouldn't have waited until now!"

She turned to leave. Adrian followed. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward me, breathing in that familiar clean scent as she fell against my chest. Adrian rushed forward to stop me. I locked him in place with a look.

"Get lost."

Riley took a deep breath and waved Adrian off. "Go ahead, Adrian. It's fine."

Adrian bit his lip and walked away under his umbrella, looking back every few steps.

The rain came down harder. I pulled Riley toward the Bentley. She struggled to shake off my grip.

"Let go! Matvey! You're hurting me!"

"Get in the car."

"What gives you the right to order me around?" She glared at me, eyes red. "What if I don't get in? Are you going to transfer Adrian to field work again until his legs give out?"

I froze.

"Answer me, Matvey. If you're pissed off right now, are you going to threaten to fire Adrian to make me obey?"

I stared at the defiance in her eyes, my heart sinking like it had been dropped in the ocean. The old me might've done exactly that. Would've sneered and told her there was nothing in this world I couldn't do. But now?

"No, Riley. I won't do that." Rain streamed into my eyes, stinging.

She went still, clearly not expecting that response.

"Riley, I won't threaten you with anything ever again." I looked at her almost pleadingly. "I just... need you to hear me out. Please."

She bit her lower lip. Said nothing.

"Give me five minutes." My voice had never sounded this broken. "Just five minutes, Riley."

The anger in her eyes slowly gave way to something complicated and bitter. She stopped fighting and let me open the passenger door and gently push her inside.

The moment the door closed, the world cut out. I cranked the heat all the way up. Warm air began filling the enclosed space. We were both soaked. Her work shirt clung to every curve. She was still just as stunning, no matter what she wore.