Page 22 of The Bratva’s Monster

“Yeah,” I say, looking around for Deshawn. I spot him talking to Alex and Nona. His long dreads are up in a bun and he’s wearing a dark suit with shiny lapels. His scruffy salt and pepper beard even looks like it’s been trimmed down and neatened. Something I never thought I’d see.

“You think Alex is pissed?” Yeva asks as we watch the exchange between them. It looks tense, but Alex doesn’t appear to be angry at all.

“He’s apprehensive,” I say. “This whole thing is…”

A flash of silver catches my eye as I turn away. So I look back. Then I do a double-take.

She walks into the room like something out of my deepest, most secret dreams. The dress she’s wearing looks like it’s been poured over her hourglass figure and her long blonde hair shines as it hangs around her face, curling at her cleavage… which is substantial.

I’m mesmerized. The dress is formed over her body in a way that it outlines almost everything underneath—her nipples, her navel, the slightest lines of her panties at her hips…

Yeva nearly spits out her drink. Through a short burst of laughter and coughing, she says, “Holy shit.”

I’ve made peace with the fact that I’m attracted to Liz and always have been, but tonight… This is a new layer that’s been uncovered that I didn’t know existed.

“Hey. Hey, Rikki. You okay?”

I glance at her, but only briefly. An odd wave of anger bubbles up inside me. Like something protective? No, this is something much more feral. It’s the feeling of wanting something so badly that I’d tear apart anyone who tried to get to it before me.

I down my drink. The sting of the whiskey burns my throat but warms my chest and spurs me on. “I’ll be right back.”

I walk over to her, and I’m about halfway before her ocean blue eyes slide to me and connect me to her. I’ve switched from walking on my own power to being drawn in.

“Rikki,” she says and smiles. Her ruby red lips are like sweet fruit, fresh off the vine or tree, ready for me to taste. “Hi.”

“What are you doing here?” I ask her.

The corners of her mouth twitch. “That’s no way to greet someone.” She looks me up and down, slowly, taking everything in. “You look really good tonight. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a suit.”

I nod and do my best to push my anger down. Logic bleeds through and I realize that, like it or not, she has every right to be here as Gedeon’s widow. “Thank you. Sorry if I seem a little… I’m just… surprised. I didn’t think you’d want to come out to something like this.”

“Well,” she says with a sigh, as her chest rises and falls, “When Yeva told me about it, I figured it might be a nice way to reintroduce myself into society.”

“Liz,” I hear behind me. Nona has spotted her. She rushes over, and they share a polite air kiss on each cheek before she steps back and looks her over. “Oh, my God.” She laughs. “That dress is dangerous. I love it.”

“Thank you. I figured, go big or go home, right?”

“Indeed.” She glances over her shoulder at Alex and Deshawn. Deshawn is staring hard at Liz, his cordial smile gone and his eyes shining. He looks like a lion looking at his next meal.

“We were just about to find our table,” Nona says. “Want to join us?”

“I was just about to ask Liz if I can get her a drink,” I say, butting in. I look to her and offer my arm. “Shall we?”

She gives Nona a tense smile, but she nods politely, loops her arm in with mine, and we walk over to the bar together.

Yeva’s still standing there, her eyes on Liz. We approach and she greets her with a “Hey. Nice dress.”

“Thanks. It was just lying in the back of my closet.”

“Sure,” she says. She takes a drink and looks over at me, then back at her. “I’m gonna go talk to Nona. Maybe slide up next to Deshawn, see if I can find out why they call him ‘Madman’.” I throw her a look of warning and she just shines me on. “You’ll excuse me.”

She walks off, and Liz sits on the barstool. “You’re causing a stir in that outfit,” I say to her.

She shrugs. “I wanted to make a good impression. You know, let everyone know I’m still here even though my husband isn’t. Besides, I like this dress.”

I nod. “Gedeon would flip if he ever saw you in that thing.”

“He would, actually. He loved it when I wore stuff like this.”