The Bratva’s Auctioned Bride (Levov Bratva #10)

Chapter 23 - Alexander

Several weeks had gone by since the Gromovs nearly hijacked our shipment, and while things had been mostly quiet, it wasn’t enough to put me at ease. I knew it wouldn’t possibly last—not while they had been so insistent on hitting both us and the Levovs.

They had been poking at our defenses and looking for a way in without inflicting too much damage too soon, but since then, things seemed relatively still. A part of me wondered if they realized they were barking up the wrong tree, or if they were getting themselves in too deep and decided they needed to go elsewhere. It was tempting to assume that, since they surely lost men by attacking both us and the Levovs. Still, I wasn’t prepared to accept that yet.

I knew them too well. I had been dealing with them long enough to understand that they were like cockroaches. It didn’t matter what we did, or how we tried to keep them at bay, they always seemed to come back again.

In that moment of suspicious peace, however, I managed to not waste the time completely. Even if I felt paranoid and was constantly worrying about when the other shoe would drop, I found myself around Lara even more, working on bonding and becoming even closer.

While things on the business front seemed rocky and uncertain, I could depend on Lara to be my constant. She was unwaveringly at my side regardless of what was going on, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that.

She was helping me to see how right I had been in choosing to take her as my wife, and at the very least, I had the luxury of waking up next to her every morning, regardless of what else was going on in my life.

“Are you sure you want to spend the afternoon here?” Lara asked as I pulled up to one of the city parks where a festival was being thrown for the weekend. She looked out the window, taking in the sights of the many vendors, the live music playing, and all the people perusing around. “I mean, I could’ve just come with Gemma or Vivian.”

I smiled, finding a parking spot before killing the engine. “Of course I do. I haven’t been to one of these things in forever. I might as well now.”

While she seemed happy to hear it, I noticed a slight tinge of doubt in her voice. “I wasn’t sure if city festivals would exactly be your thing.”

Shrugging, I collected my keys and phone and prepared to get out. “I wouldn’t say it necessarily is, but if it’s an excuse to spend the afternoon with you, then I’ll take it.”

Lara grinned at that, coming up with no other questions or concerns as she leaned over and kissed my cheek, leaving my skin feeling warm from the sensation. “That’s a good answer.”

Chuckling, I popped my door open, and we both got out. As we met up on the sidewalk, I reached out for her hand and intertwined our fingers, letting my thumb gently trace against her skin.

Lara’s pleasant expression lingered at the contact, and together, we started through the event. Hand in hand, we walked along the path, checking out the handmade goods, promotional booths, and everything in between.

She seemed especially happy when we approached a small petting zoo nestled in some shade. I forced out a breath at the smell, but Lara didn’t seem to mind at all as she leaned down and gently scratched one of the goats between the ears. Her smile never faded.

I sighed disapprovingly as I looked over their enclosures, shaking my head faintly. “Poor creatures…stuck in the city having to deal with people all day.”

Lara giggled quietly as more of the little goats approached her with their weirdly spaced eyes, dividing her attention between them. “Maybe it feels like a field trip to them?”

As much as I didn’t think farm animals had any place in the city, I couldn’t help but grin at her proposal. “You know what? Maybe you’re right.”

As she stood to her full height again and smiled at me, her amusement lingered. “It feels like a better way of thinking about it, right?”

“I won’t deny that.”

We continued through the festival until deciding it was time to grab something to eat, and the moment I noticed the poutine truck, my eyes lit up.

Lara, noticing my expression, raised a curious brow at me. When she made the connection, she hummed her amusement. “I see, the Canadian in you can’t resist, hm?”

“It would be a crime if I did resist.”

She chuckled. “Is it really that good? Isn’t it just gravy and fries?”

I placed my hand over my heart in a dramatic gesture, scoffing. “You wound me. It’s so much more than that.”

Lara, apparently thoroughly entertained, grinned. “If you say so, then we should give it a try.”

Mirroring her expression, I brought her closer to the food truck. “You don’t need to tell me twice.”

Before long, we both held our brown boxes full of poutine and continued walking aimlessly as we dug in. Even from a first glance, I could tell something wasn’t quite right about it, but I tried it anyway. After the first bite, I sighed with subtle disappointment.

Lara lifted a brow at me. “Something wrong?”

“I can tell this wasn’t made by a Canadian…”

She tried to conceal her laughter at that as she ate her own. “How do you know, aside from the fact that we aren’t currently in Canada?”

“They used shredded cheese instead of cheese curds…it’s a whole other experience,” I murmured, disappointed by the lack of authenticity. “And the gravy… it's missing something. Two very integral parts...squandered.”

Not even attempting to have any sympathy, Lara laughed at my complaints as we walked.

I scoffed, lacking any real irritation. “I’m glad I could entertain you with my misery.”

“Oh, come on,” she murmured through her hushed amusement. “It’s really not that bad. Honestly, I think it’s pretty good. I’ll give you northerners that.”

Dropping my exaggerated dismay, I grinned. “While I’m glad you approve, trust me, it’s better than this. One day, we’ll have some that’s up to my standards.”

Enjoying the idea, Lara smiled. “I’ll hold you to it, then.”

Despite the lackluster poutine, we continued eating and walking around the festival with our spirits light and at ease. Even if it wasn’t my usual scene, it had been a nice day, and I was enjoying myself even more than I thought I would.

Of course, I chalked most of that up to simply being around Lara. She seemed to just have that effect on me, and I wasn’t complaining.

As the band played nearby on a stage in the middle of the event, the two of us slowly made our way over as we listened intently. From what we could tell, they were a local band, and while I didn’t pay much attention to that kind of thing, I found myself appreciating it anyway.

It was nice, and having Lara there with me made it even better.

My brows furrowed as I heard a commotion to my right, followed by the squeal of tires and a round of shouting. Looking over, it took only a glance before it clicked in my head, and I grabbed Lara the moment I spotted those blacked-out vehicles and men rolling out.

The music halted as several attendees screamed, and the clatter of muffled gunfire rang out through the park.

Within seconds, it was pure chaos. Immediately, people scattered, running to get away from the line of fire. Parents picked up their children and hurried away, scrambling through the crowd of people. They left from every direction of the park as security took action, only to be rained upon with bullets.

From within my grasp, Lara was wide-eyed and terrified as I made her crouch while we navigated through the rush of people, sure to keep myself between her and the guns.

“Keep moving…don’t look behind you,” I rushed to tell her, using the stands to our advantage while we tried to get away from the heat of it all.

Despite her fear, she nodded and kept going, following my lead as the chaos ensued around us. Glancing over one of the stands, I noticed some of them approaching, rushing in with their guns raised.

“Get down!” I shouted at her, pulling my pistol out from my waistband as I fired back at them.

With her arms covering her head from behind me and the solid stand, Lara did as I said, letting out shaken breaths.

All the while, I aimed at them, managing to sink several bullets into the open spaces between their protective gear, not even bothering to shoot at their chests. I knew better than to think they didn’t have vests on underneath.

Taking three of them down while the others dealt with the police, I put an arm around Lara’s waist and ushered her out of there.

It didn’t matter how long I had to run, or what I had to do to protect her, I wasn’t going to let anything happen to Lara. There was no way I’d lose her like that.

Still shielding her body with mine, I managed to get us away from the park just as more police units showed up, either taking out the remaining assailants on the scene or chasing down the ones that peeled away in their blacked-out vehicles.

As I led Lara to safety, I felt fury moving through my system. Silently, I couldn’t help but curse the Gromovs for everything. For trying to ruin every good thing I had in my life.

For never giving me a moment's peace, and doing everything in their power to leech my happiness for themselves.