Games We Play - Round 2: Two Truths, One Lie (18+ dark mafia romance)

Chapter 8: Bratva

Chapter 8

Bratva

Valentina

Tribeca, New York, United States - November 27th, 2020

I wake up feeling dreadful. Memories from last night come crashing down on me.

A gun pressed to my back. Two hooded figures demanding I give them my wallet. Matteo coming down onto the subway platform. Matteo's hands on my thighs, him turning me around so I'm on my back, his lips on mine...it's too much and it's coming into my brain all at once.

I need to call my dad and tell him what happened.

Fuck.

I call him as soon as I get out of bed, just so I can get it over with.

He answers on the second ring, just as I enter the kitchen to make myself some coffee.

"Hi."

"Hi, is everything okay?"

"No. I mean, yes. I mean-not really. Something happened."

I can literally hear him getting out of his seat.

"What happened?"

"I got robbed yesterday."

My phone starts buzzing then. He's calling me on video.

His face is close to the camera.

"Show me your face. Are you hurt? Who was it? When did it happen?"

He keeps shooting questions at me I can barely understand him.

"I'm not hurt." I point the camera to my temple. "I have a few scratches, but it's fine."

"Tell me exactly what happened."

I take a deep breath before I start talking; I want to get it over with as soon as possible.

"They pressed the gun to my back and I tried to run away but they pushed me to the ground. That's how I hit my head. I gave them my wallet and they asked for my phone but didn't wait for me to give it to them before they pinned me to the ground and tried to take off my coat. A man came down on the platform and then they left."

I feel my voice trembling as I relive how scared I was yesterday.

"Did you see their faces? Would you recognize them if you saw photos of them?"

"Yes."

"You should never try to run away in situations when you don't have the upper hand. Just give them your money, everything of value. It can be replaced. Damn it, Valentina."

He looks stressed and worried as he paces around his office in our house in Russia. He suddenly stops.

"What were you doing there at one in the morning?"

"I was..." fuck, I know there's something shifty about him when it comes to Matteo. "I was at a friend's house for Thanksgiving."

"Don't lie to me, Valentina."

"I'm not lying."

I'm avoiding.

"Who were you with?"

"Matteo."

He shakes his head, but he doesn't look angry. He still looks worried.

"From now on, you're not taking the subway anymore. And especially not after dark."