Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 92133 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92133 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Closing my eyes, I waited for the journey to end, hoping I’d understand what was going on and why I was taken. Part of me hoped Andrei was doing this as a test, to show me that I could be hurt at a moment’s notice. If so, I was going to be pissed with him.
The van came to a slow stop. The small jerk of the vehicle let me know the hand brake had been applied. Fear raced down my spine and threatened to cause me a panic attack. I couldn’t allow that to happen. I needed to be calm. I felt anything but calm.
I heard voices and then the door to the van slid open, and I was pulled out of it. Their grip was so tight, there would be bruises. I was pushed to the floor and then the hood that bound my head was removed. Keeping my gaze on the floor, I clenched my hands into fists. No one within the Bratva showed weakness or fear. I wasn’t going to let Andrei down now, and slowly I lifted my head.
I became aware of three things. One, my very best friend Nathan was hung from a chain. Two cuffs were wrapped around his wrists, another his neck, and he was bleeding. There were marks all over his body and I didn’t know what could have caused it. The second, my sister, looking like a queen. She had this smug smile on her face that usually meant there was going to be trouble. Three, a man I vaguely remember being at my wedding. I think he was one of the brigadiers, but I didn’t know which one. There was a similar tattoo that Andrei had across his knuckles, but this man had it around his neck.
“What’s the matter, sis? Shocked?”
Ignoring Bethany, I focused on the man by her side.
“So this is the woman that will bring Andrei in line?” he said, coming a bit closer. I didn’t like the way he looked at me, almost assessing in his gaze, as if he saw something he didn’t like.
The closer he got, the stronger the impulse to hurt him became. If my sister was involved, this couldn’t be good.
“You’ve not had any work done,” he said.
“Oleg, enough, please, she’s not worth your time, other than to get Andrei here. Trust me, she is the key.”
Oleg Pavlov, one of Ivan’s brigadiers. I don’t know his story or why my sister is working for or with him, but either way I knew this was bad. So fucking bad.
“What lies has my sister told you?” I asked.
He laughed. “So she does speak.”
“Whatever she has told you, trust me, it won’t end well for you.”
“Shut your fucking mouth,” Bethany said, advancing toward me.
“What is it you want now?” I asked. “Money? Drugs? A place as a brigadier’s wife? You threw all of that away in a goddamn orgy.”
Bethany went to attack me but Oleg stopped her, shoving her back. “Enough.”
My sister obeyed, which was a shock to me. She never did anything for anyone. He’d denied her the pleasure of hurting me, which told me something even more terrifying was in store.
“Be strong, Adelaide,” Nathan said.
My gaze jerked to his and I cried out as someone struck a whip right across his body.
“You don’t like that, do you?” Bethany said. “The same is going to happen to you.”
“Let him go,” I said, ignoring Bethany, pleading with Oleg. “I don’t know why he’s here. Why are you doing this?”
Oleg tutted and came closer. “No, I don’t suppose you do know anything about this. Thrown into this world because your sister couldn’t keep her legs shut.” He held his hand up as Bethany attempted to yell at him. “You’re a slut and don’t even pretend to be anything but.” He turned to glare and snap at her, before bringing his attention back to me. “But you, now you have been a bit of a mystery. Andrei has never shown a single moment of weakness, until you.”
“I’m nothing,” I said.
He laughed again.
“If you think you can use me to get Andrei to bow down to you, or give you what you want, you’re mistaken. I’m nothing to him. He was forced to marry me.”
“Trust me, it took some convincing, but I have known Andrei Belov for many years. The moment you walked into a room, his gaze was on you. At your wedding, you were never out of his sight, and then of course was the rumor that he wouldn’t even allow a guard to get close to you. I can see why.” His gaze roamed down my body.
“She’s a fat fucking bitch. Don’t you look at her like that!”
Oleg stood and backhanded my sister. “Do not ever disrespect me again. Your place is to be silent, or I will send you to sleep with my dogs, understood?”