Page 39 of The Bratva's Kidnapped Bride

“What did you just say to me, whore?”

“I’ll slit your throat. I’m sure you know they don’t call me morte for no reason.”

He flashed a deadly smile at me before he flew to his feet, raising his hand in the air to hit me.

“Touch her and she’ll be the last woman you ever touch,” Andrei said, his voice as calm as the wind in winter yet as terrifying as a hurricane.

The geezer’s hand halted midair. He let it hang for a while, gambling between saving his ego and losing his hand before making the right choice. He retracted his hand, balled his fingers into a fist, and sat back down.

Andrei had great influence over these men; it was evident from the way none of them said a word when he threatened the geezer.

Andrei leaned back in his chair, his face looking every bit the cruel mafia ringleader he was. “No one dare touch her until the deal is finished.”

He looked around at all of their faces before pinning his gaze on me. “The highest bidder gets the girl.”

Chapter 18 - Andrei

I knew the look on Adrienne’s face well enough. She’d never thought I’d betray her. She was hurt and angry.

Her gray eyes had turned pale black and her chest rose and fell heavily with fury when she breathed.

My poor little wife had no fucking idea I’d tear out my limbs one after the other before I let any of the fuckers in this room lay their disgusting fingers on her.

These men were from each of the families here in New York. Someone had ratted me out to them, telling them I had our mutual enemy’s daughter in my home.

Honestly, I hadn’t even thought of bringing Adrienne to a place like this. I’d planned to take her on a date to the countryside where we could watch the sunrise together tomorrow morning. I had no idea why I wanted to do that, but I just wanted to.

Romance had never been my cup of tea. I usually just fucked and discarded women. I spent my money on them too sometimes, but I’d never even gone as far as buying a flower or shopping for a woman myself.

But it was different with Adrienne. Maybe I was doing this because I’d put her through a lot and I knew she deserved a moment where she could smile genuinely, forgetting the darkness she was born into.

These old farts had asked to negotiate with me on who got Dante’s daughter. I wasn’t an idiot, I was a businessman, and I could never pass on a good offer.

What they didn’t know, though, was that none of them were leaving this place with Adrienne, not even if they offered me the whole of New York.

“I’ll give you a whole shipment,” the one sitting beside Adrienne said. He’d called my precious malysh a whore, and I’d deal with that later because he wasn’t leaving here with his tongue in his mouth.

“Three shipments. Surely the bitch can’t be worth more than that,” another one sitting across from her said.

Adrienne’s hands balled into fists. She was shivering with anger, and I’d let her decide what punishment she wanted for that one.

“Five shipments and protection from the FBI,” another one chimed in. “I run this city and you know I’m the only one who can protect you from them in the near future.

I scoffed. A near future where I’d need protection from a man like him didn’t exist. I had enough powerful allies and although in this dirty business, one could never have enough allies, he made sure he wasn’t going to be one when he stared condescendingly at my wife.

“Adrienne darling, come to me,” I said. Adrienne was as stubborn as a mule and unpredictable as well; I hoped she would trust me and do as I commanded.

I eased into a smile when she stood and walked to me. As a reward, I put my hand around her waist and lowered her to sit on my lap.

Isidor had told me she insisted on getting dolled up for me, and I hated I couldn’t compliment her on how beautiful she was yet.

I’d chosen this red dress for her the moment I saw it and I was glad I did. The diamonds on it illuminated her beauty. She glowed in it like a fucking goddess.

I loved how it spelled out her curves and ass. If I weren’t so disgusted by the company we had, I’d have been going crazy now with the need to fuck her.

“Seven shipments,” I said. “I’m not taking anything less.”

The room grew silent and the old farts stared at each other, stalling to see if any of them would take the offer first. “I’ll take her for seven,” the one who’d been sitting beside her said.

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