Page 1 of Auctioned to the Bratva

Chapter 1 - Sergei

“Sergei,” Roman’s voice echoed through the speaker of my phone connected to the car.

“I have just landed, and I am on my way, brother,” I replied as I followed the GPS's route.

“Excellent, I will have the chef make us something for lunch. See you soon.” Roman’s voice once again filled the car before he hung up.

The drive from the airport to his mansion was short; before I knew it, I was driving up the long entrance to a gate with guards. As I neared the gate, it opened, and I was glad Roman had let his men know I was coming.

The house was truly magnificent in style and size. A door towards the side opened, and Roman walked down what looked like marble steps. He motioned for me to pull closer, so I stopped by the fountain next to the steps.

As I opened my door, he was there to greet me. “Brother,” Roman said as he pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly. “It’s been too long.” He took hold of my shoulders and kissed each cheek before letting me go.

“I know, I know,” I said, wiping at my cheeks. He knew I disapproved of his chosen life but still acted as if I was part of it. I had gotten to know some of our Bratva family over the last few years, but I wanted nothing to do with the family business.

I grabbed my office bag and closed the car door. “Let’s go inside,” Roman said as he walked ahead of me up the steps into the mansion. Even though we were twins, he was unquestionably the larger brother and much neater in appearance than me.

As we entered the foyer, Karine was waiting to greet me. She also pulled me close and laid a kiss on each cheek. I didn’t mind her kisses as much as Roman’s, and I just smiled as we greeted each other.

We walked through an open living area with a bar on one side, where the barman poured each of us a glass of scotch. Then, we headed out another door to the backyard. The grass was a vibrant green, and the flowers appeared to be on steroids; they were so bright with color.

In the middle was another fountain, but it was a smaller one surrounded by giant live oak trees. Underneath them were tables and chairs set up as if they were hosting a party.

We sat at one of the tables as Karine came out with platters of food. “This view is amazing,” I said as we settled.

Roman stared out at the ocean and the white beach below. “It is quite gorgeous, isn’t it?” He smiled at Karine as she placed the plates down before sitting beside him.

They seemed so much in love, and I hoped that I might find a woman who looked at me that way one day. After our mother died and we learned the identity of our father, our lives changed drastically.

I was always content with it being just the three of us: Mother, me, and Roman. But lately, my mind was playing with the idea of a big family. I had actually gotten to know some of our dad’s family. As long as I wasn’t involved in the family business, I was okay with it.

“We have news,” Roman said after swallowing the mouth full of hors d’oeuvres he was chewing on. Karine’s face lit up as her full lips formed a smile brighter than the sun. Even her intense green eyes were sparkling.

I shifted nervously on my chair. “Okay,” I replied cautiously. Ever since Roman had joined our father in the Bratva, he had been trying to get me to allow them in as business partners in our company. I was wary as I felt it wasn’t good for business to involve the family business with our own.

“May I?” Karine asked Roman as they stared deep into each other’s eyes. He nodded and looked at me as she spoke, “We are having a baby, Sergei.”

“You are going to be an uncle,” Roman added as he jumped out of his chair, coming to stand by my side.

My mouth fell open; I was flabbergasted. This was not what I expected when he invited me to visit. Shaking my head, trying to absorb her words, I felt a knot forming in my throat.

Roman was practically jumping up and down beside my chair, and it took me a minute to register. As I stood, he embraced me. “Are you not happy for us?” he breathed into my ear as he picked me up. I felt my chest close, and my breathing stopped as he squashed me in his arms.

I returned his strength with a tight hug of my own, and like usual, we took turns squishing each other. He let his grip ease. As I stepped back, I saw pure excitement in his dark blue eyes.

I smiled at him and shook his hand. “Congratulations,” I said between deep breaths. Then I stepped around him and softly hugged Karine. “I am so happy for you both. This is great news.”

We sat back down and had another drink. After our shared meal and discussing baby names for boys and girls, Roman invited me to see his office. We entered the mansion and headed up a set of stairs.

He had cleared what he called the separation room right next to their bedroom and turned it into his office. The setup was nice and inviting.

Roman grabbed a couple of glasses from a tray on his desk and poured another drink. “Let’s have a seat. I have something else to discuss with you.”

I searched his face for clues on his sudden seriousness. But he kept all emotions out. I felt my heart sinking as I suspected that we would end up talking business at some time. I was open to getting to know the family, but involving them in business was another story.

After taking the glass from Roman, I sat down on the one end of the double couch. Roman pulled up a chair from the desk and sat down before me. He studied my face for a moment before speaking.

“Sergei,” he said as he sighed. I shifted in my seat, knowing what was to follow. “I know you are super-rational and always cool-headed when it comes to business.” He paused as I watched him closely as he slowly sipped at the scotch in his glass.

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