Page 4 of The Bratva King's Pregnant Bride

Chapter 2 - Dominik

The neon lights of the private room flickered and dimmed as ladies in their lingerie danced around me and my men. Artem, my most trusted man and confidante, didn’t seem to be terribly interested in the ladies; he was staring at his phone, watching the cameras at one of our warehouses.

The room was soundproof, with different music than the rest of the club below. All the various amenities of the club were open to me which, you could say, was owner’s privilege.

Work hours were still on, but a little pleasure never hurt. Besides, even though this was one of my clubs, that didn’t mean I had to monitor what was happening and if everyone was having fun—I had people who took care of that. These were people whom I hired through contracts with their own agency. They were the ones that made sure nothing bad happened in this business. We all knew each other and worked together seamlessly, without any conflicts that would hinder any of the other members or me. We even managed to get along pretty well when necessary—as long as they were paid well for their work.

Artem got to his feet. “They are here.” He clapped, ushering the ladies out the back entrance.

They went willingly, and I turned to catch a glimpse of Natasha’s butt swaying from side to side in a seductive manner as she walked through the door. She turned and blew me a kiss.

I laughed.

The moment the women left, the main door to the private room swung open, letting the pulsing beat of the club steal its way in. The DJ in our room stopped the music, then left.

Like I said, work hours weren’t over, and the men who entered were here on business.

“Artem Morozov.” One of the men moved to shake Artem’s hand.

“Ivan,” Artem said, then moved his gaze to the other. “Welcome.” He shook hands with the other man. “Come. This is Dominik Sharov.”

Ivan and his companion had their gazes fixed on me, and their smiles faded.

I gestured for them to sit.

Artem had told me why they were coming: Partnership. Safe passage. Helping them with their business for a fee. Protection from the police. Dealing with arrogance. These were our specialties—and more.

I hid my disappointment at being interrupted; what I wanted was Natasha back in here, grinding on me, getting me hard, until Artem sent all the men out and left himself, knowing I was about to get down with her.

However, business was more important than some pussy—even Natasha’s. That was the only reason I’d let them cut in.

I spread my hands, looking at both men carefully. Their eyes held a certain anxious look, like I would cancel the plans they’d already discussed at length with Artem—a discussion he’d already briefed me on. Massive profits would come out of this, for sure, so there was no need making these men feel uncomfortable.

They would have been nervous when I agreed to meet them, which was expected; my reputation preceded me. I hadn’t honed my cruelty to a sharp edge for nothing, after all. My father told me long ago that when one wanted to make a very important move, it was best to look in the eyes of the man you were getting in bed with, so to speak, to determine the kind of person he was. The eyes told you everything you needed to know—and the eyes of these men revealed that they desperately wanted our protection.

“My man, Artem, has properly informed me of your venture,” I said, resting my chin on my upturned palm. “I would take it like it were mine. Consider this a partnership.”

The men exhaled, relaxing against the plush sofa, then handed a contract to Artem.

“It’s nothing serious,” the second man said. “We just want the agreement on paper—to show it to anyone who challenges us. That way, they’ll see your signature and back off.”

I gestured to Artem to bring it, and he placed it on the glass table in front of me. I examined the contract; I didn’t need a lawyer for this. Basically, it was for their safety, as I saw nothing that would come to bite me in the ass later. As unconcerned as I was with the government, I did my best not to step on their toes—the law around here, though we did break it every now and then, had the potential to cause headaches.

Of course, I wasn’t going to tell these men about that. I wanted them to think I was the good guy, that I’d sign their deal in a heartbeat. But it would cost me nothing in the end, because I already knew they weren’t greedy bastards; I could see their souls shining from their eyes. They wanted to become part of something bigger than themselves. Not only for the money, of course; it would also help them in their careers.

Besides, I never denied my clients. If a client came to me and said he needed my help, then I helped. I was good at this kind of work. The men would benefit. My employees would benefit. My customers would benefit. I could always give them the option of paying more in exchange for my services. Even though I wasn’t exactly an assassin, I had a certain amount of notoriety, and I could get people to do whatever I asked. My work was dangerous, but it brought the cash.

As soon as the men saw my smile, the tension drained from their bodies.

I reached into my suit jacket for my chrome fountain pen and signed my name on the dotted line of the contract that lay before me. Now it was official.

I leaned back, and Artem reached for the paper, then handed it over to the men.

The anxious looks my new business partners had worn had disappeared. These men knew the terms and conditions of dealing with the Mafia. Not everything had to be on paper. After all, ours was a trade thrice-removed from the eyes of the law.

Ivan extended a hand towards me, with his eyes glinting in triumph. “Thank you, Mr. Sharov. To a prosperous future.” He reached out, and I took his hand in a mild, but firm shake.

“Mr. Novikov, you’re most welcome.” A smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth. I didn’t usually accept deals like this so easily, but Mr. Novikov was blood—a man with Russian blood running through his veins—and it was always easier and far better to form partnerships with our own ilk. We knew where we all stood, and the terms of our agreements were rarely broken.

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