Page 27 of Used By the Bratva

Boris nods. “If you want, I can stop them before they get to someone else. These women would drop everything to get your money even if they are with someone else.”

I grimace and take another long sip of my drink. “The day I want to fuck one of them again is the day my dick fell off.”

Maxim laughs and shakes his head. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you not want to spend the night with a beautiful woman. You had two blonde bombshells crawling all over you, and you didn’t want either of them? I'd say your dick has fallen off.”

Boris shakes his head. “No, he’s got his eye on a woman who snuck out while he was asleep.”

Maxim’s laughter rises above the rest of the noise around us. “You’re hung up on a woman? I didn’t think I'd live to see this day.”

“I told him he should settle down one of these days,” Boris smirks. “It looks like he’s chasing after the only woman in Manhattan who doesn’t want him.”

I swirl around the whiskey in my glass. “Speaking of Natalie. Did you find her yet?”

Boris finishes his cigarette and lights a new one. “I’m doing my best to find the girl, boss, but she hasn’t given you much information to fall back on.”

“It’s been six weeks, and you can’t find one damn woman?” My voice rises above the music as I lean closer to him. “I’ve been more than patient with you, Boris. I expect you to fucking find her, and soon. You’ve wasted enough time already.”

He frowns and nods his head sharply. “I’ve looked everywhere, but there are a lot of Natalies in Manhattan.”

“Go and knock on every fucking door until you find her if you must.” My tone is low and dangerous, hinting that there will be dire consequences for him.

“The only places I haven’t searched are the college records in the area since you said she wasn’t a student.”

As I stare at him, it feels like my head is about to explode. “At this point in our lives, I shouldn’t have to tell you how to do your fucking job. Turn over every stone. You should have done that already.”

Boris nods, finishing his cigarette. “I’ll find her.”

“You better be damn sure about that. You have one week before I take matters into my own hands.”

Waiting for her to be found is getting old, and my patience is wearing thin.

No one runs away from me and stays hidden for long.

Chapter 12 - Natalie

The building stands unassuming–like a silhouette against the New York skyline. It is an older building of modest height with a fire escape nestled against its side like a metal vine.

I look up before listening to the voice message with the address again. Yep, this is the building I was looking for.

Tyler: Be careful.

I didn’t bother to send an answer but put the phone in my back pocket. My heart races like a runaway train as I stand under the blue awning that covers the stone steps to the door. For a moment, I don’t know whether to climb the stairs or run the other way.

The anticipation I’ve carried since I was sixteen is finally becoming a reality, but it doesn’t feel like a moment of relief. Now that I have found Boris–the elusive thread that connects my past and present–perhaps he can shed some light on the mystery of my heritage.

Standing on the threshold, I take a deep breath, steel my nerves, and climb the stairs.

The door is gilded with gold and glass and looks far too expensive for this part of the city. I don’t even want to think about what this Boris guy is involved in. Tyler told me not to ask, and after learning that a man I thought was utterly average, a lovely gentleman, is a mob boss, I think it's a good strategy not to ask what Boris does for a living.

I don’t want to go any deeper into the underbelly of the city than I already am.

My hand drifts to my stomach again, rubbing a small circle before I open the door. It feels incredibly heavy, more like I’m prying open a brick wall than entering a slightly dilapidated building.

The moment I open the door, a man the size of a house stands in my way, looking at me with his arms crossed and his eyes glaring down at me. “Who are you, and what are you doing here?”

“My name is Natalie. I am looking for Mr. Petrovsky and had hoped to see him today. I won’t take up much of his time, I promise.” I'll speak my words quickly because I'm afraid I might change my mind at the last minute.

Although the man looks like he could eat me in one bite, he goes to a phone at a small desk, picks it up, and dials someone. When he returns to me, he nods to the camera in the corner of the ceiling. “Look right up there.”

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