Page 53 of Kidnapped Bratva Toy

Everything was a swirl of contradicting halves of myself. Sworn duty versus undeniable attraction. And that neglected part of me was screaming louder than ever about how I’d never felt complete—whole in myself or my role in the world.

I’d been wanting more for as long as I could remember.

“I’m tempted.” I grinned. “But I don’t want to be distracted from the mission at hand.”

Pietor narrowed his eyes at me, running his palm up my side. “At hand, huh? Interesting choice of words…”

Right on cue, Pietor smoothed his hand up just a bit farther, cupping the underside of my breast. I let out a low moan, unable to bite it back. His lips found mine, and I actually did forget about why we were there for a second.

That was until I heard footsteps rush past us and then a familiar voice speaking right next door.

“I fucking hate walking back here through all that shite! Ugh.” There was a loudish thud, and I had to imagine that Teddy was sitting down. “Would installing a door back here kill ‘em?!”

Pietor slipped back, reaching into his pocket for the listening device. He offered me one of the buds like before, and we sat there, silent as the grave, listening to the men talk.

“Yeah, well, be glad that you can do all your business in here. I still have to report back to that fucking office, and I am so goddamn sick of seeing Marks's stupid face.”

My stomach pinched. I knew they didn’t necessarily like each other, but hearing Nicholas talk about his partner like that was something else entirely.

“Yeah, yeah.” Teddy sounded bored, and his Irish accent was especially thick. “Now, tell me about this situation with that little lawyer of yours.”

“She hasn’t reported back since I told her to stay with Vadim. Not sure if she’s still laying low or hasn’t found anything out yet.”

I couldn’t stop myself from squirming on the bench seat. Pietor gripped my hand, trying to steady me. But the proximity was just too much. I hated this. I was learning things I should never know, and yet…

I had to know them, and not just for Pietor’s case either.

My throat felt tight, my heart pounding furiously. I had to hear what Nicholas Cohen was going to say because, somehow, I knew it was going to change everything. I just felt it in my bones, the way I did when a client was telling the truth or lying to me during our first interview.

“Or he could’ve killed her.”

My eyes flicked to Pietor as Teddy let that one fly so effortlessly. He shook his head with a subtle downturn of his lips, but in the back of my mind, I remembered what he’d said about killing people before.

“Which would have been another solution to my problems.” My mouth dropped open as Nicholas continued. “I hoped she’d either learn something I could use, get the job done for Emiliano, or get killed so I wouldn’t have to deal with her anymore. She’s a self-righteous bitch. Sanctimonious as all hell. I’m sick of it.”

“Ugh, I hate when you can’t just pay ‘em off. Killing’s messier.”

“Yeah, but it works. When she comes back to work, it’ll be over and done with fast. Just need to hear what she knows. Then…” There was a slight pause. “Bam.”

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think. My mouth was still hanging open like an idiot, and I felt a rising burn in my throat like I was going to be sick. Pietor’s hands gripped mine tightly, but I didn’t even think twice about the bit of pain zinging through my knuckles and joints.

My stomach squeezed down around the nothing filling it. I shot my eyes across the room, where there was a small palm-like plant parked in the corner. Flinging myself toward it, my guts twisted, and I heaved up nothing but bile.

A warm hand was at my back a moment later, and I heard that Irish brogue call out from the other room.

“Lightweight!”

Slow circles across my shoulders and spine grounded me, and the shaking that racked through my body backed off. As I turned, swallowing and wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I looked up into Pietor’s eyes.

They were laser-focused, meeting mine with an intensity that matched the magnitude of a solar eclipse.

“I’ll cut his fucking tongue out for talking about you like that.”

All I could do was nod as a giant hole barreled through my chest, slowly expanding outward.

“We can leave. I’ve got enough to bring up against Cohen.”

Darkness crystalized in my veins, and I shook my head. “No, I want everything he’s going to spill. Everything we can use to bring him down.”

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