Page 55 of Kidnapped Bratva Toy

“Tell me more about what you do. Tell me…how I’m supposed to be able to live with it.”

“Oof, that’s a fucking ask, sweetheart.” I exhaled in a steady stream until my lungs were completely empty. “I grew up in this life. It’s all I’ve known, but I guess…know this. The Vadims, my family, we don’t kill innocent people.”

She tilted her head to meet my eyes.

“Yeah, we steal from them, use them to an extent, but we’re not out to harm anyone who doesn’t deserve it. We’re businessmen—just looking to make our sales and go home.”

“Sales that include guns and drugs.” Billie eyes me, her mouth screwed up into a combination of a frown and a smile.

“Yes. What people do with the shit we offer is on them. I know that distancing or whatever, but it’s no different than a legal gun seller or someone who sells liquor.”

With her brows raised, Billie nodded slowly. I could tell she wanted to argue that one, but I could also see the exhaustion creeping in around the edges.

“Fair enough.”

“All the people I’ve hurt or taken out, they deserved that shit for doing the same to my family. I won’t stand for that. You come for mine, you wind up dead. They’re the only people who’ve been here for me, and I take care of my own.”

Billie was quiet, and she stared off into nothing again. But then her lips started moving, and the words that tumbled out floored.

“When you locked me in the bathroom, it scared me.” She wasn’t looking at me as she said the words. “I was locked in a closet when I was young. I was at school, and a bunch of asshole middle schoolers shoved me into the supply closet. It locked, and…it took hours for anyone to find me because the kids were too scared of getting in trouble to talk.”

I knew whoever those kids were, they were now adults and likely long gone from her life. I even knew that you shouldn’t blame or hate children for what they did when they were just a bunch of dumb preteens. Still…

If I ever find out who they were, I’m going to introduce them to the business end of my boot.

“I can’t stand tight spaces. Claustrophobia.” She shook her head, swallowing, before she finally met my eyes.

They were glossy with unshed tears, and Billie sniffled as she continued.

“When I told my folks about it, they went to the school. The boys were never really punished. And they still found every other opportunity to torment me. Paint in my hair, shoving me into lockers, and even managed to break my glasses once. Thank God for contacts, huh?”

“Billie, I—”

“You know, when you’re adopted and the new kid because you keep having to move because your dad transfers a lot, and you’re taller than you should be, and you don’t have much money, it all works against you to create this perfect storm for other kids to harass you. That, umm,” Billie’s voice cracked, “that doesn’t change much when you get older, I guess.”

I yanked her into my arms, crushing her against my chest like I needed to smelt our bodies into one. She cried, the tears warming my chest, and I just…held her. The pain she felt was like my own. I could taste it on the back of my tongue—bitter and astringent like chemicals.

“I don’t want to be alone anymore, Pietor. I don’t want to toil endlessly for nothing. I don’t want to be killed off, and I don’t want to work for someone who wants me dead. I just…I want to feel safe.”

Pressing my lips to the top of her head again, her scent filling me to the brim, I sensed another crack form in the walls I’d built around myself.

“And I’ll do whatever I can to make sure you feel that way as long as I’m around. I promise you.”

Billie glanced up, and I held her tearful stare. A gentle smile stretched her lips, one I’d never seen before, and something inside me melted.

“Thank you, Pietor.” She kissed me. “Thank you.”

Chapter 23 - Billie

When the following morning finally came, I felt lighter. Breathing felt easier, and moreover, a determination to see this through to the very end set up shop in my bones.

I rolled over in the bed toward Pietor. We’d fallen asleep shortly after my unburdening, and it was strange to stay that there were no impromptu sex sessions during the night. We just…slept. Together. Smiling, I traced my fingers over the lines of his tattoos again, a soothing pastime I was finding.

Pietor’s pec muscle twitched, and his hand flew up to snatch my wrist. When he slowly opened his eyes, he smirked at me, stretching as he held on to my arm.

“Not used to someone being here to mess with me.” He narrowed his eyes. “Still, I think I could get used to it.”

He dragged me against him, finding my lips with his own and kissing deeply. The velvety feel of his lips was welcoming and warm. My body heated down to my core, my pussy clenching as his free hand found my ass.

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