Page 7 of Forced By the Bratva

A server approached, smiling. “Would you like to get started with anything, Miss Fairfax—perhaps a drink? Or would you like to wait for your date?” He waited; his fingers poised over the lit screen of a slim tablet.

I fought the urge to wince at the mention of the word “date.” Feliks was probably my father’s age, and I wasn’t looking forward to meeting him.

“I’ll wait for Mr. Sharov, thank you,” I responded, watching as the server retreated.

I looked around, immediately captivated by the view. Below, the cityscape shimmered with a thousand winking lights. The sight was beautiful, but I couldn’t fully appreciate it; my heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs, a stark contrast to the calm facade I struggled to maintain.

I dreaded Feliks’ arrival. Veronica’s vivid description of him hadn’t been hard to picture, and the thought that my family was about to bind me to some wrinkled, half-bald monster man made my stomach churn. They were very mistaken if they thought I was going to do this without a fight. I had my whole life ahead of me, and I wasn’t about to throw it away—just like that—for the sake of this marriage.

I had a plan.

I adjusted my dress again, cringing a little when I felt the cold air over my exposed cleavage, but it was all a part of the plan, and I fought to keep in character.

I heard footsteps walking in my direction, and I raised my head; when I locked eyes with the man approaching me, my heart ceased to beat within my chest, and I struggled for a second to get air into my lungs. I was surprised I could maintain my composure, keeping my expression blank, with the turmoil forming deep within me.

The man that was approaching was younger than I’d anticipated. He walked with an unnerving charisma that sent a shiver down my spine and held my focus. He had an ageless beauty, with an air of dominance that few could muster. His dark brown hair, perfectly styled, outlined his rigidly handsome face; it was an actual struggle to look away from him. Defined cheekbones sharpened his beauty, framed by a strong jaw. However, his eyes were cold, dark, and ruthless—a piercing hazel abyss that trapped me in his gaze with just one look.

Was this Feliks?

His body gave off an aura of strength that I could taste on the tip of my tongue. His tailor-made clothes fit his muscular, solid body so perfectly I got a decent image of the body underneath. The hint of a smirk lingered on his lips as he caught me watching him. He oozed confidence and so much appeal that it intimidated me, even without a word spoken.

The man was painfully attractive, but it didn’t take away from the vile beast that he was. I lifted my chin; I couldn’t get carried away. His handsome face didn’t make him any less of a monster—it was simply a mask for distraction, and I wasn’t going to give my life away to him.

He stopped in front of me, brows furrowing. “Veronica?” His deep baritone voice was surprisingly calm, with a sweet accent.

“Veronica?” I feigned confusion. “There must be some mistake. I’m Jenna.”

My voice was soft and sweet as I spoke, and I gave myself a pat on the back for maintaining this level of composure when the man in front of me intimidated me to no end.

Amusement danced in his eyes. “Jenna?” The name rolled off his tongue like a challenge. He unbuttoned his suit jacket before moving to take the seat opposite me. “And who might Jenna be?”

“Well—lucky for you, might I add—instead of my younger sister, I’m the one who is set to marry you.” I leaned forward slightly as I spoke.

His gaze swept over me, and the amusement that had danced only seconds before vanished. His stormy eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint swimming within as his eyes trailed down toward my exposed cleavage.

I fought the urge to lift my hands to cover myself. This was precisely what I wanted. When I’d sent the text to Feliks to arrange a meeting, I had only one plan in mind: to make him reject me.

After all, he only had to marry my father’s daughter, and—as Laura and Veronica had pointed out—it didn’t matter which one. If I could manage to get him to hate me, he’d request Veronica specifically, and my father would have no control over his choice. Once Veronica married into the Bratva, my father’s business surely would be stable again; then, I could beg him to assist with my mother’s medical treatment, and I knew that, at some point, he’d bend and help.

I wasn’t about to sit silent and sacrifice my entire life, especially not for my selfish stepsister and her mother.

Besides, looking at him now, I knew that if Veronica were to meet him, she’d be all over him. This was her type of man. She typically liked handsome bad boys, so it might not be so terrible if the two ended up together at the end of the day. She was just as cruel as this man—if not more so—so they already had some things in common.

“That dress looks like it’s about to fall apart; the straps barely look like they’re holding up, and you don’t look like you’re breathing well from how tight it is,” he commented, and a broad smile immediately painted my face.

This was perfect. If he was already finding flaws on his own, my plan was working out even better than I’d hoped.

“Well, you see, Feliks, this is my wardrobe choice. It’s my style, and this one is actually one of the more decent ones in my closet—you should see my clubbing outfits!” I offered, with a fake cheer in my voice that made me cringe internally; however, I couldn’t let the façade drop at that moment. “Unfortunately, as my husband, you will have to accept it. This is my style, and there’s plenty more where this came from.” I giggled.

Feliks chuckled, the sound low and almost sarcastic, but he didn’t say anything; he continued to watch me as I went on, describing the different skimpy clothes that decorated my designer wardrobe.

However, a new set of guests entered the space at this point. Judging by their sharp, three-piece suits, they were businessmen. I noticed Feliks’ gaze darkening when a couple of them walked by our table, ogling my exposed cleavage.

A jealous man. Interesting.

The server came to take our orders and serve us some drinks; while I sipped champagne, Felix cleared his voice before speaking.

“So, Jenna, tell me about yourself. Aside from your love for short dresses, what else should I know about you?”

---