Page 41 of Bound By Hate (Born in Blood)

Instead, I let my hate for Aleksander get the best of me, and now, look where I am.

I’m all alone. No one here can save me. No one here wants to save me.

Once I’m sold, I’ll be lost to the man who buys me. I should be terrified.

But all I feel is sadness.

Sadness that I’ll never see my sisters again. That I let my father down. That I let Mila down.

That Aleksander was right—I should have watched my attitude around Bratva men. Because the Bratva has come to collect. Because I belong to them, and I can never escape.

That’s what hurts most of all.

Chapter

Seven

VIKTORIYA

Iwatch as the women on the stage are sold off one by one. Some for millions of dollars. Others for a measly hundred grand. If I’m to be sold, I want it to be for millions. That’s my worth in this world.

Just a woman to be sold to the highest bidder.

The salesman turns to me with a wicked grin and tugs on the chain around my throat, drawing me to the edge of the stage. When I would dance, the crowd would watch me with awe. They would clap for the hard work I showcased.

But now, no one is clapping. This crowd isn’t watching me with awe.

They’re watching me with lust and darkness.

These are bad men buying women … and for what? They have money. They don’t have to buy anyone. They’re choosing to. That’s what makes them scarier than anything else. They’re choosing to be vile, evil men.

“Be careful,” I growl at the salesman as he tugs on my chain again. “Do you know who I am? I’m Viktoriya Morozova. I’m an asset. I’m worth more than this.”

“You’re a woman, nothing more.” His words make me flinch. “Let us begin. We should start at … one million.”

I inhale sharply. This is happening. I’m being sold like it’s nothing. Will I ever be found by my sisters? Will they even care that I’m gone? I’ll admit, I haven’t always been the nicest to them. But I’ve worked hard to make sure they were all right after our parents’ deaths. I would never want anything like this to happen to Sofiya or Mila.

I just don’t know if they would show me the same courtesy.

The men bid on me, one after another, each one raising the bidding price. I’m nothing more than just a piece of meat. Something they can buy.

My eyes land back on Gleb. His smile grows larger as more men bid on me. He’s going to get a great payday at the end of this night. Fucking bastard.

And to think I chose him to marry. Gleb has done the worst thing imaginable to me. He has made me look like a fool. He’s humiliated me.

No man has ever done that before, and no man will ever again.

The moment I’m free of this chain around my neck, I’m going to run. If that doesn’t work, I’m going to attack. And if that doesn’t work … I think I’d rather die than let these slimy, disgusting men put their hands on me.

“Five million,” one man says calmly as if he isn’t bidding on a human being. No other man bids higher.

“Sold!” The salesman announces. “To that gentleman. May you be happy with your purchase.”

A gentleman. That’s laughable. None of these men are gentlemen.

The two guards who dragged me onto the stage come out and undo the chain around my neck. I don’t waste a second. I run for the stairs at the bottom of the stage, but the two men catch me. Gleb stands up, a worried look on his face. I can’t escape—not until he’s gotten his money.

“You’re sick!” I scream at him. “Disgusting.”

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