Page 49 of Bound By Hate (Born in Blood)

“That’s not all you know. Who sold her? I doubt Viktoriya would have sold herself.”

“It was that American. I don’t know his name.”

I turn to Mikhail. “Gleb. He sold her. He fuckingsoldher.”

For once tonight, Mikhail looks concerned rather than annoyed. We both thought Viktoriya took off running because that’s what she does. But not this. We couldn’t have expected this.

“I’ve heard of Akim,” Mikhail says. “He’s a business owner. Not the Bratva. Shouldn’t be hard to find. Let’s go.”

I glare at Damien. “How do you know this? Unless you were at the auction, too?”

“I was,” Damien responds without a hint of guilt.

“Then why didn’t you save her?”

Damien huffs and settles back in his seat. “Why should I have? She doesn’t mean anything to me.”

“Come on,” Mikhail says, grabbing my shoulder. I force my feet to follow Mikhail out of the club, resisting the urge to punch Damien square in the fucking face.

“I can’t believe this,” I mutter once we’re back in the car. “She was sold. All because you let her choose between Gleb and me. If you’d just let me marry her, none of this would be happening right now.”

Mikhail stares me down until I look away. “I didn’t know this would happen. I didn’t know what kind of man Gleb was. Of course, I looked into him, but everything came up clean. For a Bratva man, anyway. But I promise you, Aleksander, the moment we get Viktoriya back, you can have her.” I inhale sharply. “I want her safe and protected. That way, none of this can happen again. That way, my wife isn’t upset with me. She’s all yours, Aleksander.”

“Now we just have to go get her.”

He starts the car.

MILA

I don’t get any sleep as I wait for news about Vik.

A knock on my bedroom door startles me. I crack it open, hoping to see Sofiya but disappointed when I see it’s Gleb. “Oh.”

“Hi, Mila. I wanted to see how you were doing. Now that Viktoriya’s gone, it’s just you and me.”

“And Sofiya. I still have Sofiya. And Viktoriya will be found. She’s not dead. I refuse to believe it.”

“I think she might be, Mila. And then what? You’ll be all on your own. But I don’t want you to worry. I’m here.” He skims his fingers down my arm. Subtly, I pull away.

I want to tell him I never asked for him to be here. I never asked for him to get involved in our lives. If he’d never shown up at our house, then Vik and I would still be in New York. Wenever would have returned to Russia, and Vik wouldn’t be gone right now.

She wouldn’t be in any possible danger.

“I think I’ll be fine,” I whisper, trying to shut the door, but Gleb firmly places his hand on it, stopping me.

“You think that, Mila, but you won’t be. Remember, I’m here to protect you. Keep that in mind.”

I don’t like the way he keeps saying my name. Almost like it’s a secret. Almost like he’s my lover, and we’re having an affair.

“I will. Good night.” Using a little bit of force, I shut the door.

And for good measure, I lock it.

I hope Vik will be fine. I hope she won’t want to marry Gleb when she gets back because if she’s married to him, he’ll always be in our lives.

Selfishly, I want Vik to put me first instead of herself. But I know my big sister.

Vik always puts Vik first.

---