Page 72 of Bound By Hate (Born in Blood)

“You’re not taking her anywhere,” I growl, placing myself between her and Gleb. “You’ll have to go through me.” Aleksander glances at me, a surprised look on his face.

Gleb laughs, and it’s vile, sending a chill over my body. “I got rid of you easily before. I can do it again. Mila, come on.”

“Mikhail, do something,” Sofiya hisses.

He steps forward and places his hands on Gleb’s shoulders. “You shouldn’t be here. I told you if you showed your face again, I would kill you.”

“I’m not afraid of you, Mikhail. Mila belongs to me. You understand this. She doesn’t have a husband to protect her. It’s up to me to see she’s taken care of.”

“You’ll just sell her off like you sold me!” I scream.

Mikhail glances back at me, a sort of … pity on his face. “I hate to say it, but he’s right. He does have a claim to Mila.”

“No,” Sofiya says. “You can't do this, Mikhail. You can’t let him take her.”

He doesn’t respond.

A see red. Nothing but red.

I lunge for Gleb, ignoring the pain in my side, and rake my fingernails down his cheek. I manage to get a cut in before he winces and backs away.

“You sold me!” I shout. “You will not get my sister!”

“Mikhail, please,” Sofiya begs, getting on her knees. That’s the one thing I will never do. I will always remain standing, and I will always fight.

“If you don’t kill him,” Aleksander says, “I will.”

Mikhail turns back to Gleb. “Get the fuck out. Now.”

“I have a right to her,” Gleb says, pointing at Mila, who’s frozen in place.

Mikhail draws his gun and aims it at Gleb’s head. “Get out. Now.”

Gleb raises his hands and slowly backs out the door.

I don’t get the satisfaction of seeing him killed, but at least I have the satisfaction of seeing his scarred cheek. I did that.

I’m breathing heavily and jittery with too much emotion pent up inside me. I feel like a rabid dog.

Aleksander puts his hand on my shoulder, but I push him away from me. He remains by my side, gazing at me with his intense gaze. I hate his eyes. They’re too blue.

I slap him across the cheek.

The room goes silent.

He looks surprised, but he still doesn’t look away from me. “Viktoriya, you will calm down. You need to. I am telling you to.”

Slowly, my breathing goes from ragged to calm. How does Aleksander do that? Put me in a trance and make me do what he says. I am not an obedient woman.

I cannot be.

I wrap my arms around Mila’s shoulders and glare at Mikhail. “Were you actually just going to let Gleb take my sister away? What kind of man are you?”

“The kind that understands the rules of the Bratva,” Mikhail growls. “Mila does not belong to us. She belongs to Gleb.”

“She belongs to herself,” I say. “And she will be staying with me from now on. I don’t trust you to keep her safe from Gleb.”

“Vik,” Sofiya says, reaching out her hand, but I brush past.

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