Page 3 of Forced By the Bratva King

“Oh, trust me, they did—hook, line, and sinker,” she replied, applying powder to my face.

“Are you kidding me? They’rethatgullible?”

“They watch way too many action movies, so they bought it.”

“You really didn't have to lie, you know,” I said, although deep down, I was glad she was proud to show me off.

“I didn’t lie,” she replied, piling up my dark hair and clipping it atop my head. “I only exaggerated a little bit.” She gestured with her index finger and thumb, the former barely an inch above the latter.

“A little bit?” I chuckled. “You painted me as a hacker straight out of a Hollywood movie— that’s an overexaggeration.”

“Okay, sue me,” she said unapologetically.

It was amazing how, with such little time, Madelyn had transformed this introverted, innocent girl into the goddess looking back at me in the mirror.

“By the way, I’ve told Chris a lot about you—and don’t worry, I didn’t overexaggerate with him. He’s really looking forward to finally meeting you tonight,” she added.

Chris was her new boyfriend, the one she wouldn't shut up about, but I’d never actually seen him before.

“And…done,” she said, looking in the mirror as her hands left my face. “Don’t you like what you see?”

I did. Ireallyloved what she’d done with my face, and my smile wouldn’t vanish.

She’d managed to bring out my natural features without being too heavy-handed with the makeup. Her expert touch cleared up my skin, and minimal dark eyeshadow made my green eyes pop.

“Wow,” the word escaped my lips. “Thank you.” I looked up at her, my smile softening. “And you’re right; going out will be good for me.”

She grinned widely. “Finally, you get my point. Why wouldn’t you after I made you look like this?” Madelyn teased and gestured at my whole body.

We both laughed.

I got out of the chair, drawing in a deep breath. “I’d like to meet Chris, too. I need to see the guy who’s putting up with you. He deserves a medal.”

“Haha, very funny,” she said. “At least Ihavea guy who’s putting up with me—but worry not, princess, for tonight, you will find your prince charming.” In her last statement, she mimicked the British accent remarkably well while swaying her hands in demonstration.

“You’re such a drama queen.” I shook my head, wondering how I’d bump into myprince charmingat a nightclub, of all places.

I’d never been in a relationship before, never really experienced love, and that was because I was always so picky with guys. I wasn’t looking for someone to fool around with, someone to have fun with. No.

Some even called me old-fashioned, and maybe they were right because I wasn’t searching for a boyfriend. I was looking for a man with commitment who was ready to go long-term. In other words, I was looking for a husband.

I didn’t go out much, and I had never visited a club before, but I knew for sure that it wasn’t a place where I’d find the man I was looking for.

Chapter 2 – Artem

“I think our database might be compromised. I’ve noticed a couple of glitches these past few days,” Kostya said through the phone I had clasped to my ear.

A reckless driver whooshed past us in a convertible, and the voice of a blonde in the passenger seat echoed across the street. She spread out her arms in exhilaration.

Her screams and the sound of their raging car engine distracted me from my brother’s words, forcing my brows to furrow in anger. They seemed to be lovebirds on some sort of wild adventure, speeding with no care for their lives. Idiots.

“Pakhan, are you still there?” Kostya’s voice came through the phone.

“Yes,” I replied. “You said something about glitches?”

The car drifted slowly down a street, and my right-hand man, Yuri Zaitsev, who was at the wheel, glanced in my direction for a second before looking back at the road.

I adjusted in the passenger seat and tightened my grip on my phone when I heard Kostya’s response.

---