Page 2 of Knocked-Up Bratva Prisoner

Oh, but the best kind of trouble.

I glance at the floor, grinning to myself.

Why the hell does my heart beat so fast when he’s near me? It’s probably because I know how wrong this is.

“So, do you want to get out of here?” He brushes his hand over my jaw.

“Clara Vitali. I have been looking for you everywhere.” My uncle steps close to me, grabbing my arm a little too tightly. I wince but manage to hide it. I can tell immediately that he is angry—he hates it when I speak to any of the Dubrovs.

“Giorgio, good to see you.” Alexei looks down at my uncle.

“Alexei. Enjoy the party,“ he replies, short and clipped, then drags me away so roughly that I almost trip over my high heels.

I want to tell my uncle that he’s embarrassing me, but I wouldn’t dare.

Not a chance.

He hauls me all the way into the house, and by the time we get inside my cheeks are glowing red.

Giorgio turns towards me with deep anger in his eyes. His jaw is clenched. His words come out at me in a harsh whisper. “How the fuck many times do I have to tell you to stay away from Alexei Dubrov? His family is no good. Why were you talking to him?”

“He came to greet me. He is your guest and your ally, I wasn’t going to be rude.”

“Bullshit. You were falling all over him,” he snarls.

“Falling over him? Are you kidding me? I most certainly was not,” I snap angrily.

A sharp slap across my face stuns me into silence and my cheeks glow redder, heated with even more embarrassment. Fuck, I hope no one saw that.

Anger and resentment burn inside me, directed right at my uncle.

He points his finger into my face, his voice a dark whisper. “Stay away from him.”

I don’t reply.

Giorgio spins on his heel and walks away from me.

I take a few deep breaths trying to get my anger to simmer down a little, but it isn’t working.

I have been turning Alexei down for months, and all my uncle sees is me ‘falling all over him.’ Like I’m some desperate girl.

If he wants something to complain about—if hewantsto see what it looks like when I do actuallyfall all over him—then I will fucking show him.

No one speaks to me like that in public, making me feel weak and shitty. Not even my uncle.

I march back out into the party, standing on the top step until I spot Alexei leaning against the bar ordering a drink. I push past the crowd, my head held high this time, all the way to the bar, where I slide right up to Alexei, making sure my hip brushes against him.

I wave the barman over and ask for champagne.

“I see you couldn’t stay away,” his voice smooths over me.

“What can I say?” I shrug, flashing a sly and suggestive grin as I let my eyes play up and down his body.

“I think we should celebrate you coming to terms with the fact that you can’t stay away from me.” He orders two tequila shots and then turns his body to face mine. I turn as well, butwith the crowd around the bar, we are pressed together far more tightly than I had planned.

Fuck, he smells too good.

And he feels so good, too.

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