Page 49 of Bratva King's Secret Twins

I spit on the floor, staring at his bloodied smile, and as I storm out of the room, Aleksandr is waiting outside, his gaze silent as he flickers over my split wrist and bloody shirt, but I don’t stop, just call over my shoulder, “Make plans with the Italians atJohanna’sfor tonight. We need all the allies we can get.”

25

GWEN

The club tonight is more feral than normal. All the girls are wearing maid costumes with little bells and we are serving drinks and food tonight for a special evening. I start behind the bar with Hudson, helping him make drinks since the bartender called out and no one else knows how to make a Manhattan or Cosmo, including our manager Oscar.

Hudson slides over to me with a shaker in his hand, wiggling his eyebrows. “Ready for your big night?”

I place a maraschino cherry on top of the tequila sunrise, and I slide the drink down to a lady at the end of the bar. “I am ready for all the big tips. And please, I don’t mean yours.”

Hudson laughs, pouring out his shaken Martini for the same green eyed man who nuzzles up Kim every night. “I’m just saying if I was shaking ass for a room full of men, including my boss who I am fucking, I’d be nervous as hell!”

“How can I be nervous when I look this good?” I smirk, doing a little twirl that allows my ruffled black and white maid skirt to spin around me. The dress barely covers my ass and the topof this dress has buttons to give a little peek-a-boo of my breast if I wanted to. “Besides,” I hum. “Nik isn’t even here.”

I know this because I haven't felt his eyes on me all night, but Hudson clicks his tongue and nods in the direction of the other side of the room. “Oh, the boss is here and he has friends tonight.”

I look over, my heart pounding in my chest as I stare at him. His slick back dirty blonde hair and intricate tattoo crawling up his neck, the lights showcase him in pieces. His pink lips, that he licks before letting out a low laugh showing off his white teeth. His arms, flexing in his black long sleeve t-shirt and matching black jeans. His shoes are black timberlands which is so completely New York of him that I smile, but as fast as I admire him, my world crumbles down. Nik didn’t notice me, and Nik always notices me. Even before he cut Jordan’s pinky off in my honor, he noticed me. My stomach plummets as I think about what Kim said earlier.

It’s like he lost everything.Was I a part of everything? Did my absence break him, even if it was only for a few months? I look over at Hudson. “I’m going to talk to him. Can you hold down the fort for the next twenty minutes?”

“Or the next hour if things go right?” Hudson smirks, wiping down a glass.

“Maybe longer?” A playful giggle escapes my lips as I circle the bar, Hudson's howls echoing in the background. The slick sweat on my hand causes it to slip against the polished surface, but I quickly wipe it on my apron and smack my lips to combat the dryness in my mouth. Weaving through the crowded dance floor, I slowly make my way towards Nik, my heart beating rapidly with each step. The pulsating music fades into a distant hum as all of my focus is fixed uponhim. Before I can even approach him, his intense gaze locks onto me. Waves of heat radiate from his eyes, drinking in every inch of me as our gazes meet.

But before I can close the distance between us, a large figure steps into my path.

“Excuse me?” I snap, trying to look past the man, but he blocks my gaze, folding his arms over his chest.

“Boss said no. He will talk to you when he has the time.” The bodyguard growls even deeper, but before I can tell him where to shove his shitty attitude, I hear Oscar calling my name from next to the main stage.

I glare daggers at the intimidating bodyguard, my jaw clenched so tightly that I fear it may shatter. With a huff, I spin on my heel and march towards the stage, where Oscar eagerly awaits me. He gestures frantically for me to join him, his excitement palpable.

As I approach with fire in my eyes, Oscar's smile widens even more. He opens the back curtain for me, urging me forward as he whispers in my ear, "That's the look I want to see! Knock them dead!"

“Oh, I intend to,” I mumble under my breath as I position myself at the slit of the curtains, just like Kim and I practiced earlier. The anticipation and adrenaline coursing through my veins is almost overwhelming.

Oscar grabs the microphone with a booming announcer voice, his words echoing throughout the venue. "Ladies and gentlemen, give a warm welcome to our newest Johanna performer - she's bold, sassy, and has curves like a backroad. Get ready for Cinnamon!"

The crowd roars as my stage name is announced, and I take a deep breath before poking out one leg from behind the curtain as a tease. The spotlight illuminates me in a warm glow as I saunter onto the stage, the music pulsating through my veins and guiding my movements. The crowd's cheers and whistles fill the room, fueling me with a rush of exhilaration. I sway my hips to the rhythm, letting my body move with a fluidity that brings everyone’s eyes to my hips, as I rub my hands up and down my body. I can feel everyone’s eyes on me but no one’s eyes are hotter than Nik’s. They sear through me and I can practically feel the anger radiating through him.

As the music thumps in sync with my racing heart, I glide around the pole, each movement precise and alluring. I allow my gaze to lock onto Nik's business partner, a smug grin playing on his lips as he watches me intently. He leans over to Nik, whispering something as he points to me, and Nik’s jaw rolls with irritation he doesn’t show anywhere else on his body.

Nik mouths to me, “Stop it.”

But I ignore him, flashing a coy smile. I intensify my performance, making sure to give his associate more attention than necessary. When I unravel my maid’s skirt, I throw it point blank at the man next to Nik and he catches it with a wink. I return in earnest. As I pop each button on the top of my costume, I act as a tease, giving a full view to Nik and his associate before tossing my top to Hudson, leaving me in a lace black set, knee-high stockings and five inch heels, along with a bell that rings every time I move.

Nik mouths to me, “Get down, now.”

I smile as if the lights are too bright to see him and blow a kiss in his direction. The music wraps around me like a secondskin, guiding me as I dance for the leering crowd. But my eyes never stray far from Nik, who walks closer to the stage with clenched fists and a dark look in his eyes.

As the song reaches its climax, I descend from the pole with a sensual grace that leaves the audience breathless. Ignoring the cheers and whistles that surround me, I focus solely on Nik's seething gaze. His anger fuels me as I drop down into a split, swing around. The man with Nik howls in excitement as I run my hands through his hair, catapulting his arousal even higher. With a seductive smirk, I spin around and give the man a peck on the cheek before arching my back and crawling away towards Nik and his associate.

Nik’s nostrils flares as he whispers, “Don’t you dare.” But I blink innocently as I swing my legs off the edge of the stage and open them right in front of the associate.

I lean in close to the man and whisper, “Hi, baby.”

A wicked glint dances in his eyes as he chuckles, relishing in the attention he's receiving. My gaze falls on Nik and I can't help but shiver at the crystalline hardness in his icy blue orbs. Fear creeps up my spine, but I push it aside, determined to make my move. With a seductive stretch, I arch my back and let the bell around my neck chime with each deliberate movement. But before I can reach the man, Nik grabs me roughly, his biceps bulging with tension as he effortlessly lifts me off the ground. The crowd boos, and I growl under my breath, "Let me go, Nikolai."

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