Page 8 of The Bratva's Auctioned Bride

I glanced over my shoulder at her, chuckling. “I’m only trying to help you, Lara. Whether you want to believe it or not, it’s true.”

“Bidding on me and forcing me to do anything is not helping—surely even you can see that,” she spat, eyes simmering with rage.

An amused grin formed on my lips as I faced ahead again. “You will see.”

She mumbled something under her breath that I didn’t care to hear; instead, I watched as the heavy metal door opened and we emerged outside into the darkness.

The car was already running and waiting for us, and despite her fighting, Lara was put into the backseat. I moved in after as one of the guards sat in the passenger seat and the others split into another car before driving off alongside us.

As the driver pulled onto the highway, Lara didn’t even spare a glance at me. Instead, she looked out the window as her body remained completely tense, almost like there was pressure building inside her. I couldn’t help but wonder when she would inevitably burst.

There were many things I could’ve tried to say to Lara, most of which would’ve only angered her more, but I resolved to stay quiet in the meantime as the city moved around us. Despite my attempts, nothing I said had resonated with her enough, and it was clear I had a lot of legwork to do before I could gain any trust.

I glanced over at her as we passed beneath the streetlights and the bright city signs, noticing how the colors streaked across her smooth skin and made her look even more appealing than before. Her profile was hard to look away from, regardless of how I tried to.

There was no mistaking how effortlessly beautiful she was, and how I’d have no problem keeping her around. Although, I had to remind myself that regardless of how gorgeous she was, or how I found myself gravitating towards her already, she was an investment first.

I needed her to get a leg up on her brothers and to ensure that my family could scale up—to gain the respect we deserved.

Our empire in Canada got us far, but there was no mistaking the influence of the American circuit. If we could only make our way and benefit from having that payoff, my family would never struggle again. For generations to come, the Novikovs would know only prosperity and wealth.

To get that, I needed the Levovs to respect us, and I needed Lara to get me there.

Thanks to her, I had the upper hand, and it was only a matter of time.

Even so, there was something about her—beyond her name and beauty—that pulled me in. No matter her purpose in my plan, I couldn’t shake how much I wanted her.

Having her in my possession wasn’t enough.

Chapter 5 - Lara

There weren’t words strong enough to describe how angry I was at that moment—which only got worse as the drive continued, as I struggled more and more to grapple with the idea that I was being transported somewhere I didn’t know with a complete stranger.

My hands were still bound as I was forced to sit in the backseat of the SUV next to Alex. I wanted more than anything to break the zip-ties in half and strangle him, to let my anger and panic out at once.

But, of course, that wasn’t happening. The jagged plastic was digging into my skin enough, and I just wanted it off at this point.

I watched as the city moved by us, and how the streetlights flashed from above while we drove beneath them. The window was cracked slightly, and while the breeze coming in was chilly, it did something to soothe the panic and fear burning my skin.

Regardless of how wild my mind was running with ideas, I had no idea where he was taking me. I didn’t know the first thing about him or his plans, and it left a sour taste in my mouth. I hated even thinking about it, but I knew being relocated was never a good thing.

The further I was taken away from my brothers, the less likely I’d get to see them again. That idea alone was enough to remind me how dire the situation was. It sent a sharp pang of worry through me, and I just wanted to get back home.

I wanted to blink and find myself back with them. Safe, at ease, and able to have complete autonomy again.

Before being captured and sold, I hadn't realized how freeing it was to make every choice on a whim—to be in control and go where I pleased, to do as I wished. But from the back of that SUV, I could feel that control slipping away more and more, and I hated it.

The tide of my anger and fear went back and forth constantly, raging and fighting for my attention.

I couldn’t help but consider what Alex said to me before, how I could’ve been sold off to someone much older or crazier.

As much as I didn’t want to admit it, there was some truth to his words. But still, I didn’t know Alex, and I didn’t want to underestimate him just because he was attractive. I couldn’t let my guard down regardless of how handsome he was, or how I didn’t entirely hate the idea of being near him.

He looked like exactly my type, and I hated that fact even more.

But as appealing as he was, I glanced at him every once in a while and noticed just how casually he was sitting on his phone, texting and scrolling as if he hadn’t just come from a human auction. As if he didn’t just support the abduction and sale of me, all for reasons I didn’t know yet.

The relaxed and casual expression only inflamed my anger more, and I could feel my restraint beginning to crumble.

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