Page 117 of Bratva Butcher

I let the beast out, and I fuckingtookher.

I thought it would make me feel better. Release me from that strange, magnetic hold she had over me. From the torment plaguing me every waking moment of my fucking life.

But it didn’t.

It made itworse.

Now, I knew how she tasted. Knew how her pussy felt wrapped around my cock. Knew what she sounded like when she moaned my name.

And I wanted it all again. Over and over and over.

The guilt for that was overwhelming.

“Are you sure?” Sympathy flashed in Mikhail’s eyes. “I can read you like a book, old friend. I can see the guilt consuming you. You have nothing to feel guilty about. Yekaterina has been gone for over ten years—”

“Mikhail,please. Don’t.” I didn’t need to hear it. Not then. I couldn’t talk about it. The guilt, hurt, yes, but seeing that look on Autumn’s face when I backed away from her? That hurt even more.

“Okay, fine,” Mikhail agreed reluctantly. “But only because you said, ’please’, and I’ve never heard you use that word before.”

That can’t be right. I was sure I’d used it at least once in my life.

Maybe.

“Let’s just get Anthony so we can get the fuck out of here.”

Mikhail saluted. “You the boss, man.”

When we stepped back into the ballroom, I scanned the area, but it wasn’t Anthony I was looking for, like it should have been.

It was Autumn.

My eyes moved from person to person with an almost frantic-like urgency, searching for her.

Where is she? She couldn’t have just left. Where is she—

“There.”

My gaze shot to where Mikhail indicated, and my heart plummeted when I realised he was talking about Anthony. He’d found Anthony.

“Luck is finally on our side,” Mikhail said, excitement streaking across his face. “It looks like he’s heading to the bathroom. We can nab him there—oh, fucking hell, Allistair is heading this way.”

Sure enough, when I looked to my left, I saw Allistair plowing through the crowd of people, making a beeline right towards us.

Towardsme.

I did not have the energy to deal with him right now…but—

“I’ll distract him,” I sighed, straightening my spine. “You grab Anthony. Call me when you’ve got him, and I’ll use that as an excuse to leave.”

Mikhail nodded. “Gotcha.”

Allistair didn’t even spare Mikhail a glance as he walked off, his entire focus on me. “I have to say, Dimitri, you sure know how to get a party going. People haven’t stopped talking aboutyour dance with the lovely Natalie. I truly hope you didn’t mean it when you said you wouldn’t be attending another one of my events any time soon. Ineedyou back next year.”

I’d rather drink a bottle of hydrochloric acid.

“This was a one-time appearance. I have no intention of returning.”

His friendly smile turned strained. “What if I can make it worth your while? Say, $100,000?”

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