Page 5 of Brutal Bratva King

That’s better.

This weekend, my brother and his wife, who is also my friend, announced their new baby on the way and I’m super happy for them—but it sent me on a bit of a thought spiral about what the hell I’m doing with my life.

Ever since I was little, my brothers have protected me from everything and I mean everything. I didn’t date. I didn’t get to go out and have too much fun. They were always watching and always keeping me out of trouble and a girl needs to get into a little trouble every now and then.

Not like last year, though. Getting kidnapped isnotthe kind of trouble I’m after.

My life just feels a bit empty and I’m bored with doing the same things over and over.

That’s why I informed Leon and Oleg that I will be attending the next Bratva meeting. Which happens to be today. They were both pretty confused because I’ve never been interested in the business before—but I want to learn. I think I might be pretty good at it and it’ll make me feel a lot better about my life if I have something meaningful to do every day.

I can only go on so many shopping sprees before it’s boring as hell.

I want more than that.

Andthatis why I need my hair to behave today. So that I can arrive there, look professional and then they won’t take me for a joke.

I glance in the mirror. The bun seems to be holding. My dark grey, perfectly tailored suite looks immaculate. I definitely belong in a boardroom.

I grab my Louis Vuitton handbag and march out of the door with confident strides. My high heels click loudly down the passage outside my penthouse apartment, all the way to the elevator.

All of the time my brothers spent shielding me from the business and the risks of being involved—and it didn’t help anything—I still got kidnapped. So, I need them to stop doing that and let me be a part of it all. Leon has promised he will talk to all of them and give me a chance to prove myself.

I drive to one of the many buildings our family owns in this city, parking outside of the high glass-walled skyrise, I climb out of the car and walk into the building as though I have been here a hundred times. I haven’t. This is the first time but nobody else needs to know that. We all start somewhere.

A glass elevator takes me up to the second highest floor and when the numbers above the door shine thirty-two, the doors slide open and I step out, walking towards the boardroom.

Oleg, Yefim, and Alexei are there already.

I smile as I walk inside and they all grin at me. Alexei shakes his head, “You are going to be bored out of your mind, little sister.”

“Don’t make assumptions,” I snap back. “It’s a whole new me and I’m willing to accept any challenge.”

Alexei lifts his hands, “Ok, ok, but it’s not all fun and games.”

I pull out a chair for myself and take a seat, waiting for Leon to arrive.

When he walks in alongside Rodion Kuznetsov I am shocked to my core. I had no idea he was going to be here today and I feel unprepared for that.

I force my mouth to stay closed because my jaw is threatening to drop open in surprise. Dammit. I don’t want him here.

He smiles that dark smile of his from across the table, sitting opposite me.

“Anya, what a pleasant surprise.” His voice is deep, and it rumbles through me sending shivers down my spine. I sit up straighter. I haven’t worked out what it is about this man yet, but he makes me feel—weird.

“Good morning, Rodion,” I say, business like and professional.

Leon kicks off the meeting by going through stock and shipment schedules. I listen, but I find myself continuously glancing at Rodion. His eyes are so blue, and his dark blonde hair is cut short and neat. There isn’t a thing out of place in his appearance. The angular shape of his jaw makes him look dangerous and serious. When he looks at me, his eyes look dark despite being so bright.

I can never figure out what he’s thinking.

He glances across the table at me and our eyes meet.

I shift in my seat.

I both like and dislike having his eyes on me. They are so beautiful but so intense.

I turn my attention back to Leon.

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