Page 8 of Claimed By the Bratva

Shaking my head, I placed the pizza and drinks on the bed. “Yes, I do. But currently, you are my concern. So, what are we watching?”

Joyce glanced at the television, realizing it was still playing. She quickly reached for the remote and turned it off as she replied. “Nothing, just some police show.” She fiddled with the remote, looking down at her hands. She appeared a tad guilty, and I wondered why.

My heart skipped a beat, and it dawned on me that I was being overly friendly. I couldn’t allow my feelings to interfere. “Look, if you don’t want the food, we can throw it out, just say the word.” I spat, picking up the bag of drinks.

Glancing at her, I could see confusion on her face as she sat back down. I felt guilty for having to treat her this way. Yet, I knew I wasn’t supposed to be having feelings for her. Placing the bag down, I turned and headed for the door. I had to clear my mind. Plus, I couldn’t allow her to see my confusion.

Pulling the door behind me, I leaned against it, staring at the couch I had been sleeping on. There were two other rooms, but I had to ensure she stayed put. Thus, I had been sleeping on the couch. Rubbing my neck, I missed the softness of my bed.

I had to get the information from her. Heading back in, I pulled up the chair and sat next to the bed. “Right,” I said, watching her take a bite of the pizza. “What information did you manage to gather?”

Joyce glanced up at me through her lashes. My stomach made a knot as a smile crossed my face. Those eyes were mesmerizing. She placed the slice down, chewed, and swallowed. Every muscle from her mouth to her throat was perfectly formed. Even eating made her appealing.

Straightening out, she turned to face me properly. “I have a map for you, which I downloaded to your laptop. As for the other things, I need more time.”

My frustration pushed up as I listened to her. This was taking too long. I had to get her to move quickly. “What about the head of security? Surely you know his name?” I asked, trying to keep my tone level.

She stared at me for a moment as she chewed another bite. Joyce appeared to be delaying as she chewed slower. Patience has never been one of my strong points. “Joyce, we have made a deal; I am waiting,” I said a bit too roughly as I saw her flinch.

“Yes, I have a name,” she replied after swallowing hard. “I just haven’t gotten round to writing it down.”

I took a slow and deep breath, clenching my fists at my sides before speaking. “Alright, how about the guard's schedules and patrol patterns?”

Joyce spoke softly, staring into my eyes. “I don’t have that yet.”

For a second, it felt like I was floating. Shaking my head, I continued. “What about the packaging and labeling to prevent them from being searched?”

Taking another bite, she shook her head in response. I felt angry, frustrated, and vulnerable all at the same time. My emotions were raging up and down. “How about the person in charge of receiving and shipping? Do you have a name for me?”

I could hear my anger coming through as I spoke, and Joyce could, too. She shifted on the bed before shrugging her shoulders. “I don’t know,” she whispered, staring at the pizza box.

“Why is this taking so long?” I spat as I abruptly rose, sending the chair toppling over. My anger was starting to take control. I wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or not, but I was having trouble controlling it.

Joyce jumped up and stood on the other side of the bed. “Well, it’s not easy. I don’t have access to all the systems. I am working on it, and it will take as long as it takes. Stop being a dumb brute!” she huffed at me.

Her tone, attitude, and response were infuriating. I moved around the bottom of the bed within seconds. I grabbed her shoulders, wanting to shake some sense into her, and then stopped. Looking into her eyes, I felt like I was soaring again.Her luscious lips parted vaguely, and I felt a deep desire to kiss her wash over me.

Stepping back, I shook my head. Turning, I charged for the door. “When you are finished eating, get back to work,” I spat harshly before slamming the door shut behind me.

Stepping out of the house, I lit a cigarette and tried to calm my body and mind. Pulling out my phone, I called Tasha. “Hey, sis,” I said as she answered. “I just wanted to ask if you could check on Joyce while she searched her work network. I don’t want her leaving breadcrumbs for anyone to find.”

“Stop worrying,” Tasha replied, still sounding annoyed at me. “I know what I am doing. I have installed safety methods.”

Feeling slightly better, I went back to check on Joyce. She was sitting at the small table, busy with her laptop. “I’m sorry if I spoke a bit hard,” I said, standing at the door.

Joyce turned her head sideways. She had a tight smile on her lovely lips. “It’s fine,” she replied softly. “I have added the other detail you wanted to the file.”

“All of it?” I enquired, stepping closer.

“As much as I could,” she responded, getting up and moving back quickly. “There’s just a couple of details I am still searching for.”

I stopped moving closer. “Okay,” I said, lifting my hands. “Sorry if I scared you. Please continue.”

“I’m tired,” she huffed, moving to the bed.

“Yes, of course,” I replied in a light tone. “We’ll pick up in the morning again. Sleep well.”

Moving back to the door, I watched as she got into bed and turned to the window. Closing the door and locking it, I felta heaviness filling me. Laying down on the couch, I pulled the blanket over my chest.

---