Page 1 of Captured By the Bratva

1

IVAN

Standing toward the back of the reception space, I glanced over the guests mingling throughout the area. Unease crept up my spine. I couldn’t shake it. This sensation of looking in from the outside set deep inside me, and it made no sense.

All the guests dancing, talking, and laughing here were acquaintances of the Valkov Bratva. This celebration of my brother Nickolai marrying Amy was a day to be shared with friends and family. I belonged here, but I couldn’t chime in with the idea behind it all.

Marriage? It wasn’t in the cards for me. I knew that down to my core. Nor would I ever be the groom over there, at the head table, smiling and kissing the one woman who’d be mine and only mine forever.

Monogamy was a goal, but as of yet, I had no reason to give up my preferences for staying unattached and focused on serving my family. Someone had to handle the Bratva’s sex clubs. They turned too hefty of a profit to shut them down, and with Aleksei taking over as thePakhan, he was all about increasing our wealth and power.

I just couldn’t see it, standing around in a tuxedo, showing off the one woman who’d be at my side forever. I couldn’t envision being a groom at a big, fancy reception like this, smiling and?—

I furrowed my brow.

Wait a second.

Watching Nik frown further, I wondered what had made him take a call now. Amy peered at him, but I had to give her credit. She didn’t pout or make a fuss out of it. She was a nobody before she met Nik, but she was proving her worth as a true Bratva woman, not interfering with our business.

I wasn’t the only one who’d noticed Nik’s reaction to whatever call he’d deemed so important that he had to take at his own wedding reception. Stepping further away, he tipped his chin at Alek who, like me, watched Nik. All five of us brothers were forever alert, even today at a highly guarded celebration.

Now what?Nik and Amy had a hard enough time getting to this peaceful and sappy day of matrimony. If anyone was trying to stir trouble, they’d have hell to pay.

Alek reached Nik first. We moved off to the side to speak, and I waited for Nik to hang up.

“That was Yusef.” He looked past me, likely checking on Amy as he scowled and rubbed his face. “I asked him to keep an eye on Murphy’s whereabouts.”

At the name of that fucker, I gritted my teeth. Steven Murphy, crooked cop extraordinaire. He’d worked for the NYPD for his whole career, and he’d made it known that he wanted to be the one to bring the Valkov Bratva down.

“Nik. It’s your wedding…” I said with a heavy sigh. “And I already told you. I’ll handle Murphy.” And I would. I volunteered to bring that asshole down, but it seemed Nik struggled to let go of it. My older brother actually would be better for this job. Nik was stealthy, skilled with disguises and hiding and spying.I’d stepped up at our previous meeting, though, because even if he wasn’t a man newly in love with the woman he almost lost several times, he was also a father-to-be.

“I know. I know.” He held up his hand and waved it at me. “But Yusef still reports to me. I’ll tell him to address you from here on.”

Alek crossed his arms. “What did he say?” He was straight to business, as ever. He knew he could count on all of us to pull our weight and get things done, but he was extra eager to stop Murphy from messing with us anymore.

“He’s been hiding,” Nik answered.

As he should be.If the cop knew I was about to be on his ass, he should be trying to hide or run. Our previousPakhanwas an idiot who abused and lost power, but under Alek’s hand, we’d remind everyone that the Valkovs were an enemy no one should dare to cross.

“After we busted up that branch of the Ortezes’ trafficking operation, Murphy’s been hiding,” Nik said.

Alek nodded, sighing. “Yeah. We overheard him talking with someone about getting a cut. I bet he’s still trying to get something from the traffickers, just not with the Cartel anymore.”

“I agree.” Nik glanced in Amy’s direction again, as though he hated to be away from her on this special day. “We interfered with that specific line of business, but he’s still involved. It seems that Murphy’s distancing himself from the Cartel, though.”

I narrowed my eyes. “For good?”

Nik shrugged while Alek shook his head.

“He’s got his hands in a little bit of everything,” Alek replied. “He always has. I doubt that asshole has ever been a clean cop. As soon as he started on the force, he’s been crooked. Don’t you remember Dad trying to tell Pavel about his concerns?”

I thought back, trying to recall whatever memories Alek was referencing. Thinking about our father wasn’t pleasant. He’d been taken from us too soon, and I hated the pang of grief that lingered despite all the years that had passed. We were only teens, young men, when Pavel arranged for our father to be killed. Pavel had wanted all the power of the Bratva, and even though our father was the smarter, more level-headed man with a brain and heart for leadership, Pavel was too greedy and coveted it all.

While I didn’t remember any particular warning our father might have shared with us about Murphy, it wouldn’t have shocked me if he’d only confided in Alek—the oldest—about his worries.

“He’s not loyal about which crime organization he caters to,” Alek added, rubbing his jaw and seeming more than irritated about this topic.

“No shit,” I agreed. “First, he teamed up with Sergei Kastava to fuck us over at the Colver dock with that arms shipment and the sting that he prevented from happening.”

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