Page 119 of For a Price

“Not the relationship type?”

“What do you think, kitty cat?” He rubs his palm along the curve of my hip. “I dedicated myself to the bratva. I have lived and breathed it. It is a dirty, dangerous, deadly lifestyle. It’s not a lifestyle suitable for a wife and children. For a family man.”

“But I can handle it,” I insist, and when he shakes his head, I double down. “I can! I’m strong. I’m… I’m a survivor. I’m not a victim. I’m not?—”

“Shhh, devochka,” he hushes gently. He kisses my brow. “You are impossibly strong. For all you have been through, you are fucking unstoppable. You’re a warrior. My fucking tough warrior by my side. But you’re also precious. And I will do everything in my power to protect you like you’re made of glass even if you may not be…”

It might not make sense to anyone else but the two of us, but I understand what he’s saying. I scoot my body even closer to his and trace my fingers along the edges of his jaw.

“It makes me feel… it makes me feel so… so safe to know that. I’ve never felt valuable to anyone.” I push back the knot of emotion tightening inside me at the horrible trauma that’s been my life on the streets. “But please, Zver. Let me help.”

“Katerina…”

“It means so much to me that you’re going to avenge me. But I need to avenge myself too. I’ve… I’ve never gotten the chance to before. So many people have wronged me in my life,” I explain. “And I’ve always just had to get used to it. Please let me have the chance to take some power back. I have skills. I can be of use.”

I can tell it goes against every natural urge inside him to agree. His jaw clenches against the tips of my fingers as he peers into my eyes and then reluctantly nods.

“Alright,” he says. “If it’s what you need. Ya vsegda dam tebe to, chto tebe nuzhno?*.”

* Ya ne zhdal tvoyego vizita. No dlya menya bol’shaya chest’, chto vy prishli -I wasn’t expecting your visit. But it’s a great honor that you came.

* Ya byl v etom rayone, I tvoy otets ochen’ khorosho otzyvayetsya o tebe -I’ve been in the area, and your father speaks very highly of you.

* Yest’ vazhnyy vopros dlya obsuzhdeniya. Vy znayete o napryazhenii v pyati sem’ yakh -There is an important issue to discuss. Do you know about the tension between the Five Families?

* Da, my dolzhny byt’ umnymi -yes, we must be smart

* Ya tebya lyublyu -I love you

* Ya tebya lyublyu, Zver -I love you, beast

* moya lyubov’ -my love

* Ya vsegda dam tebe to, chto tebe nuzhno -I will always give you what you need

CHAPTER 34

Roman

“It seemsthe pakhan understated how often he attends Midnight Society events,” Kazan says at the end of his briefing. He gestures to the numerous candid photographs displayed on the projector screen. “He has attended almost every event in the past year.”

I grunt in answer.

It’s information I would’ve considered irrelevant until recently. Why should I give a fuck if the pakhan wants to dine with the rich elites like those in the Midnight Society? Those stuffy assholes would never be my company of choice, but for a man who prides himself on having more refined tastes, it would be the crowd he enjoys.

In light of what’s happened, I view his choices differently. The pakhan utilized the Midnight Society’s marketplace to buy Katerina. Heviolatedher.

She admits she never saw his face, but she heard his voice. I could sense the truth in every word she spoke; she was certain it was him, and I believe her.

He had to have known who she was.

I don’t believe in coincidences.

Though I’ve tried to hide Katerina from the rest of the bratva, they’ve learned who she is; they’re aware of her importance.

Men like the pakhan and sovietnik could’ve found out in a variety of ways. Uncle Leonid could’ve told not only my father but the pakhan as well. Polina is another possibility, considering she was in my penthouse posing as an employee of mine.

Maybe there’s another person in my crew who has been playing the role of spy that I’m not aware of.

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