Page 27 of Bought By the Bratva

Stunned, I felt my mouth open. But before I could get a word out, I saw Akim holding open the door. He added his opinion as well, waving his hand out the door. “He’ll meet you at home.”

Nadia looked at me hesitantly as Anton shoved the keys into her hand. Clenching my fists at my sides, I felt my blood boiling. I was about to erupt and realized it would be best for her to leave. As she looked at me, I nodded and tried to form asmile. My lips were tight, and my face felt like it was shoved into a bottle; it was so stiff.

I was sure she could see right through the thin-lipped smile as she swiftly moved out the door and headed for the elevator. Grabbing Anton by the arm, I pulled him closer as I spoke.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? You have no right to send her away!” There was a vibration in my tone as I forced my rage down.

Anton smirked, then spoke in a deep tone, trying to sound important. “We still have things to discuss. You can’t just leave with that….”

“Pick your next words carefully,” I warned as Akim closed the door. “What is this about? Who gives you the right to speak to Nadia that way?”

“If you’re about done, I will tell you why!” Anton replied with a snark.

Deciding to listen, I walked back to my desk and sat down. I spoke, waving my hand sideways. “So, sit down so we can get this over and done. I want to go home.”

Anton and Akim glanced at each other before sitting down. Anton spoke first, his tone laced with annoyance. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, Abram?”

Shaking my head, I felt confused, but I was ready to defend any action I had taken that warranted this meeting. As I opened my mouth, Akim chipped in, not giving me the opportunity to speak. “Stop playing dumb; we know what you’ve been up to. Tasha accidentally spilled the beans.”

I couldn’t believe what I heard. Standing sharply, I pointed at the door as I spat at them. “Get out! You have no idea what’s going on and have no right to interfere.”

“Oh, no, brother, that is where you are wrong,” Anton added as he stood up. “We did our own research as well. We know who she is.”

Suddenly overwhelmed by a flood of emotions, I sat back down. I had to handle this calmly. I couldn’t allow my anger or growing affection for her to control my narrative. Taking a deep breath, I locked eyes with Anton as I responded.

“I know what I am doing. This will help us in more than one way.” I did my best to keep my tone even as I swallowed the burning rage threatening to run over them.

Anton looked sternly at Akim as he took his seat again. Then he turned back, focusing on me. “Why don’t you end this masquerade here and now? We can easily ruin the Vaseliev’s plan.”

Holding the stare, I spoke slowly and clearly. “I can’t do that right now. We need more intel on them to do it right the first time. I’m not going back to clean up a mess if we rush into it! They are not working alone, there is a Bratva family behind this, I know it.”

If I was honest, I would have told them that my only reason was Nadia. She had crawled into a corner of my heart, and I was trying to figure out what was happening.

Deep down, I was hoping she had had a change of heart and was feeling the same. I was hoping she would come over to our side. “

Nadia has details about them we won’t find in any search. I am working her to get her to open up,” I added, grinning at them.

I could never tell them how I felt. Especially not now. This meeting with them only made me more determined to free her from the rival group. I believed the moments we’d been sharing were real; there were sparks between us. A bond was developing, and I wanted to give it a chance to grow.

She was miserable in her old life. I could give her so much more. Everything she deserved. I was pulled out of my mind with Anton speaking loudly. “You have to end this brother!”

Looking up, I saw Akim and Anton rising from their chairs. Anton was leaning over my desk as he continued. “If you don’t, we’ll tell Alexandr!”

I hated being threatened. Shoving my chair back, I stood sharply, leaning towards him. Clenching my fists, I spoke through gritted teeth.

“I said I will handle this, and I will. But brother, if you fuck with my plans, you will regret it!? Standing upright, I pointed at the door as I finished. “Now get out!”

I stood frozen, watching them leave without another word. Once they were out of sight, I turned and slammed my fist into the cabinet to the side of my desk. I had to calm my rage before I went home. Anton and Akim had no right! I didn’t tell them how to run their operations.

Heading to the other side of the office building, I went to the underground practice rooms. I kept a pair of shorts there, which I haven’t really ever used. Thinking about it, I was sure I had only been down here twice.

After replacing my suit with a pair of shorts, I entered the hand-to-hand combat room. I spent about an hour slamming the dummies and balls around until I felt the fury inside calm down. I couldn’t take this kind of anger home to Nadia.

Walking to the locker room, I called Alexandr. The phone rang a couple of times, and I hoped I wasn’t bothering him. He sounded sleepy, as if I had woken him up. “Abram, what happened?”

“Alexandr, I am so sorry to wake you.” Taking a deep breath, I continued. “Anton and Akim came to see me. They know Nadia’s true identity.”

There was a long silence, and for a second, I thought he had fallen back to sleep. Just as I was about to speak again, his voice came through the phone. “I will handle them. Stay on track and do what we discussed. We need this thing settled sooner than later, please.”

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