Page 9 of Forced Bratva Bride

“Good,” I said quietly. “Let them come. Perhaps I could then use you as leverage. There’s no way I’m letting you go without knowing their plans. I don’t care who delivers them to me.”

“There is no plan!” She rattled the bars fruitlessly, her knuckles white with exertion.

I shrugged.

Her eyes glazed over with rage. “I’m going to make your life hell!” she shrieked.

Despite the situation, I couldn’t prevent my lips from turning upward. I simply motioned at the space around us, as though to remind her of where she was.

She huffed and crossed her arms. “You underestimate me.”

I quirked an eyebrow. She didn’t have a shred of fear in her, did she? Even now, she fought.

“I…I’ll break out of this cell. And when I do, I’ll…”

“-You’ll what?” I cut her off, curious to see where she was going with this.

She simmered down, watching me with narrowed eyes. I turned away and moved toward the stairs. Behind me, I heard her scream expletives in my direction—in English and Italian.

God, she had a dirty mouth if she wanted. And I didn’t bother holding back a smile as I walked away. She was… entertaining.

“You can't just leave me here!” she cried as I reached the top of the stairs. “I'm innocent! Is this how you treat—”

I paused, looking back at her over my shoulder. “Everyone knows something, Larissa. Even if they don't realize it.” I studied her for a moment longer. “I'll return in the morning. Perhaps a night alone with your thoughts will improve your memory.”

Her face crumpled then, the last of her composure fracturing. “Please,” she whispered. “I'm begging you. Don't do this.”

For a heartbeat, I wavered. But I wasn’t a fool. She had been trained for this, I reminded myself.

“Goodnight, Ms. Ajello.” I turned and stepped out of the basement, closing the door behind me to muffle her final desperate plea.

In the kitchen, one of my men waited for me. “Boss?”

“Dmitri, keep an eye on her and do not let her out for even a moment, no matter what she says. Pass her food, water, and a blanket. She needs nothing else. No one speaks to her, but me,” I told him.

He nodded once. “Security?”

“Double it. If someone knows we took her, there could be trouble,” I checked my watch—nearly ten at night. “Where's Pavel?”

“I can have him with you in your office.”

I nodded, needing to speak to my right-hand man.

Ten minutes later, Pavel knocked and entered my office. “Boss?”

“Pavel,” I swung my chair in his direction. “The car I drove today, I need it burned.”

“Burned?”

“I took a girl today.”

“Who?” His eyes widened.

I didn’t reply, and he remembered himself, realizing it wasn’t for him to ask for details I didn’t offer.

“Crush and burn the car. If we were caught on CCTV, I don’t want it traced back to us. That car will never hit the road again. Can never be seen again. You understand?”

“Yes, Boss,” he said. “We’ll cover all tracks. You will need a new vehicle, I assume?”

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