Page 10 of The Bratva King's Auctioned Bride

“It’s an auction,” he said, confirming my suspicion. “We’ll make money and humiliate our enemies at the same time. Whatcould be better?” Despite being half-strangled in my grip, he crowed with victory.

No. Hell no. Mila was mine. Mine to do with as I pleased. I did not share. “Shut it down,” I said, letting Eldar go so he could call everything off.

“It’s not that easy,” he informed me. “There are some very powerful men here. They won’t be pleased to have their chance at a new toy ripped away. And by that, I mean they’ll definitely retaliate.”

As if I needed more enemies. God, I never realized how depraved Eldar actually was before this. His level of greed disgusted even me, and it must have shown on my face.

“Go ahead and leave if it offends your sensibilities,” he sniffed. “As for me, I’m going to enjoy the show. Maybe even throw out a few numbers to hike up the bidding.”

It was then that it registered that numbers were already being shouted out left and right. No one was holding back; each of these degenerates determined to winmywoman.

That wasn’t going to happen.

Rushing back to the front, I shouted an amount that caused the other bidders to go silent for a moment. Good, that was easy. And well worth it.

And then some bastard decided to test me, raising my bid a staggering amount. After I countered, I turned and sought him out in the crowd, giving him a look that would have anyone shriveling with fear and remorse for crossing me. He only put up his chin and ignored me, shouting yet another bid. It hit me that I recognized him—a minor prince of some defunct monarchy who still clutched onto his inherited wealth and bit of power.

It could be done, but it would be difficult to just make someone like that disappear. I’d do it, though, if he didn’t keep his damn mouth shut after I raised his bid.

Another fool joined, raising before I could. Fuck this.

“Two million,” I called, doubling the current amount.

A murmur passed through the crowd like a wave, then curses, but no more shouts. I won because, of course, I would. Mila was already mine from the start. The music stopped, and someone announced it in several different languages, letting the others know.

Mila Fokin belonged to me. The most beautiful woman I’d ever seen should have never been cowering on a stage in front of this pack of wolves. I jumped onto the raised platform and swept her into my arms, both shielding her from their view and yanking her lush curves against me.

“I’ll kill you for this,” she hissed.

Maybe she would. There was certainly enough fire in her blue eyes that I could believe she meant to try. And I was going to love every second of her attempts.

Raking my fingers into her soft tangle of blonde hair, I finally claimed the mouth that had been tormenting my imagination.

Mila Fokin belonged to me.

Chapter 8 - Mila

The absolute shock of Arkadi actually joining in the bidding made my head spin. Why? Wasn’t he just there to watch the show and enjoy my destruction? It would be right on brand for him to torture me like that. No, he’d apparently become even more ruthless than I thought and was going to be the one who destroyed me.

Because he just won.

There was no possible way this was happening. The huge number rang out like a gong, stopping the others from making another peep. Why did that somehow make my heart stop trying to beat its way out of my chest? I wasn’t relieved that I wasn’t going to be the plaything of some complete stranger, was I?

Because that meant I was about to become the plaything of my family’s worst enemy.

But he wasn’t an unknown quantity and must have had a reason for this. Maybe I could find a way to control him, or strike a deal. I had to pray he had a reason for this beyond utterly crushing me and my brothers into the dust.

It wasn’t likely, though. Still, I had to keep from panicking and racing off the stage like it had just been set on fire, because he was jumping up on it. I’d only be grabbed by the giant brute backstage and tossed into Arkadi’s arms like a sack of groceries. No, I’d at least go out with some dignity.

He pulled me roughly to him, turning so I could no longer see the crowd of furious losers. Good. I’d already committed as many of their faces to memory as I could, so I could seek them out and have them murdered when I found a way to settle things with Arkadi. I didn’t need their disgusting eyes on me anymore.

“I’ll kill you for this,” I promised him. Maybe not the best way to start negotiations, but I was boiling over with fury.

And then he kissed me. His mouth claimed mine, urgent and forceful. He pulled me closer to his big, hard body, his hands roaming all over my bare skin. There was no way I could ever control this man, and by how he held onto me, there didn’t seem to be much chance of a deal, either.

How long were his lips on mine, his tongue exploring my mouth? He finally broke away, leaving me breathless, too weak to offer up any more futile threats.

“I believe you,” he said, his dark eyes hard and unreadable.

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