Page 1 of Plus-Size Bratva Possession
Chapter 1 - Elena
The bass was loud in my bones from the moment I stepped into Enigma, the city's most infamous (and my favorite) nightclub. God, it had been forever since I’d let loose like this. With my family constantly neck-deep in drama and the ever-watchful eyes that came with being a Lebedev, nights out weren’t just rare. They were practically contraband.
But tonight? Tonight was mine. I’d earned it. My bodyguards lurked a few steps behind, scowling like they’d rather be anywhere else, and determined to look like they were allergic to fun. Just their presence, I knew, would dampen my spirit.
That wouldn't do. Not tonight.
I stopped abruptly at the entrance to the main floor, causing one of them to nearly bump into me. I turned around, hands on my hips, and fixed them with my best don't-mess-with-me stare.
“This is as far as you go,” I said, raising my voice above the music.
The taller one frowned. “Miss Lebedev, your brothers were clear about—”
“I know exactly what my brothers said.” I cut him off. “And I'm telling you that you're staying at the entrance. I don't need two shadows ruining my night.”
“But Miss—”
“Look around.” I gestured to the packed club. “It's a public place with about two hundred witnesses. I'm meeting my friends at our usual booth. If you want to be useful, watchthe door and make sure no one sketchy is watching me from a distance.”
The two men exchanged glances. I knew there was some serious mental calculation happening in their brains. They were afraid and had to pick between two evils. Either they faced my wrath now, or my brothers’ later.
“It’ll be fine,” I said with a roll of my eyes, making their decision easier. “I’llbe fine, and do you honestly think my brothers would care how you did your job as long as you did in bringing me home safe?”
“Fine,” he relented, his jaw tight. “But we stay where we can see you.”
I gave him a sweet smile. “Wonderful. Now stop looking so obvious. You're ruining my vibe.”
I walked away without waiting for their response. That's the thing about growing up around Bratva men—you learn early that you get steamrolled if you don't stand your ground. Being the second youngest Lebedev didn't mean I was going to be pushed around, not by my family andcertainly notby their employees.
I spotted my friends at our usual corner booth and made my way over through the crowd with a wide grin. Tonight was going to beepic. I knew it.
As I passed, I noticed more than a few people turn to stare. Some, with their judgment. Some, with envy. Others, with appreciation. I knew why. My burgundy dress hugged every curve I had, and I had plenty. I never understood women who starved themselves to fit some ridiculous standard. My body told stories of late-night snacks with my siblings, champagne celebrations, and desserts worth every calorie. Why would I apologize for any of that?
But of course, there were always some people who thought I was too much and others who wished they could pull a page out of my book.
“Elena!” Mia jumped up when she saw me and screamed over the music to be heard, her blonde hair bouncing as she waved frantically. “Finally! We thought you weren't coming.”
I slid into the booth beside her, accepting the glass of champagne another friend pushed toward me. “Sorry. The bodyguard negotiation took longer than expected.”
“You actually got them to stay at the door?”
“I’ve never seen those guys let you out of their sight,” Mia said, raising an eyebrow.
I took a sip of the delicious, bubbly, crisp champagne and grinned. “I can be very persuasive.”
“That’s code for terrifying,” she laughed. “I’ve seen that look you get. It’s the same one Caspian has right before he annihilates someone.”
I shrugged, but a flicker of pride sparked in my chest. “Guess it runs in the family.”
Being compared to Caspian was no small thing. He wasn’t just my brother—he was the head of our family, the kind of man who people stopped to stare at when he entered a room. If I’d inherited even a sliver of that power, I’d take it.
The conversation moved as smoothly as the drinks. God, I’d missed this. Just being Elena, not Elena Lebedev, not the girl whose last name made people whisper. For once, I could almost believe I was just...normal. Not a legacy. Not a liability.
“Let’s dance!” Sophia tugged at my arm, her cheeks flushed from round two of cocktails.
The buzz from the champagne was just enough to make the dance floor look inviting instead of exhausting. I was halfway out of my seat when I spotted her.
A tall, stick-thin redhead, watching me like she knew me, but I knew for a fact she didn’t. By now, I had developed a keen sense of knowing when someone was a social climber, and she had social climber written all over her. She’d been giving me subtle side-eye since I walked in, and now she was planted at the edge of our group without having been invited. I wouldn’t have minded. Under different circumstances, I might have even brought her in like a mother hen. Except, I recognized her as Natalia something, an Instagram model who regularly attached herself to whatever group seemed most influential.
