Page 32 of Hunted By the Bratva
Shifting closer, I placed my arm around her. “You’re safe here with me,” I replied gently.
She smiled at me and then spoke again. “My eldest brother, Kolya, has tried to keep me from this world we live in. He has always been paranoid that I would get exposed. Like I was a dirty little secret.”
“Dirty little secret?” I huffed. “No, dear,” I added as I took her hands. “You’re definitely not a dirty little secret.”
Clara smiled at me, her eyes shining brightly. “It’s how he makes me feel sometimes. Hiding me from the world. He’s been doing it since I was young,” she added. I could hear the sadness in her voice.
“I’m sorry you had to endure that,” I said, pulling her closer. I could understand her pain even though it was different than mine.
“I know I’m free with my hidden identity, well, in a way,” she continued. The sadness I heard earlier was still there, but there was something else as well. “I don’t feel free. I’m permanently under Kolya’s thumb. His rules and regulations. Guards or family, wherever I turn. He monitors my friends and tells me where I can go and when. It’s not the life I want.”
I watched the pain fill her eyes as she stared out into the distance. “I understand,” I whispered, squeezing her tightly.Thinking about what she had just told me made me think back. Back to a time, I was like that with Zhenya. This surprised me.
“Iosif,” she said, bringing me back to reality.
I shook my head and looked at her as I replied. “Yes, Printessa?”
“What do you want from Kolya, from my brother? Tell me why I’m really here?” she pleaded.
I swallowed hard on the knot in my throat. I didn’t want to hurt her. It was never my intention. I realized I couldn’t let her find out what her brother had done. Not even if it justified what I had done. “You know what?” I said, getting up. “The day is still young. There is so much more to do. Come on, there’s somewhere else I want to take you.”
Extending my hand, she took it eagerly. As she found her feet, I started heading back. Clara pulled on my arm. “What about the stuff?” she inquired.
“Just leave it, my men will come get it. Come on,” I huffed, pulling her lightly. “We’ve got places to go, things to see and do.”
She came willingly, and we moved quickly back to the car. The driver was standing at her door, waiting. “To the hotel!” I ordered in a light mood as we got in.
The driver smiled and nodded. Once we were back at the hotel and in the lift on our way to the penthouse, I turned to Clara. “You know what?” I huffed.
She smiled softly as she shook her head.
“I think we must grab our things. I have so much more to show you,” I said excitedly.
“More,” she said, giggling.
“Yes, more, much, much more,” I replied as we got to the suite.
We moved rapidly, grabbing our clothes and chucking them into our bags. As she got her last things, I called the pilot to book our flight.
I was thrilled to be able to show her more. Now that I knew what her life was like, I could give her what she wanted. She hadn’t been roaming the world as I had thought. This trip would surely open her eyes to a new world. I will show her the beauty life has to offer.
As we headed to the airport, Clara kept asking. “Where are we going? What have you planned?”
I smiled at her, placed two fingers on my lips, and turned, making it as if I was locking my mouth. I wanted to keep the anticipation growing. We had barely taken our seats when the plane took off. I had anticipated the eight-hour flight and had a romantic dinner in place for us.
Once the plane was in the air and we could move around, I got up and smiled at her. Holding out my hand, I spoke softly. “Clara, join me?”
She turned her head to the side, eyeing me. Then took my hand and got up. Where are we going? You know we’re on a plane, right?” she asked.
Laughing, I nodded. “Yes, know,” I said, walking towards the front of the plane. Pushing the curtain aside, I waved my arm from one side to the other. “Dinner, Printessa, dinner.”
Her eyes grew wider as she looked around. There were candles burning and flowers everywhere. In the middle of the room was a round table with two chairs. Our food was waiting for us on the table.
“This is nice,” she said as I led her to the table and pulled out her chair.
I took my place across from her and poured some wine. “So, you really not going to tell me where we are going?” Clara asked.
“Nope, it’s a surprise,” I replied as I cut my steak.
