Page 8 of Hunted By the Bratva
The truth was simple. I had underestimated her. Now I couldn’t get her out of my head. I couldn’t stop thinking about her.
The real hunt was now starting. Now that I knew what she looked like, she could no longer hide. I was ready and more motivated than before. I would get her, I promised myself. But this time, there was no getting away. I was going to hold onto her once I got her.
I am going to ensure she doesn’t slip through my fingers again like the little sly fox she is. She would stay, even if I had to lock her up. I headed home with a new purpose now that I knew what she looked like. I did my research. It took a day or so, but I finally found her.
She made me feel alive, and that was dangerous. I was out of control. These cravings for her terrified me in a way I couldn’t begin to explain. I didn’t want to let go. I needed her by my side; I wanted her to be where I could reach her, hear her, and feel her.
I wasn’t obsessed with her, I told myself. She wasn’t the center of my being, no, she was my target. The chaos inside me seemed to settle with her nearby. I felt more unraveled than usual without her.
She couldn’t see it yet. She didn’t know the power she had. One look, one touch, and I would be man down. I could feel it, though. She was in my blood, under my skin, and in every breath I took.
“No!” I huffed, shaking my head. The thought of her slipping away was painful, unbearable. I’d move heaven and earth to get her. But I was doing it as payback, not because I wanted her.
Pulling out my phone, I scanned the social media apps for the model friends I met last night. By the afternoon, I had a list of places to visit. I felt confident I would find her at one of them.
Chapter 4 - Clara
I was struggling to keep my focus while strolling through the library. The art section had always been my main interest. I have finally gotten in as a volunteer. I looked at the books, recordings, and paintings as I passed them, pushing a book into place here and fixing another as I went. Yet, I wasn’t really seeing them today. I had this feeling deep down in the pit of my stomach that I couldn’t get rid of.
What did Iosif do to me? I mean, yeah, the sex was better than great. But I knew he was looking for me. Why couldn’t I let go of our fleeting encounter? I mean, I graduated last year at the top of my class, but I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life yet.
That was the only reason I was here at the library. I was volunteering until I could figure out my next step. All I wanted was to stay busy. I enjoyed this. Yet, all morning, I couldn’t get him out of my mind. Glancing at my watch, I felt glad that most of the day had passed. Tonight, my friends could assist me in clearing my mind.
Turning the corner, I let out a small yelp as a colleague stepped out in front of me. “What the hell! Don’t startle people like that.” I spat at him.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” he replied. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
“No, it’s fine. I was a bit distracted. My mind’s not here today,” I replied as I moved to the side, trying to get past him.
He moved with me, stepping closer. I felt the end of the book row against my back. “Please, move,” I asked, trying to keep my tone low. He gave off a creepy vibe, and I didn’t want him so close.
“Sorry,” he whispered, caressing my arm. “I just wanted to know if I could take you out sometime. Maybe have supper at my place? I cook really well.”
Looking down between us, I swallowed hard as I focused on his shoes. “No, thanks,” I replied, feeling sweat on my brows. Looking up, I gently pushed him back as I continued. “I’m sorry, but I’m not interested at the moment. But thanks for asking.”
He stepped back, shaking his head lightly, looking at the floor. “Okay, okay, I get it,” he replied. He started moving away, then looked back, smiled, and nodded. “No problem,” he added before turning down an aisle of books.
As I watched him disappear around the corner, I thought I saw Iosif. Wiping my eyes, I backed up, but he wasn’t there. I sighed deeply, shaking my head before I started walking away.
Moving down another aisle, I leaned against the shelf. I couldn’t get Iosif out of my head. Shaking my head, I scolded myself softly. “No, you need to focus. You can’t be doing this. It was a one-night stand. You know he is dangerous. You must stay away.”
Turning to face the books, I tried to see if they were in the correct order. I pulled out a couple and started pushing them back in, in the correct order. Out of the corner of my eye, I swore I saw Iosif. Glancing sideways, I saw someone moving past the row of shelves, but it wasn’t him.
What the hell was going on with me? Why was my mind playing these tricks? If I kept hallucinating like this, I would need a stiff drink or a doctor. I felt like I was losing my shit.
I was trying hard to pull myself together when I heard his voice behind me. As I swung around, I couldn’t believe my eyes. There before me stood Iosif. I wasn’t going insane after all.
The couple of books I still held dropped to the floor. He looked down at the books and back at me. He was glaring at me like I was some kind of prize he had just won. I felt my stomach turn, and sweat breaking out on my neck. I was uncomfortable and nervous.
As he came closer, I felt my heart rate accelerate. He leaned in, speaking softly in my ear. “You are hard to get hold of. But getting you alone is even more of a challenge. With all your fans and admirers always around you.”
Pulling back, he winked at me. I felt the heat rushing to my cheeks. Despite my previous conscious decision to get away, my body was fighting. I was having to battle the attraction I felt. Just seeing him standing there filled me with a desire I’d never felt before.
“What are you doing here?” I asked. There was a slight pitch in my tone. I hoped he didn’t pick up on it. “You know you can’t be here.”
I didn’t trust myself with the sudden onset of emotions. My mind flashed back to our one-night stand. Glancing around, I noticed we were alone. Why were there no other people around us? I pushed past him. I needed to get somewhere where there were other people. I moved down the aisle, hoping to be around more people.
The more I thought about our evening, the more turned on I got. Yet, he lied to me and tried to deceive me, and I felt hurt. The library was tranquil, and I didn’t see anyone. I felt his hand lightly on my shoulder.
