Page 14 of Kidnapped Prisoner By the Bratva
He squinted, confusion flickering in his eyes as his head tilted slightly to the side. He looked back at the mattress, brows raising in what I could only interpret as surprise. A scoff escaped his lips, but he said nothing.
For a moment, the silence between us stretched, and that’s when I began thinking, what if I misunderstood the situation? Judging by his reaction to my subtle accusation, it was clear that my assumption was never his intention.
Hold on, was this even his room?
He held my gaze and said, “The only reason you’re still breathing is because I’m not done assessing you. But do not test my patience.”
That warning struck me like a dagger to the chest.
“You’ll be fed again in the morning,” he added, his eyes roaming over my body. “Take a shower. You need it.”
My expression darkened, a mix of anger and embarrassment coursing through my blood.
How dare he say that to me when he was the reason I was covered in dirt?
His lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smirk, and with that, he walked away, closing the door behind him.
“Fuck you!” I yelled, my voice echoing off the walls.
I stood there, breathing heavily and with an angry expression. With my back against the wall, I slid all the way down, feeling confused, frustrated, and afraid.
Fuck, I’m in trouble now. Big trouble.
Chapter 6 – Val
“Where are we with the Dickson case?” I asked Luka as we walked down the hallway, shoes clicking softly against the floor.
“He’s still adamant about closing the deal,” Luka answered, flanking me, fingers adjusting his tie. “Says it’s not worth his while, considering the recent incident with the photograph online.”
My eyes narrowed, a glint of disappointment lacing my tone. “Son of a bitch,” I murmured.
“The dick’s too scared to risk investing in the waterfront project—he’s been a pussy this whole time anyway,” Luka added.
Luka was my most trusted lieutenant, my right-hand man, and the only one who knew all of my secrets. Trust was a strong word that people in my world didn’t dare throw around. But Luka had proved his loyalty more times than necessary.
The man had killed for me, sent thousands to an early grave to defend my honor. He’d jumped in front of a bullet to save my life three times within that last decade.
Luka, with his genius mind and free spirit, had helped me secure more deals within the past four years than I ever would’ve achieved on my own. He was as smart as he was ruthless, making him a valuable asset to me and the organization I respected. Luka wasn’t just the muscles that kept my operation grounded; he was also the brain that kept it going.
I trusted no one except him because no one had shown me his level of loyalty and respect. Luka was one of a kind, and there was no one else I’d rather have my back than him.
“And Rodriguez?” I asked, rounding a corner, a hand in my pocket.
“It appears our Mexican allies aren’t too comfortable with the photo either,” he replied. Then his voice dipped, a flickerof relief lacing his tone. “But there’s a silver lining. I think we dodged a bullet. Here, check this out.” He handed me a file.
I accepted it mid-stride without looking in his direction. “What’s this?”
“It’s everything we have on their mess with the Feds,” he said. “Half their crew’s in federal custody, and the rest are being watched like hawks. If we tied ourselves to them, we’d be sinking with their ship.”
I skimmed through the pages, and according to the information on this document, several high-ranking members of Rodriguez’s crew had been apprehended in a DEA sting. Their organization was tied to drug trafficking and human trafficking.
Their trucks were being tracked, their phones tapped, and their warehouses and docks were under tight surveillance. The organization was in deep trouble, and it’s a good thing we didn’t go down with them.
“The Yakuza is still on board with the deal, though,” Luka said. “They don’t seem to give two fucks about the photo online. All they care about is the profit they stand to gain.”
I thought for a moment, recalling my last encounter with the leader of the Yakuza clan. The man was a pain in my ass, always disagreeing with all of my suggestions.
“Hiroshi is a hard man to deal with,” I said, handing the file back to Luka. “But I can handle him.”
