Page 7 of Kidnapped Prisoner By the Bratva
“Tomorrow night,” I said without taking my eyes off her. “Bring her to me, alive and well.” I paused, my gaze unwavering. “For now, let her read her books and sleep in peace.”
“Copy that.” He started the engine and drove us away.
Back home, I had a visitor waiting for me. And he was the first person I saw when I walked into the living room.
“Hello, brother,” Lev greeted me, legs crossed as he sat reclined on a sofa.
His dark brown hair caught the chandelier’s warm glow, his pale and distant eyes pinned on me. He rose as I approached, arms spread wide open.
“Good to see you, Lev,” I said, slipping into his warm embrace. “You look good, brother.” I tapped his shoulder and stepped away, taking off my jacket.
The housekeeper appeared with a bottle of champagne and two clean flutes. She set them on the table between us and poured a generous amount into each flute.
“Thank you, Hannah,” I said to her, my voice low and even.
She nodded and walked away without a word.
I reached out, lifted a glass to my lips, and took a sip. “What brings you around these parts, Lev?”
“Can’t a man just stroll to visit his older brother?” he asked, helping himself with a glass.
I let out a soft scoff. “That’s a good one. But you and I both know that’s not why you’re here.”
He paused, nursing the champagne flute in his hand.
“Is this about the leaked photo?” I asked, curiosity lacing my tone.
His fingers scratched that neatly trimmed beard of his. “The Elders are worried.”
“I’ll handle it,” I answered.
“I know you will,” he said, then lifted the glass to his lips and took a sip. “But you should be careful.”
“The photographer is a girl, Lev,” I explained, eyes fixed on him. “A student—so it’s probably nothing.”
“It’s not just the girl you should be careful about, brother,” he said, his deep voice hinting at something more sinister. “Elder Akim is the one in charge of this case, and you know how manipulative that son of a gun can be.”
Akim Antosha was one of the most ruthless Elders amongst the Bratva elites. He was feared by many for his ability to manipulate anything in his favor.
I personally never liked the old man, and the feeling was mutual.
If the girl turned out to be a spy, I’d take care of the situation. If she were innocent after all, I’d still handle it on my own. I didn’t need the Elders sticking their noses in my business.
Chapter 3 – Wren
My head was pounding like a drum when I finally came to, eyelids fluttering open. My vision was still hazy, my brain slowly rebooting. I winced, not just at the full ache at the back of my head, but at the searing pain biting into my skin.
I blinked a few times, drinking in the horrible sight around me. Darkness. I was trapped in a room, cold and quiet, and the only sound that existed was that of my own beating heart.
Panic set in, my pulse spiking, chest heaving with rapid breaths. I swallowed hard, closing my eyes tightly, hoping this was some sort of nightmare that I would soon wake up from.
No, no, no, no…this can’t be good!
I tried to move, but that’s when I realized my hands were bound together at my back. The zip ties were so tight they bit into my skin, making me really uncomfortable. The floor was cold and rough—concrete, not tiles. I smelled fresh paint in the air, mixed with something metallic.
Where am I?I thought, my mind reeling with a million different possibilities, none of them good.
Dark room, foul smell, chained arms.
