Page 99 of Bratva Bride

“Why not? They were there, the opportunity to hurt Alessandro even more was right at my fingertips. If my men had succeeded, I would have sent them back to him in pieces.”

Anger tore through me at the mere thought of it. There was no way Nero could be allowed to live after this. He had to die, otherwise the danger to them would never end.

Nero took the phone from Gap Tooth and pointed it at me. “Do you know what I love about technology? It’s always changing, evolving. The things phones can do these days boggles my mind.”

Quite the subject change, but okay. I’ll roll with it.

“Suuure,” I dragged out. “I can see why it might fascinate a Baby Boomer like you.”

One of his men choked on a laugh and Nero snapped his eyes to the culprit. A lanky man wearing ripped jeans and no shirt, a thick bushy beard covering half his face.

“What?” Nero snapped at him.

The man shifted his feet awkwardly. “She thinks you’re like seventy. A Baby Boomer is someone born between 1946 and 1964.”

“I know what a fucking Baby Boomer is,” Nero barked, cutting him a filthy look. He looked back at me. “Like I was saying, technology. Amazing stuff. For example, did you know that you can record videos and people can watch them in real time?”

“Ya, it’s called Live Streaming, Old Timer.”

Nero narrowed his eyes but didn’t rise to the bait.

Disappointing.

I tried to ignore the uneasiness slowly rising within me. The fact he was referring to live streaming could only mean he intended to do it now, if he wasn’t already. I stared at the camera lens, wondering who was on the other side. Arturo? My father? My brothers?

“It’s going to kill Arturo to watch as we all have a taste of your sweet young pussy. What makes it even better is he’s going to watch it as it happens.” He waved the phone back and forth. “Say hi to your husband, princess, while you can still form coherent thoughts. Because believe me when I say that once we’re done with you, all you’ll be able to think about is wanting to die. For the pain to finally be over. You won’t be able to think of anything else.”

He handed the phone back to Gap Tooth and moved to stand in front of a dark skinned man with deep brown eyes and a slim build. “Diego here likes to hold his women down and fuck them with his gun. I don’t think his dick works anymore but he’s found his own way to compensate for that.” Nero moved to the next guy. “Angelo likes to carve his name into his victim’s stomach before taking them up the ass. He’s an ass man.”

I should be scared, terrified, freaked the fuck out at what he was saying, but I wasn’t. There was no way I was going to let any of that shit happen. Or my father, for that matter. He was coming for me. I was 100% sure of it.

“Diego? You wouldn’t happen to be a Cosa Nostra man, would you?”

Nero smiled and answered for him. “ExCosa Nostra.”

Something clicked in my brain. “You’re the one who got him to steal the fifty grand.”

Tapping his nose, he winked at me. “Such a smart one. It’s really too bad I have to break you.” He studied me, my posture, the lack of fear on my face and my cool, easy demeanour. “My, aren’t you a brave little one,” he chuckled. “I like it. But don’t worry, after the first few rounds that fiery spirit will be crushed.”

I adjusted my footing, staring him down. I wasn’t going to let him intimate me, get in my head and try to fuck with my emotions. Keeping a clear head right now would be my only saving grace until my father got here.

“Now we’re a civilised lot, aren’t we boys? We have rules, order. So, here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to hold a little lottery, to see who gets you first. And then, once we’ve all had a taste of you, we’ll start all over again. Sound good?”

He talked as if he was discussing something pleasant. Not a fucking gang rape.

The fact they were planning to try and take me one at a time worked in my favour though. If they all rushed me at once, I wouldn’t stand a chance. But individually, it was anyone’s game.

My skin tingled with anticipation, my body buzzing with so much adrenaline I clenched my fists to stop them from shaking. Staring hard, I channelled my father, the big, bad Bratva boss, The Bratva Butcher, all the strength and power he exuded.

The training he taught me since I was a child, preparing me for situations just like this, flashed through my mind like scenes in a movie and I cherished it.

Pushing all thoughts out of my mind, I focused on the men in front of me. Reaching down, I pulled a blade from the inside of my boot and smiled. “Alright, so who’s first? Is it you, Nero? Or maybe you, Gap Tooth? Or how about the lil’ shorty in the back?”

Nero laughed, eyeing the knife. “Rawrrrr, this kitty has claws.”

I wasn’t overly surprised to see they missed my weapons. I figured it out when I could still feel the weight of them on my body. Nero might be in control of the Los Zetas, but he was Outfit through and through. They kept women out of the business side of things just as much as the Cosa Nostra did. They didn’t think women were a threat. And that would be their downfall.

“Okey dokey boys, who’s got number one?” Nero asked, pulling a piece of paper from his pocket.

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