Page 7 of Bratva Queen

I told him to wait while I readied myself in his bedroom. I closed the curtains, shook out my hair, then removed my T-shirt. Underneath, I had on a pink sports bra that showed enough cleavage to satisfy him. I slipped off my jeans, leaving my tights pulled up to my waist with my black panties visible through the sheer material.

When I called him in, his eyes bugged out of his head and dragged slowly down my body. I roughly pushed him down onto the armchair in the corner of the room—at least the resentment I felt toward him worked in that aspect. As soon as I leaned in close, touching his shoulders, he smiled. His rotten teeth became visible, and his resulting bad breath wafted my way.

I closed my eyes and turned around, trying not to gag—disgusted with him or myself, I didn’t even want to think about it. “No touching,” I said sternly, then swayed my hips slowly, desperately trying to take my time. I told myself to imagine someone else, and quickly Aleksei came to mind. I felt his eyes watching me, dark and dangerous, forbidden and pained, as though the world would end if he allowed himself to touch me.

I dropped my ass down and popped back up, hearing my landlord’s grunts of delight. I turned my head and saw his hand on his bulging crotch. “When I say no touching, I mean no touchingat all.”

He smiled coyly and lifted his hands, showing me his obedience but still licking his lips hungrily. I continued the dance for five minutes, imagining slow, sensual music. I then ended with a quick swipe of my butt cheek against my landlord’s knee, just to make sure I did all I possibly could and told him to disappear into his bathroom to “appease” himself. He gladly did so, and by the time he was done, I was dressed and long gone.

I didn’t tell my mama the details of how I got the extension, but she was thrilled to know that we had another month to get caught up.

“The money is so good, Mama,” I said, making myself and her a cup of coffee. “I’m tempted to just stay a dancer. Forget school.” Though I was mostly teasing with a cheeky wink, a part of me was serious. I was enjoying the job. The money. Seeing Aleksei every night. And Stepan, sure. He was nice; he paid me a lot of money, but Aleksei was the one I feltexcitedto see. Knowing his eyes were on me, I danced for him, touched myself for him. I could pretend my hands were his traveling the length of my body.

Mama tsked, shaking her head slowly. “You won’t be young and beautiful forever,” she reminded me. “You need a backup, and that’s where college comes in. You can dance for now to save up money for college, but don’t get sucked into the lifestyle. Steer clear of the men in those places. They’re shady and up to no good. Dirty men.Ublyudki!” Bastards.

“Alright, Mama…”

But the man doesn’t take no for an answer.

Every night, Stepan waited for me to start my shift. And every night, he asked me out. To dinner, coffee, to the ballet—it didn’t matter. He was persistent.

In a way, his insistence was charming. To know that someone was so interested in me… it felt good. I feltwanted. A part of me was certainly turned off by the fact that he wouldn’t listen when I said no, but I did have to admit, I liked the attention. I liked the way his eyes grew hazy when he looked at me, with more adoration than the other perverts in the club who just gawked at me. He asked questions aboutme, and although I didn’t like giving away personal information about my life to anyone in the club, I liked that he wanted to know more about me—to know me deeper than just on a sexual level.

I, of course, didn’t mind too much that Aleksei was constantly watching me as well. Maybe it was because I just couldn’t help my attraction to him, but I liked his presence. He watched me with an intensity that sent tingles through my body, in a different way than Stepan did.

But, every time my eyes lifted over Stepan’s shoulder and caught Aleksei watching, I had to remind myself that he didn’t actually want me. He made it clear that night he refused to touch me even though Stepan was nowhere to be seen. I recognized the gentleman in him, but it still stung a little that he was so against it. That he could resist so easily.

My attention was better spent on a man who really, truly, wanted me—Stepan. His gentle touches and smooth caresses while I danced for him assured me that he was interested, that I had his full attention.

* * *

One afternoon,I turned my key to unlock the front door, and when I cracked it open, I heard a heavy sob. Shoving the door all the way open, I rushed inside to see my mother in a heaving pile on the floor.

“Mama?” I ran to her side, crouching down beside her. “What happened?” Just like the night my father left, she was a mess.

Tears hit the stained carpet as she choked on her words, barely capable of speaking. “It was him… That man…”

I pushed the hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ear. “Who?”

“Stepan… Koslov.”

My heart sank and I froze in place. What did I get my mother into? What kind of bratva bullshit did Stepan pull? “What?” I asked, my tone hardened. “What did he do?”

“He… He bought the apartment.”

My head cocked to the side. “He what?” Now I was confused. Why was she crying? What the fuck did that mean,he bought the apartment?

“He bought the apartment!” She gazed up at me, cheeks puffy and red. “The landlord called me and said that Stepan Koslov now owns the building and that we didn’t have to pay rent at all anymore!”

My mouth gaped open, unable to form words.Did he… He bought the whole fucking building?

Why?

I was beyond stunned. Why would he do something so extravagant for some dancer in a club? Did he really like me that much? Was it a business thing?

I was both impressed and terrified.

“Isn’t this great, Isa?” my mother asked. When she swiped away her tears, I finally realized they were tears of complete, all-consuming relief. “No more struggling for the rent. You could even cut back on your shifts at the club. Maybe you’ll even have time to start school next year.”

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