ANDREI
The dining hall is buzzing with low chatter, as Vera sits by my side. She carefully keeps her hands placed in her lap. She’s doing
well at maintaining appearances. She slips into her role as the obedient slave with little effort. A few attendees tonight gave me funny looks when I sat her down by my side at the main table.
It’s seen as bad taste to allow a slave to dine with you, but I would not let her leave my side this evening. There’s too much danger to both of us to be apart. She’s more beautiful than any of the other women here anyway, slave or not.
Vera is tense. I can sense she wants to be on guard and alert, but she’s bound by duty to keep her head bowed and eyes downcast.
This charity event is boring as fuck, and they have sat me with a load of crooked politicians either side of me and opposite me. I slip my hand into my pocket and tap one button on the remote.
Vera jumps in her seat, eyes coming up for a half second, before she remembers where she is.
I didn’t reply to her question in the car, although it wasn’t a question. I forced her to tell me what she was thinking. It caught me off guard. My heart beats faster as I remember the hurt in her eyes when I didn’t reply.
The last thing I want to do is treat her like a slave, but caring about a woman when you’re pakhan of a Bratva brotherhood is dangerous.
My enemies have been trying to kill me for years. Fear of being killed no longer registers in my mind. It’s something I’m prepared for every minute of every day, but Vera being killed is a different story.
I couldn’t imagine losing her. She’s the most precious thing to come into my life since I can remember. We’ve both been through a lot. I watch her as she ignores the sensations my vibrator is pulsing through her. She has such control over herself it’s admirable.
We are similar in so many ways. Our self-control, unless it comes to each other. We’re both ruthless and strong when it comes to what we want.
She would have killed me that day in the bedroom, while I snoozed. It was only her moment of hesitation that saved me.
I flick the setting higher, and she squeezes her thighs together. Her cheeks are bright pink. I love seeing her that color and knowing I’m the reason— well the toy I am controlling inside of her.
I groan under my breath as my cock thickens in my tight boxer briefs, leaking into the fabric. She’s too beautiful, and I’m too insatiable whenever she’s near.
I love being able to make her feel good with this toy, without even touching her.
She bites her bottom lip in a way that makes me want to growl, lift her onto the table, and give everyone a good fucking show. At least it would liven up this God-awful party.
I SWITCH the setting up again and she’s getting close to orgasm. Her chest heaves with every breath she takes and her fingers claw into her thighs. I notice her eyes flutter shut for a moment and her lips part.
She’s trying to control her reactions, but it’s no longer working. In a moment, I will have to insist we both go to the bathroom. I’m aching to be inside of her.
Until a voice sounds in my earpiece, breaking my concentration and lust filled state. “We’ve spotted the target, and he appears to be in attendance tonight with a date,” Alexi says.
I clench my jaw, knowing that means he’s attempting to keep the heat off of him. His men will be the ones to take me out for him. Vera will be targeted too, considering everything he’s done to her family this far.
Vera was right. This isn’t the place or time to be experimenting with a sex toy, but I couldn’t help myself. I switch it off and grab her hand. “Look at me.”
She does as I say, eyes dilated with such longing and pleasure, I almost forget what I was about to say.
“He’s here,” I mutter under my breath, glancing at the other people sat at our table. None of them are paying us much attention.
The haze in her irises clears, and it’s replaced with rage. I see the way her jaw clenches along with her fists.
“Stay calm.” I set my hand on the back of her neck in a possessive move and squeeze, making sure we keep up appearances.
I set my lips on hers and murmur against them. “We don’t know his plan yet, so make sure you keep in character.”
She lets her eyes drop to her lap, as I clear my throat and turn my attention to the food, which must have arrived while I was playing with the toy stuffed deep inside of my Vera.
“Eat,” I command, picking up my cutlery. She picks does the same, shoveling tiny pieces of food into her mouth.
I scan the room with careful attention, as I eat. Even thought I’ve never met Igor in person, the photos should be enough to recognize him from.
A tall figure entering the main hall with a young blonde woman on his arm catches my eye. It’s him. There’s no doubt about it. Our eyes meet for a moment, and he has the audacity to smirk at me.
Motherfucker.
He tried to kill me, and now he’s smirking at me. The alpha inside of me wants to rise up and fight him here and now. Do away with this sneaky bullshit and pummel him to a pulp for everything he has done for everyone to see.
I could do it, but my actions would cause a raucous. Everyone here knows who I am and what I’m capable of, but seeing it is another story. This man was behind my father’s death. My intuition is telling me he is the reason for my suffering and Vera’s.
The last thing I want to do is fuck this all up. The intention is to find out if he was the one who targeted my dad, and then kill him without hundreds of witnesses. We have him right where we want him.
The asshole finds his seat, holding the seat out for the woman accompanying him. She can’t be much older than eighteen, and she looks terrified.
Vera has slipped back into the submissive slave, but she’s not eating anymore.
I press my finger to my ear and murmur. “Any news?”
“We think he’s gearing up for a bang, but no movement yet.”
It’s what we expected, although I didn’t know he’d have the guts to show his face at the event. “Stay put, I’m going to the bathroom,” I say to Vera.
She says nothing. Instead, she keeps eating.
I’m uneasy leaving her out in the open, but it’s the best way to lure him out. Not to mention, my men are on guard stationed in the gallery above the main dining hall.
If Igor believe she is still working for him, he might approach her. In any other case, he may try to hurt her, but my men won’t let that happen.
I head as if I’m going to the bathroom, stopping when I’m out of sight and turning to glance back into the main dining hall. Igor is sitting with his guest but his eyes are fixed on Vera.
I watch him stand from his chair and walk toward her. His steps are slow and deliberate. The man is a slithering snake. A weasel that doesn’t deserve to breathe the same air as my Vera.
I watch him speak, and she glances up at him. From here, it’s not clear whether he’s angry with her or assumes she’s getting the job done. Something tells me that my message to him when she returned to me won’t be taken lightly.
I see him grab hold of her shoulder, and it’s not a friendly move. A woman sitting close by says something to him.
Vera looks uncomfortable and unsure, glancing between the woman at the table and her uncle.
Fuck this.
I walk back toward the table at speed, marching toward the asshole who tried to kill me. “Igor,” I say, keeping my voice deep and cold.
He spins toward me and flashes me a fake smile. “Andrei, I was just speaking with your slave.” He nods his head toward Vera.
“Did I give you permission to speak with my property?” I ask, making sure my tone is anything but polite. The guy is fucking with me and I can’t let it slide, not here.
HE HOLDS HIS HANDS UP. “I’m sorry, but I wanted to speak with my niece.”
A few whispers and gasps break out around us. Slaves shouldn’t be related to Bratva members, and even though Igor is pakhan of a Russian brotherhood, he’s well known here in America.
Most would see it as disrespectful for another pakhan to own a woman whose family is Bratva. He’s playing a game with me, trying to get me to release her. “I was not aware she was your family when I purchased her,” I say, keeping my voice even.
He crosses his arms over his chest and squares up to me. “I don’t doubt that is true, but I would like to discuss the matter.” He holds out a hand, signaling toward his table. “Would you join me for a moment?”
I grit my teeth together. This could be a trap and it smells of one too. Igor’s dark green eyes hold too much amusement. He’s enjoying every second of this. I give him a nod.
“Follow me.”
Vera goes to stand, but he sets his hand on her shoulder harder than I’d like. She falls back into her seat. “Stay here, Vera, and let the men speak.”
I give her a short nod, and she glances down at her lap. As I walk away with Igor, I keep glancing back, noticing the woman next to her is trying to talk to her. She no doubt wants to make sure she’s okay now she knows she’s not a lowlife slave.
“What do you want, Igor,” I snap, before making it to the table.
He turns and smirks at me. “I think you know what I want.”
I do and it will not happen. He won’t get the better of me here on my turf.
“You can’t kill me in front of all these people.”
His smirk only widens. “Watch me.”
I realize in that moment he got me standing to make me an easy target. It takes a split-second reaction as I dive beneath a table, shocking the woman who is sitting nearby.
A gun shot sounds and it ricochets off the ground, inches from where I was standing.
Vera.
I crawl on my hands and knees beneath the table, as screams break out around me. A gunshot claps out, followed by another, no doubt to clear the hall so they can find me. All I can think about is Vera.
She’s a sitting duck. I can’t lose her. I won’t lose her. She’s not my slave, but the love of my life, and I will protect her with everything I’ve got.
The truth I’ve been ignoring hits me like a freight train—I love her.