Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 92160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
I close my eyes. It feels so fucking right, and that terrifies me.
"Good." His voice is quieter now, rougher. "That means you still have something to lose."
I’m lost. He’s caught me.
"If it makes you feel any better, a part of me feels like an outcast too. My brother was once one of us."
"Once?" I ask. "What happened?"
Matvei’s eyes darken to storm clouds, more gray than blue. His brow furrows, and he runs his thumb along my cheek like it soothes him. Like I’m his little good-luck charm. His fidget toy.
"He betrayed us. Suffered the ultimate punishment."
"I’m sorry."
“I’m not. It had to happen.” He looks away. “My parents will never forgive me. I’ll never forgive myself."
So his brother betrayed them. And Matvei was the one who acted as the enforcer. Served the punishment.
That’s fucking brutal. My heart aches.
I whisper, "That’s why your parents hate you."
He shrugs and smirks, but it’s not a real smile. His eyes are sad. And a part of me wants to make it better.
"Eh, they always liked my brother better."
I wonder what the ultimate punishment is for betrayal when you’re one of them. It wouldn’t be a fine, or jail, or something civilized. No.
They must hurt them, beat them, do something physically painful. And then kill them or something. Right?
His own little brother.
My mind is spinning a mile a minute. I’m about to meet my sister. What if she hates me? What if we’re nothing alike?
And my mother… I have a mother.
I’m an absolute ball of nerves thinking about facing Rafail and Polina in their own house.
"Do we have to do this?"
I’ve never been this vulnerable around him. Not after everything we’ve been through.
When he brushes his thumb along my cheek again, I feel wetness.
I’m crying.
Oh my god, I’m crying.
I hate that.
"Are you really that afraid, beautiful? My little witch?" His lips twitch. "Cast a spell and protect yourself."
Then, softer. "And trust me. You’ll be fine."
The depths of his loyalty—it’s hard for me to understand. He killed his own brother? For love of the Bratva?
"When do we have to go?"
He glances at the little alarm clock on the bedside table. "We have about an hour."
I leap from his lap, but he catches me midair, tugging me back down.
I fall onto his lap with a quick thump.
"Come here," he murmurs, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. "Don’t go so fast. We just went over a lot. Are you all right?"
He needs to stop being so sweet.
"I’m fine," I huff out. "Can you go back to being an asshole, please?" I shrug. "It makes me more comfortable."
I scoot off the bed just as his hand connects with my ass.
I squeal, smiling, as I head to the bathroom.
I have to get ready for my grand entrance.
Chapter 16
ANISSA
I take my time making sure I look perfect. This is what I’m good at—an impeccable physical appearance that masks everything else. But we don’t need to dwell on that right now.
My hair, my natural color now, hangs down well past my shoulders in thick blonde waves. I miss my wigs. The long, white-blonde feels unnatural now. My eyes are cornflower blue, so I wear thick black mascara to bring them out, but I opt for a sheer pink gloss and a spritz of my favorite body spray. Thanks to our little shopping spree, I am pretty well decked out with clothes.
“I’m guessing business casual?” I yell through the door toward Matvei, who is lumbering on the other side, opening drawers, likely getting changed. He’s a big guy. He does nothing quietly or gently.
“What the fuck is business casual?” he says.
“I don’t know, skirts, dresses, something like that? Something you’d wear to, like, a business meeting.”
Of course, he has no idea what business casual is. He’s Bratva. Why would he?
“No, probably just casual-casual. We’re not going to a restaurant; we’re just going to the family home.”
Then something occurs to me. Oh fuck.
“Are your parents coming?”
“No, not today. My mom has some kind of book club or something.”
Can’t think of anything less fun than reading a book with his mother.
“Alright, okay. Just need to grab clothes.” I cinch my robe around myself and open the door, finding him standing on the other side, looking like sin in a pair of denim jeans and boots.
My god, Matvei.
My ovaries practically self-combust just staring at him. His black hair slicked back, his eyes piercing. The gold hoops in his ears glint under the overhead light—subtle. Badass. My eyes roll down to the ink creeping up his neck, disappearing into a fitted black Henley. Heavy black boots.
“You look good enough to eat.” I swallow hard. I’m not joking.
The corner of his lip quirks up. “Unfortunately, we don’t have time. But I’ll take a rain check.”
Oh, hell yes, you will. I imagine myself getting down on my knees in front of him, unbuttoning his jeans, pulling out his thick, veined cock, sliding it into my mouth—fuck. I’m wet. And he’s right, we don’t have time.