dropped to my knees with a bellowing roar.
As well as with a promise.
I would avenge my father’s death and the person responsible would face my wrath.
Only circumstances had prevented me from remaining after only two months, the price on my head too great. Had it not been for my father’s Capo, I wouldn’t have made it out of the country alive. It was time to exact my revenge.
No, it was past time.
As I pulled into the driveway, I took a deep breath before turning in her direction. “Make no mistake, Chloe. You now belong to me. I will protect you and keep you from harm, but you will obey me at all times. If you do not, you will be punished, and I assure you that you do not want to find out the kind of discipline I would provide.”
“I don’t belong to you, Nikolai. I don’t belong to anyone. You can’t keep me.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Chloe.”
“Just who do you think you are?”
“I am Bratva and you are now my pet.”
She said nothing as I took her inside, but I could almost hear her heart beating and knew what she must be thinking. After arming the security system, I immediately headed for my den, the light remaining on from before.
Barely able to contain my anger, I moved to the bar. It didn’t matter the time of night. We both needed a drink. Given I hadn’t planned on having a guest of this nature, I would soon be forced to figure out what I was going to do with her. She wasn’t going to remain willingly, at least not at first.
Not until she’d been trained.
I poured two drinks, not bothering to ask what she wanted. As I walked closer, she flinched, eyeing me warily.
“As I said, I’m not going to hurt you, Chloe. That isn’t my intent.”
“Then what is your intent?”
As I handed her the glass, she took a few seconds before accepting, taking a whiff of the drink as if I’d found some magical way of poisoning her.
“I think you understand what we’re facing.”
“You mean what you’re facing. Bratva. I should have known you were nothing but a criminal.”
I laughed softly as I studied her. She was trying to maintain the same resolve I’d seen before, which would make breaking her that much more desirable. While there was a portion of my mind that harbored the man I’d become, longing to maintain the quiet and reserved persona, there wasn’t a chance left that would be possible.
The decision had been made for me.
“And why would you say that?” I asked, curious as to her answer. She’d been one of the best in the class, her attention and her detail to learning the culture unexpected.
“Because you never seemed like the man you portrayed yourself to be. All I had to do was look at your tattoos. No wonder you refused to wear anything but long sleeves while in class. My guess is that the ink you display on portions of your body indicates your rank within the Bratva.”
I took a sip of my drink before answering. “You would be correct.” The girl was very surprising on several levels. While I’d spent no more than two days on the Russian Bratva, she’d obviously done her research.
She seemed shocked that I’d admit it, taking a few seconds to glance around my den. “You seem very normal.”
“What did you expect, Chloe? I have a life to enjoy.”
“That includes murder.”
I rubbed my eyes, exhaustion settling in. “Make no mistake that things I’ve done in the past would be considered horrible to anyone living in this country and certainly criminal to the majority of people. However, given you seem to have an understanding of the Bratva life, you might have a sense of the reason why as well as the need.”
“What I sense is that you killed a man only an hour ago.”
“One who was trying to abduct and kill you. He has no conscience, no sense of remorse. That is the way of our kind. There will be more attempting to do the same.”
Her lower lip trembled.
I pushed the bottom of the glass, trying to encourage her to take a drink. “You will be safe here, at least for now.”
She swallowed hard then did what I asked, taking a sip then a gulp of the bourbon, coughing after doing so. I could see tears forming in her eyes, the adrenaline she’d likely felt fading away. “I don’t want to die.”
“Neither do I.” As I heard