Page 107 of Bratva Jewels Box Set

“And I told you that my sister would convince them.”

He gives me a blinding smile as his hand squeezes my ass.

“Yes, you did. I should probably have more faith in you.”

I nod.

He picks me up, and I wrap my legs around his waist. “Now that you’re all mine, what am I going to do with you?”

“I think we can think of a couple of things.” I give him a flirtatious look.

“Sorry, Sapphire, in you go.”

Nikolai pushes me into the back of yet another windowless van. I’m sitting with the other girls as we move location again. I have never been so happy to be away from him. Last night he made me perform for him and Dmitri while the girls entertained some clients. I’m making myself sick with this façade; I hate him, he disgusts me. If I knew I could stab him in his sleep and not be killed in the process, I would. If I could put a bullet through Dmitri’s head, I would.

“Are you okay? We haven’t seen you in a couple of days,” Jade says, and I can see the worried looks on their faces.

“Where’s Gracie?” Ruby asks. “She isn’t here?”

“I made a deal with Nikolai in exchange for Gracie’s freedom.”

“Fuck, Saffy, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Jet whispers harshly at me.

“I needed to save Gracie. I couldn’t let them keep hurting her.”

They nod in understanding. “What did you agree to?” Pearl asks.

“I told him that Gracie would make sure Tomas and Mateo would back off and forget me. I promised I wouldn’t escape. I promised that I would be his partner.” I hear some of the girls make a noise at that. “I promised I would do whatever he wanted with whomever he wanted as long as he stayed away from Gracie.”

Ruby looks at me skeptically. “And you seriously think someone like Nikolai is going to keep his promises?”

“He let her go. She’s safe in Ibiza with my family, and the boys are there as well. I must have faith that … that there is some tiny portion in him that cares for me.”

Ruby shakes her head. “I think you are being fucking naïve, Saffy. He is going to fuck you over.”

“Ruby, I know, and you’re probably right, but what else could I have done? I will never ever give up trying to escape. I did it once, I will do it again. Nikolai is blinded by his feelings for me, and if I can keep playing on them, he will eventually slip up and I will have my chance.”

“You’re wrong, Sapphire,” Citrine says in her thick French accent. She is the quietest of the group. We all turn and look at her. “I heard one of the guards last night talking about some slave auction in Marrakesh. They were excited about going as they had never been to one before. Then they took bets on how much each of us girls would fetch at auction.”

The van is deathly quiet.

Panic laces my body. “No, no, I don’t believe you. He promised, he told me he loved me.”

Citrine laughs. “Seriously? You seriously think that someone like Nikolai has fallen for your charms? That he doesn’t know what you are doing?”

I frown at her.

“Oh shit, you did. You thought your past with him had some effect on him. That he is truly blinded by his supposed feelings for you.”

No, no, no, she isn’t right, I don’t believe her. My chest feels tight and I’m finding it hard to breathe. No, no.

“Calm down, Saffy, it’s going to be okay.” Pearl puts her slim hand on my shoulder.

I shake my head as the panic attack takes control of my body.

“Here, do this.” Jet forces my head between my legs. “Calm down.”

“You’re such a bitch sometimes, Citrine,” Ruby says.