Page 12 of Cruel Russian Pakhan (Safin Bratva #1)

With widened eyes, Vera stepped out of my grasp like she'd just touched fire.

“Lev, I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…shit…” she stammered, her voice trembling with uncertainty.

She turned and made a quick move toward the bathroom, but I caught up in two strides. Gently but firmly, I grabbed her arm and turned her to face me.

Before she could say another word, my lips crashed onto hers.

She gasped, and my tongue plunged into her mouth, taking full control.

Her hands fisted the front of my shirt, clutching me.

The soft moan that escaped her throat shot straight to my hardened cock, straining against my pants.

I quickly pressed her against the wall, my body flush with hers, heart pounding in my chest, loving how her softness molded to me.

My hands roamed over her body, teasing her curves as I deepened the kiss.

I guided her hands from the front of my shirt and wrapped them around my neck, needing full access to the places my fingers craved to touch.

She moaned into my mouth. Without a bra under her dress, her nipples quickly stiffened as my fingers grazed over them.

I eased away from her mouth slightly. “Do you like that?” I growled, pinching them gently.

“Yes,” she gasped, arching into me.

Loving the way she shivered beneath my touch, my lips moved to her neck, and I slipped my hand between her thighs, pressing against her pussy over the fabric of her dress.

“Lev…” she whimpered, her legs parting for me without hesitation.

Using two fingers, I found her clit and began to circle it slowly.

Her breathing turned ragged with each passing second.

When I pressed harder and quickened the rhythm, her wetness soaked through the thin fabric of her dress.

A low groan rumbled in my chest as the thought of tasting her flashed through my mind.

The scent of her arousal filled the room, intoxicating me, making me ache for more.

Without breaking contact, I guided her to the bed, keeping my hand firmly in place. My mouth found her nipples through the fabric, teasing and nipping until she cried out. Vera’s fingers tangled in my hair, tugging hard, but I didn’t feel the pain. I was too far gone.

The erotic sounds spilling from her lips only spurred me on. Her body arched, trembling under me, and with one final cry of my name, “Lev!”, she shattered in my arms.

God, how I wanted to rip her dress off, to feel her legs wrapped around my waist, to lose myself in her completely. She had invaded every corner of my mind, and I ached to claim every inch of her body in return. But that was all I had to offer, nothing more.

For now, I forced myself to hold back, since something about Vera still wasn’t adding up, and until I figured it out, I couldn’t let this go any further.

Would it set my plan back?

Yes.

But that nagging doubt in the back of my mind couldn’t be ignored. I had to think about my siblings. I’d already underestimated Artyom once, and it nearly got us both killed. My family was, and always would be, my top priority.

Still, how much longer would I be able to resist her?

I was supposed to be the one holding all the cards, the one seducing her. Yet somehow, she was flipping the script, and I couldn’t allow that.

As much as I craved the way she responded to my touch, the way she moaned my name when I pushed her over the edge, I needed to regain control. Whatever this pull between us was, it had to stay physical. Nothing more.

Though she was my wife in name only, I wasn’t planning to step out on her; not that it would’ve raised any eyebrows in our world, but I still couldn’t risk her misunderstanding what this was.

Even after I figured her out, that’s all she would ever be to me: a warm body to fill my bed, and a pawn to undo her treacherous brother.

I felt the soft press of her palm against my cheek and looked into her eyes.

“Are you okay?” she asked quietly.

Reluctantly, I sat up, and her hand dropped away. She shifted beside me, waiting.

“Vera,” I said, coldness lining every word, “despite what just happened between us, I need to be clear. As my wife, your body belongs to me. This marriage will only ever be physical. Feelings aren’t on the table. But even so, you’ll never have to worry about me stepping out on you.”

Her eyes hardened, but her voice stayed eerily calm. “I didn’t expect a controlling, possessive man like you to have feelings.”

She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. “And thank you, truly, for honoring our wedding vows, even after you kidnapped me and forced me into this marriage. You've made it crystal clear I’m just a convenience, which I suspected. I'd just be a warm body at your disposal. I get it.”

She stood, smoothing her dress. “Thank you for laying the cards on the table. I appreciate it more than you know. So don’t worry, Lev. I’m a big girl.”

She met my gaze one last time, her eyes like frostbite. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to shower and get some rest before heading to the party tonight.”

She turned and walked into the bathroom, closing the door softly behind her.

My phone rang, shattering the lingering tension in the room. I put it to my ear, Vera’s scent from my fingers drifting up to my nostrils, and my cock responded immediately.

“Yes,” I said, clipped. I walked out of Vera’s room and into my own. If I was going to make it through the rest of the day, I needed to get her scent off me.

“I’m at the office with the others in the conference room,” Jaroslav said.

“I’ll be there in forty minutes.”

“I’ll let the others know.”

I hung up and stripped off my clothes as I headed to the bathroom.

The second I stepped into the shower, I brought my fingers to my nose, needing to smell her one last time before washing her away.

Before I even realized it, I was replaying everything that happened between us as I relentlessly stroked my engorged cock.

And as I came, I imagined her there with me, unraveling, my name tangled in one of her moans.

Fuck.

This wasn’t supposed to be happening like this.

After a quick shower, I dressed and headed out to meet Rocco. On the way, I shut off every thought of Vera, reminding myself she was a Rykov, a pawn in the grand scheme of things.

My head needed to be clear for this meeting, for the sake of my family and my faction. Because if Artyom was calling us the enemy, that wasn’t something to take lightly.

Thirty minutes later, I was seated at the head of the conference table with my brothers.

“Jaroslav. Did Artyom make the announcement public?”

Jaroslav shook his head. “No. He called me directly. Said we can’t be trusted, declared us the enemy and hung up.”

“Then we keep this internal. No public moves. Not yet. Tighten security across the board: homes, businesses, accounts. We wait for him to make the first move.”

“Noted. Has Timur found anything on the attempted assassination?”

“Nothing solid yet. He’s digging through their family calls, messages. So far, everything’s clean.”

“A house divided cannot stand,” Marten said. “Artyom knows that. Whether he likes it or not, a deal was made. Now it's sealed whether he likes it or not. A war between us only benefits the vultures circling outside.”

I leaned back, tapping a finger against the table. “He just gave us cover. This little power play might be exactly what we need.”

Avit looked over. “Explain.”

“Tonight, at the party, everyone will see Vera with me. They’ll see the rings.

They’ll do the math. Once word gets back to Artyom’s informants, and it will, they’ll assume our alliance with them is mutual.

That illusion will not only buy us time and make it easier to breach his brokerage system, but it will keep our other enemies off our backs as well. ”

Jaroslav nodded. “He’ll be so focused on watching the front door, he won’t see us coming through the back.”

Pyotr’s eyes narrowed. “Artyom just declared us an enemy. You think he won’t have eyes on us? Tap our phones, hack our systems, hijack our security feeds, bleed intel any way he can?”

“He might have more information, but our tech teams are better. They’re already on high alert, upgrading everything,” I reassured him.

Jaroslav added, "He won't waste bodies tailing us, he’ll aim straight for the pressure points: Ninel, Mariya, the businesses.”

“Lev, the fact that he sent gunmen after you while Vera was with you means she'll also be a pressure point,” Avit added.

Marten grunted. “Ninel and Mariya aren't going to like having babysitters.”

“I'll make sure Vera is safe.” I turned to Marten. “Ninel and Mariya understand what’s at stake. They won’t risk being reckless.

Add extra guards at the Hearth; once they're done there, have the guards take them home. Let them gather whatever they need for the party tonight and drop them off at my place. We regroup there and head to the party together.”

Marten nodded and left the room.

I leaned forward, my tone deadly. “When Artyom strikes, we’ll remind him why no one fucks with the Safin faction.”

As soon as Marten returned, we spent the next two hours going over contingencies, tightening every thread.

After Avit, Pyotr, and Marten left, Jaroslav and I handled the rest of the Bratva business we couldn’t put off. War was coming, and we needed to stay two steps ahead.

Around seven that night, Rocco dropped me off at home, then took Jaroslav to his place to get dressed. When I stepped inside, Pyotr, Avit, and Marten were in the lounge having a drink. Avit informed me that Ninel and Mariya were upstairs with Vera, getting ready.

As I opened my bedroom door, I heard Ninel’s laugh ring out from Vera’s room. One reason I wanted my sisters here was for their protection, but also to help Vera unwind. Tonight, we had to look the part: the perfectly happy couple.

Bringing Vera had been the right call. Timur confirmed the Rykovs would be at the party. After everything Artyom pulled—hiding her, the attempted hit, declaring us the enemy this morning—walking in with her on my arm would send the clearest message: fuck you.

Thirty minutes later, I stepped out of my room just as the women came out of Vera’s.

“Hi, ladies,” I said with a smile, though my eyes were only on Vera.

I’d already seen her in the dress, but somehow, it looked even better on her the second time.

“Vera, we’ll meet you downstairs,” Mariya said as she grabbed Ninel’s hand and quickly led her away.

Vera wore more makeup than usual, but it was elegant and natural, making her eyes stand out. The sides of her hair were pulled back, while the rest fell in soft curls over her shoulders, with a few curls framing her face.

Images from earlier scorched my brain, and I narrowed my eyes, trying to mask the effect she still had on me in that damn dress.

I shot a look at her hand to make sure she was wearing her wedding band, and she was.

“Vera.” I stepped closer, and she looked up at me with a blank expression.

“Tonight is about impressions. It’s our first time going out as a married couple. Are we going to have a problem? Are you going to try to run? Because if you make the wrong move tonight,” my eyes darkened, “it won’t end well for you.”

“In public, I’ll be your obedient little wife. That’s the role I’m playing in front of your family now, isn’t it?” Her voice was hollow. “But alone with you? It's not going to happen.”

She moved past me without waiting for a response. I clenched my fists at my sides, trying to collect myself before I followed.

Downstairs, Jaroslav had just arrived. His driver, Tomas, waited outside with the limousine.

My siblings chatted and laughed as we made our way outside and loaded into the vehicle.

I sat on one side of Vera, while Ninel took the other.

Pyotr passed around glasses of champagne, and I watched as Vera downed hers in one go before asking for another.

I didn’t say anything. She was probably nervous, which was understandable, so I let it slide.

With two SUVs in front and two behind the limousine, we pulled out of the compound.

By the time we arrived, the party was already in full swing.

The yard was packed with luxury cars and guards were posted at every turn.

Marten and Avit led the way, followed by Pyotr, Ninel, and Mariya.

Vera and I came next, my arm wrapped protectively around her waist. Jaroslav brought up the rear, because even though we were attending a party, we still needed to be ready just in case something went south.

Once we stepped inside, my brothers and I moved to greet the celebrant and the host, while the women stayed back. We exchanged pleasantries, then rejoined them.

As promised, Vera chatted and laughed with my siblings, playing the part to perfection.

She smiled at everyone who approached, her charm effortless.

I kept one arm locked around her waist, the other wrapped around a glass of bourbon.

She leaned into me, her left hand resting lightly on my chest, wedding band on full display.

Her right curled around my waist. Just like we needed them to see.

I made small talk with my brothers, though my focus wavered under her touch. The scent of her, the heat of her body pressed against mine, was a distraction I couldn't seem to shake.

Twenty minutes in, I glanced toward the entrance, and felt my blood run cold.

The Rykovs had arrived. But that wasn't the problem.

Artyom had strolled in, followed by a woman, the spitting image of Vera.