Page 4 of Hunt Me (Dmitriyev Bratva #1)

B ristol

Mikhail Dmitriyev.

I knew who he was even with no other reason than reputation.

Ruthless. Powerful. Dominating. He was also the older brother of the bride, Lilia, my former college roommate and friend.

The moment I’d seen the single photograph she had of her entire family, I’d swooned like some schoolgirl, the crush creating fantasies fueled by the romance books I read late at night.

He was strong, masculine, and dangerously gorgeous, and I’d realized when he’d waltzed into the rehearsal dinner the crush was intact.

Few men had such an effect on me and the men I’d dated had been more like boys in comparison.

He also had a mysterious air about him, never allowing anyone to move past his suave exterior.

His hands were powerful and every finger was inked with Russian characters, providing proof he was Bratva. Perhaps they were meant to terrify anyone who dared cross him. I found them sexy.

He arched a brow, clearly amused with my attempt to act nonchalant about our encounter. When his lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile, I took a deep breath.

He was goading me.

Challenging me.

Tempting me with a taste of the forbidden.

I’d experienced men like him before. They were the kind who believed women should fall at their feet and once finished with getting what they wanted, the poor girl would be tossed aside like a rag doll.

I had no doubt he had his choice of women; hapless girls who would do anything he asked. Or perhaps demanded.

However, given I’d been sitting at the same table for over an hour, staring at my watch while being accosted by drunk assholes who thought they’d found themselves an easy lay, I actually appreciated the sparring interruption.

Most men hadn’t managed to put a single coherent sentence together.

Unless you considered ‘Hey baby. Why don’t we hook up by the Venetian fountain’ coherent.

The wedding had been a reminder of everything I likely wouldn’t achieve.

Including a stable job coming close to providing me with the wealth Mikhail exuded.

How many interviews were needed before I could take my Summa Cum Laude out for a spin?

Maybe that’s why his presence was both annoying and exciting.

While I knew little about the Dmitriyev family since I’d been away from Vegas for years, I was overtly aware that they were dangerously wealthy, as well as extremely influential, and there were dark, unsubstantiated rumors they had ties to the mafia.

Perhaps that’s what made him that much more attractive. Call it the bad boy fantasy.

His eyes made a slow descent down my body, settling only when he reached my face once again. Was he sizing me up for time spent in a cage? Everything about the man screamed power, including the dazzling Armani suit that fit his chiseled body perfectly.

With dark, curly hair and piercing ocean blue eyes, he was a gorgeous specimen of a man. However, his Russian accent, albeit slight, was perhaps his best feature. The husky tone was straight out of my romantic fantasies spawned by reading one too many dark romance novels.

As he continued staring at me, I sank my teeth into my bottom lip.

He was also the kind of man who oozed danger, a bad boy wrapped in expensive clothes.

I couldn’t afford to become tangled up with anyone, let alone a predator, but the light sparring had already brightened my evening.

I hated weddings. I loathed anything having to do with romance.

I’d seen what fake relationships and failed promises did to women.

Las Vegas had a way of highlighting the good, the bad, and the horribly ugly.

Yet everything about the man intrigued me more than it should.

I was no fool. As my mother would say, I was my father’s daughter: always curious. Always watching, cognizant of my surroundings. The reception had been full of pretty people, men in expensive suits and women dressed to the nines in Parisian-inspired cocktail dresses.

They’d toasted the bride and groom, gorging on expensive champagne, lobster, and caviar. All pretending the wedding and connections being made were entirely normal.

Lilia and I had shared our hopes for the future, and our darkest secrets and desires. She’d been my roommate for two years while attending Yale law school. Yet we’d never talked about our respective families. That had been a pact made. Sadly, we’d lost touch over the last few months.

She’d always had a bodyguard following her.

When asked, she’d tossed it off as if no big deal, yet the hulking mass of a man had hovered close, never allowing her to enjoy truly free time.

When she’d met a special man, now her husband, she’d asked me to lure the man away more than once.

I’d gotten very successful at being her body double, enjoying the intrigue and moment of pretending I was wealthy beyond my means.

I’d never heard if our ruse had been discovered, but Lilia had fallen in love, spending all her free time with the man of her dreams. That would never happen to me.

When she’d asked that I share in her joyous day, I’d been honored yet surprised, but I was very happy for her.

I also knew enough to know the invited guests were all powerful and influential not only in Las Vegas, but in cities and states beyond.

The reception had cost a fortune, every detail lavish.

Some of the guests were as dangerous as the family, while others were hoping that by showering the couple with expensive trinkets and toys they’d find a place underneath the expansive wings of the rulers of the underworld.

That’s because underneath their polished veneers and glittering smiles were a family who controlled every aspect of business and entertainment on this side of the Mississippi.

They would stop at nothing to get what they wanted, including acts of vengeance if so required.

Did that mean the man sitting opposite me controlled the illustrious inner sanctum? I wasn’t certain given he wasn’t a part of the wedding group, but I was certain he was a man of importance.

Even with my limited understanding he should be considered off limits, my body practically vibrated with excitement from his challenge.

Would enjoying a single drink with a gorgeous man to end the night be so horrific?

I wasn’t the kind of woman to be seduced by strangers, no matter how good looking or suave.

However, being a good girl had certainly not garnered me any favors during the last year.

I continued studying him the same way he was doing with me. We were both curious, yet I found it interesting we weren’t prepared to offer names. Having no knowledge of her family or her other friends had put me at a strict disadvantage.

I felt lonely and out of place.

“What have you decided, milyy angel ?”

“What did you call me?”

“Sweet angel.”

“I assure you I don’t wear angel wings.”

He laughed. “Then I won’t mind experiencing a little of the devil inside.”

His voice maintained the controlling, sensual vibe that dotted my skin with tickling goosebumps.

I glanced toward the dance floor. The bride and groom had disappeared, likely changing clothes for their romantic getaway in Paris.

I’d heard all about their three-week excursion, every luxurious detail and I was forced to admit, if only to myself, I was thoroughly jealous.

“One drink. No strings attached?” My question was met with another smile. This time, his entire face lit up.

“I assure you strings aren’t included.”

After a few additional seconds of debate, I pushed my glass aside, grabbing the small clutch Lilia had given as bridesmaids’ gifts.

Diamond necklace included. I fingered the piece secured around my neck knowing I could pawn it and pay my rent for at least two years.

I was way out of my league. So why not enjoy an hour or so with a handsome man?

As soon as I stood, so did he, instantly nodding toward the door.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked while moving forward. He pressed his hand against the small of my back. The action was possessive, yet another shiver coursed down my spine instead of annoyance sweeping through my system.

“Within the walls of this lavish resort there are several more private bars. One in particular I highly recommend.”

He led me down the corridor and through the lobby and instantly I could tell he held notoriety.

Because I worked two jobs and long hours, I had little time to pay any attention to the social scene in the city that never slept.

Yet I sensed whatever importance he held was as powerful as the man himself.

He knew exactly where he wanted to go, heading toward the executive elevator.

Once inside, he crowded my space as I inched closer to the steel wall.

I was finally able to take a good look at him.

He was much taller than I’d expected, standing at least six foot four.

Casual in his attitude, he’d unbuttoned his jacket, pushing the two sides away so he could shove his hands into his trouser pockets.

Thick lashes framed his blue eyes and he was very intimidating. Even so, the way he was looking at me created a flutter deep within my belly.

As he crowded my space the air grew thick, and my pulse drummed against my neck.

“What’s it like to own a massive hotel chain?” I asked in a crazy effort to reduce the increasingly explosive heat.

“Ah, so you do know who I am.”

“While I’ve only returned home after several years, you’d need to be living under a rock not to know who you are, Mikhail. Plus, you look exactly like Lilia.”

Laughing, his heated gaze swept my dress once again and I’d never felt so vulnerable.

Or so naked.

“Since you know my name, it only seems fair I learn yours.”

I don’t know why I felt even more vulnerable. “What’s wrong with keeping a mystery?”

“Hmmm,” he said. “You certainly are a mysterious woman. Alright. Then I’ll continue calling you my perfect angel.”