Page 16 of Owned Bratva Bride

Surprise.

I threw my hand, and he caught it. Throwing my head back with all the strength I could muster, I got his hands off me as he became unstable on his feet for a moment.

I only took a few steps on the wide hallway before he caught up with me. I twisted in his arms, my fingers digging into his skin, when another man appeared in front of me.

I landed a kick in his groin when he got close enough. He shouted, and the one holding me gave me a blow that sent me to the floor. A slap landed on my face, successfully splitting my lips, when I tried to get up.

As my palm pushed into the hardwood floor and I scrambled to stand again, another blow knocked me down. I felt tears sting my eyes, but I forced them back.

I’m not powerless.

I yelled, “What the fuck is it?! What do I have to do with you?!”

Panting, I tried to catch my breath. The men seemed to step away from me. Of course, my angry shout couldn’t be the reason.

The air seemed to shift as I saw a shadow emerge from the corridor.

Before I could blink, black shoes were just inches away from where my ass was sprawled.

I had to crane my neck more to see the face of the man who must be the boss; the energy he carried radiated power without him uttering a single word.

I recognized him immediately.

The creepy man from the art showcase.

He was dressed in almost the same way—a black tailored suit, a black shirt, and a black leather wristwatch. He had that same knowing look in his eyes. However, there was something more.

His gray-blue eyes were darker, icy. He looked far too comfortable to be a common criminal.

My eyes not leaving his, I asked, “Now what?”

His cold eyes shifted, like I just did something he hadn’t expected.

I went on, “Are you about to tell me what kind of psycho-kidnapping cult this is, or will I have to guess?”

His eyes flickered, still not leaving mine.

Yeah, I just sanctioned my death.

I braced myself for his reaction, refusing to show fear and look away.

Then, of all the things I expected, he flashed me a grin.

Am I imagining things, or is he really psycho?

Chapter 4 – Eduard

My grin went as quickly as it came, but the deed had been done. The surprise on Leonid and Viktor’s faces was nothing compared to that on the girl’s face.

The girl who surprised me with a bold question instead of the plea of mercy I had expected. But my surprise wasn’t the reason for my grin. It was the fact that, despite her hard skin, I was in charge of her fate, especially that of her husband.

Speaking of her hard skin, it was the first thing I noticed about her.

I had heard sounds of combat, but it was her angry yell that drew me to the hallway. I didn’t expect her to be out of the room or to be the one eliciting those shouts and groans from my men.

I had found her struggling to get up before her hand weakly slid down again. Despite her face decorated with bruises, hair like a bird’s nest, and her whole body trembling like that of a little rogue, not even a blind man could deny how beautiful she was. Her bright, brown eyes shone with anger, and her busted lip shivered lightly. It was annoying that I noticed something as trivial as her beauty.

I stared down at her, and she still had her eyes on me, reminding me of her fearless gaze back at the art show.