Page 7 of Pregnant Bratva Hostage (Dubrov Bratva #17)

“You have two seconds to explain how the hell I became the bad guy for taking you into the garden for some sunshine. I was trying to do something nice, and you’re tearing my throat out,” I blurt out in anger, infuriated that she can’t even appreciate a small gesture like that.

“Because you took me to Lily on purpose to show me what I did, that I almost got her mother killed. That I almost took that little girl’s mother away from her.”

Of course, it wasn’t on purpose. Her seeing Lily was never part of the plan and actually poses a risk to me.

If Lily mentions seeing Tania, there will be questions.

I’m sure I’ll be able to talk my way around the words of a toddler, but it’s attention I don’t need.

I can only hope she says nothing at all.

Tania is so angry, she really does look like she wants to tear me to pieces. But as I stare into her eyes now, I see that her anger is only to cover the pain.

She’s fighting so hard against the tears threatening to spill from her eyes that her cheeks are turning red.

She’s even holding her breath.

“Tania,” I say her name, meaning for it to sound calmer than it does. I’m still fired up wanting to defend myself. I sigh and try again.

“Tania,” I huff.

“Just leave me alone,” she snaps, spinning away from me and storming out of the living room. I hear her stomping up the stairs towards the bedrooms.

Sighing loudly, I push my hand over my cropped hair and groan in annoyance.

Why are all women so difficult?

I flop down on the sofa and lean my head against the back of it. “Whatever,” I mutter to myself.

But guilt is sitting in my chest. I didn’t consider what it would be like for her to see Lily Ann.

I didn’t realize how much it would upset her.

Was that unfair of me? A low blow?

Huffing again, I lean forward and press my face into my hands.

“Come on, Ark. Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not your fault she overreacted,” I mutter.

Standing up, I roll my neck left and then right. It wasn’t my fault. Her reaction has to do with her own shit. Not mine.

But I can’t push the guilt away.

I’m going to the gym. I don’t know why I’m standing here worrying over her bullshit. She’s my prisoner; she needs to do what she’s told and not give me so much trouble.

That’s all.

That’s it.

End of story.

My mood is terrible while I’m in the gym.

I keep dropping the weights harder than I need to, and even though today is supposed to be dedicated to lifting, I end up at the punching bag with my gloves on.

It’s ridiculous that I should be bothered because she got upset. It’s not my problem. Why am I making it my problem?

My fists slam into the bag. Left. Left. Right.

Right. Uppercut. Left.

My feet get lost in their trained rhythmic steps as I move around the punching bag.

Sweat is dripping down my jaw, rolling down my back. My muscles are screaming—and still I’m pushing on.

But no matter how much I try to work the frustration out, I still feel guilty for putting her through that.

The pain in her eyes still haunts me.

I shower.

I get dressed for work.

I leave the mansion.

And by the time I’m at the office, I’m still thinking about her and wondering if she’s okay.

What the hell is wrong with me?

After lunch, Luka stops in at the warehouse, and we chat for a bit about boring day-to-day stuff, and all I want to do is get out of there, because I’m keeping a massive secret from my brothers. One that would piss them off.

“You’re in a terrible mood,” he complains, studying my face.

“Didn’t get much sleep.” I brush off his comment, deflecting.

“Another wild night with some random girl?” he chuckles.

“Fuck off,” I snap.

“Didn’t go well, I take it,” he muses, used to my unpredictable outbursts.

I clench my jaw and shake my head. “Sorry, man. I really am just tired.”

“Well, get the hell out of here, then. Go home and sleep or something,” he shrugs, waving his hand towards the door.

I nod. “Yeah, maybe I should.”

Luka stays in the office to finish up with the delivery paperwork, and I grab my things and head for the car.

I’m fully aware that I can be a total asshole sometimes.

It’s not really a secret.

My brothers tell me all the time.

So, I think I have to accept that I owe Tania an apology. Yes, I kidnapped her. Yes, I’m using her as a tool—but I don’t have to be an asshole on top of that for no good reason.

I’ll go up to her room when I get home and tell her I’m sorry.

***

The mansion is quiet when I walk inside.

I drop the keys onto the table near the front door and tilt my head to the side to listen. Nothing. She must be in her room.

Let’s get this over with.

I take the stairs two at a time, my stomach growling with hunger. I wonder if she will come down and have dinner with me. It might depend on how well I manage this apology. Maybe I should order pizza. I’ll ask her what she likes.

Her bedroom door is slightly open. I pause for a moment outside it; I can hear her soft humming from inside.

Pushing the door lightly, it drifts open, and I see Tania sitting near the window with her back to me.

She has a white silk robe on, and her bedroom smells fresh, as though she just got out of the shower and finished blow-drying her hair.

She has her head tilted to the side, and her long golden hair is hanging loose as she slowly runs a brush through it. Her moves are elegant and careful. It’s mesmerizing to watch her.

The silk gown slips off her shoulder, and she ignores it.

The curve of her neck and the delicate smoothness of her skin catch my eye, and I find myself staring.

She’s gorgeous. Gorgeous in ways I’m not expecting to notice. Her natural beauty shines through no matter what she’s wearing or doing.

My heart beats a little faster as I watch her, her hair shining in the fading light of the setting sun.

My body tingles with expectation.

A warm smile drifts onto my lips.

My cock stirs.

Tania turns, sensing me watching her, and frowns.

“Oh, you. I didn’t hear you come in,” she says with hesitation, putting the brush down and standing up.

Her silk gown falls open a little, and I realize she’s not wearing anything underneath it. My cock throbs, and agitation pulses through me, because I should not be this attracted to her.

She sees my eyes drift over her and quickly tightens the cord holding her robe closed. Her cheeks flush bright pink.

“Was there—was—did you need something?” she mutters quickly.

“Uh,” I mumble, forgetting why I came in here. “No.”

She tilts her head to the side.

“Did you come in to check that I hadn’t tried to run? Don’t worry, Arkady. I know you’ll murder my whole family if I do.” She’s feisty and angry.

“That isn’t what I said.” Okay, technically, it is what I said. But when she puts it like that, I sound like a monster. I shake my head, still trying to figure out what I’m doing here, trying to push the images of her gorgeous body from my mind.

“Dinner—yes,” I sigh in relief.

“What about it?” She presses her lips together in annoyance.

“I’m ordering pizza.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

For a second, I stare at her blankly. She’s infuriating.

And gorgeous. And I need to leave right now.

I turn and storm off, pausing at the door and saying over my shoulder, “I’m ordering now.

Come down when you’re ready.” Then I practically run from the room and her perfect features, and that long golden hair, and the way the cord of her soft silk robe fits tightly over her narrow waist, and how the fabric leaves very little to the imagination as it moves like water over her body.

When I get downstairs, I realize I didn’t even ask her what she wanted on her pizza. And I realize I never apologized, which was the entire reason I went up there.

Dammit.

I’ll just order a couple of pizzas. She’ll like one of them. I’m not going back up there.

This girl is affecting me in ways I didn’t plan for. I can’t let this keep happening. She’s here for one reason.

***

Monday morning, I’m tense, explaining again to Tania what I need her to do. She’s biting her lip, sitting in the passenger seat of my black SUV.

“But he thinks I’m on vacation somewhere,” she says tensely.

“You’ll figure it out. Besides, your uncle isn’t here yet.

You can slip in and out before he gets here if you do this quickly.

Keep the earpiece in at all times, and I’ll be able to hear everything that’s going on as well.

” I hand her the bug that she’s been instructed to plant in her uncle’s office.

“You press this little black button as soon as you’ve stuck it under his desk, or his chair, or somewhere close.

You’ll have to decide once you get inside. ”

She nods, staring at the tiny device in the palm of her hand.

“Tania?” I say sternly. “Don’t fuck me.”

She looks up at me with narrowed eyes. “Can I just get this over with, please?”

“Yes. Go.”

She climbs out of the car, dressed in her normal office wear, which looks far too good on her. The high heels, the blue high-waist skirt, and the crisp white blouse—she looks professional and elegant as she walks away from my car, her hips swinging.

My stomach knots when she disappears into the building. She could run. She could betray me at any second.

All she has to do is tell any person inside this building, and my entire plan comes crashing down.

My jaw is clenched so tightly my teeth are aching. I run my fingers along the line of my jaw and force myself to take a deep breath.

Through the earpiece I’m wearing, I can hear people greeting her; she hasn’t said or done anything suspicious yet, but for all I know, she could be writing someone a note.

Calm down, Ark. Just calm down.

“I’m in the elevator,” her voice whispers through to me. She’s nervous. Her voice is wavering.

“You need to stay calm, Tania. If people see that you’re tense, they’ll know something’s going on.”

“I am tense,” she hisses.

The elevator dings, and she stops talking.

Again, all I can do is wait.

Five minutes go by.

Six.

Each minute ticks by so slowly that I have to force myself to stay where I am. Not to assume the worst.

Seven minutes.

Static in the earpiece makes me jump.

Her voice registers on the earpiece and through the bug.

She did it.

She planted it.

“Get out of there, Tania,” I whisper.

I hear her heels clicking on the floor as she hurries back to the elevator. It dings, and she gasps, a shocked sound that causes every muscle in my body to tighten.

“Tania, I thought you were on vacation.” Boris’s voice is cold and harsh.

“Hi, Uncle Boris,” she says, a slight crack in her voice. “I just wanted to finish up a few things before I left. There was some paperwork that would have bothered me if I didn’t complete it.”

“Is that so? And when are you leaving?” he says, full of accusation.

“In the next few days.”

“Where to?”

“Oh, um, I’m still deciding between three places. But I’ll book the tickets and the hotel tonight.”

My heart is sitting in my throat. I’m waiting for hell to break loose.

Is she going to say something?

Is she going to signal that I’m waiting out here in the car?

That she’s been kidnapped?

If I were smart, I’d leave right now. But something in her voice is making me pause. She sounds scared.

Of course, she’s scared. You’ve just had her plant a bug in her uncle’s office. You threatened her family.

No, it’s more than that.