Page 6 of Taken by the Bratva (Bychkov Bratva #1)

Daniil

“You look a little too comfortable in my chair, brother,”

Kirill says, walking into his office with a stack of papers. I narrow my eyes at him and he smirks.

“I hope seeing her again will make you relax a little. You’re always wound up, but this is a new level.”

“Shut the fuck up,”

I growl, which has him shaking his head.

“Whatever. I’ll work out of the security office until you’re done. I get wanting to impress her with mine,”

he jokes smugly.

“Go,”

I bark, and Kirill smirks like the annoying little brother he is, taking another stack of papers on his way out.

When Maksim called me this morning to tell me that Aria was the only one who hadn’t returned her jewelry, I grinned like a fucking maniac for no one to see and told him to tell the agency that she had to return them this morning or I’d press charges.

I knew it would piss the little hellcat off and I wanted to make sure she came to me. On my terms. She’ll learn how much I need control, and how much I can give her in return if she lets me have it. When she pushed back at me last night and challenged me, I was hard as a fucking rock, knowing it’d be even sweeter the moment she gave in to me.

Fuck, my cock aches right now, growing hard at the thought of her yelling at me so I can tell her to get on her knees and put her mouth and tongue to better use.

I have plans for Aria.

I spent the hour drive home to Brighton Beach thinking of her, then spent two hours in the gym, pushing myself harder than usual to get myself back in control, but I still had to beat my cock twice before I could get any sleep. I woke this morning needing to find a way to see her again so I could fuck her out of my system. That’s all I need to do, and then I can focus again.

Right now, I can’t fucking focus on anything other than knowing how she tastes, what sounds she’ll make when I’m deep inside her, and how gorgeous she’ll look when she comes.

Finally, I hear the elevator arrive outside the office and I sit up straighter. Aleks comes into view and dips his head in a little bow.

“Aria is here to see you, Sir.”

I give him a curt nod and he steps aside to reveal the gorgeous woman I can’t stop thinking about. Even without the tight dress, heels, and makeup, she’s a fucking knockout.

Aria steps inside the office and I signal to Aleks to close the door.

“Is that necessary?”

she asks, raising her eyebrows in question. Huh, her voice sounds different than last night. I can’t exactly pinpoint how, but it is.

“I don’t need anyone interrupting us.”

“There won’t be anything to interrupt,”

she says sternly. Reaching into her purse, she takes out a jewelry box and places it on the desk between us.

“The earrings and necklace are in there, but not the bracelet. It either fell off my wrist when that guy grabbed me, or it was somehow swiped when I wasn’t paying attention. If you tell me how much it was, I’ll write you a check to cover it and be on my way.”

It’s not just her voice that’s slightly off, it’s the look in her eyes and the way I’m not reacting to her like I did last night.

The longer I stare at her, the more annoyed she grows. I know it was low lighting in here last night, but her eyes are different. She’s different. My gaze takes in every inch of her body and then back up to her hard stare.

“Is there a problem?”

she asks with attitude, and my jaw flexes at her obstinance. I don’t find her sass as appealing this morning.

“I don’t think it’s my fault that it’s gone, but I’ll pay for it.”

I slide the box towards me and open the lid to see that indeed, it’s just the necklace and earrings from last night.

They looked so good on her, like they were made with her in mind to showcase her beauty. Diamonds with blood drops hanging from her as a battle sign to those who dare come for her.

I look up at Aria and continue to study her, trying to pinpoint what’s changed in the past twelve hours.

“Is there a problem?”

she asks again, this time with more annoyance.

“Yes,”

I reply, finally answering her. Her head moves back with that single word, surprised by my blunt answer.

“And that is?”

“Come here,”

I command, but she doesn’t move an inch.

“Come. Here. Now. Around the desk.”

“Why?”

she asks nervously, her attitude leaving her in an instant like a puff of smoke in the wind.

I cock my head to the side.

“Are you afraid?”

I taunt, knowing that’ll get her moving, and it does. She lifts her chin defiantly and walks around the desk to stand in front of me, but keeps at least two feet between us.

My body still isn’t reacting the same way it did last night when I was this close to her. She had me wanting to fuck her right there in VIP in that tight little leather dress until she was screaming in ecstasy.

This morning? Not so much. What the fuck is different about her today?

Aria tucks her hair behind her right ear, and I watch the motion, tracing her long neck with my eyes from her collar bone up to her ear, and I freeze, zeroing in on a beauty mark below her ear. I memorized every fucking inch of her exposed flesh last night, and that wasn’t there.

“Who the fuck are you?”

“Wh-what?”

she stammers.

“What do you mean?”

I hold her gaze and she blinks, taking a step back from me.

“Who. The. Fuck. Are. You?”

I say slowly as I stand, towering over her.

“Aria. We met last night.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Yes. Who else would I be?”

“You tell me. The Aria I met last night would’ve had me rock hard the moment she walked in here. The Aria I met last night wouldn’t be looking at me the way you are. The Aria I met last night wouldn’t have spoken to me the way you have. And the Aria I met last night, didn’t have this.”

I grab her wrist so she can’t run away, and point to the beauty mark below her ear.

“And the Aria from last,”

I say lower, my rage simmering.

“would’ve felt like heaven to touch.”

I push her wrist out of my grip and look down at her.

“You’re not her.”

“I…”

she starts, then closes her mouth and swallows.

“I can pay you for the bracelet.”

“Fuck the bracelet!”

I shout, and she shrinks away, scurrying around to the other side of the desk again.

There’s a knock at the door and it opens just enough for Rex to slip in from his walk and bathroom break, and he goes right to ‘Aria’. She shrinks into herself, clearly afraid as he circles her, sniffs her, and then barks and growls.

“Rex, come,”

I command, and he trots around the desk to sit beside me. Rex knows she’s not her, too.

“You’re not her. You’re obviously twins.”

“No one can ever tell us apart unless they’ve met us together and have known us a while.”

“Then they’re fucking idiots because I knew there was something off the moment you opened your mouth.”

“Aria must’ve really made an impression on you for you to know right away.”

“That’s none of your fucking business.”

“It really is,”

she says, more bitchiness than fear in her tone now.

“Why are you here and not her?”

“It was my idea.”

She shrugs.

“She doesn’t need to get involved with a man like you. She can’t.”

“Can’t?”

“I know who you are.”

“And who am I?”

How would she know? Did Aria know last night? Is that why she had bodyguards? I need to know who she is even more than I did before, because a beautiful woman who can’t get involved with me, only makes me want to kill whoever is standing between us so she can be with me.

“Daniil Bychkov. Pakhan of the Bychkov bratva.”

I don’t say anything, just stare her down until she says more. I’m not confirming or denying anything.

“And that makes you off-limits,” she adds.

“Get Aria here. Now,”

I say with more patience than she deserves for trying to play me.

“Tell me how much the bracelet was worth, I’ll write you a check, and then I’ll walk out of here. End of story. And if you try anything, I’ll shoot you.”

“Is that so? You have a gun on you right now?”

She gives me a little smirk.

“Want to see it? You really should have your security pat down your guests, no matter who you think is walking through the door. It’s a little irresponsible as the boss, don’t you think?”

“You’re skating on thin ice right now,”

I tell her, my patience completely gone.

“You don’t get to speak to me like that. No one does. At least, not twice. Get Aria here right now or you won’t be leaving here at all. And she better be alone. No security, or I kill them on the spot. They deserve it for how little they’re able to protect her anyway.”

She gasps in surprise, and the fear is back in her eyes. One of the guys must be her regular guard but she wasn’t here last night.

She takes a seat and pulls out her phone, frantically tapping the screen before holding it up to her ear.

“Aria, it didn’t work and you need to come here yourself.”

.

“Yes, I know you said that. No, he said if you don’t come right now, alone, then I won’t be leaving.”

.

“No, I didn’t shoot him.”

.

“Yeah, see you soon. Bye.” She hangs up and crosses her legs.

“She’s coming,” she tells me.

“What’s your name?”

“Gia.”

“Full name.”

“Gia Rossi.”

Rossi? Am I supposed to know that name?

Fuck. More questions without answers, and I hate not having answers.

I call Aleks and tell him another guest is arriving soon and to escort her up here. I don’t tell him to pat her down though. I’d love to see the gorgeous Aria point a gun at me just so I can see that fire in her eyes like I did last night.

Sitting in silence is a power game, and Gia needs to know I have all the power here, no matter who she thinks she is.

A half hour later, there’s a knock at the door, and in walks Aria. The real Aria.

Her sharp eyes land on me first, looking annoyed and beautiful beyond belief. There she is. The clarity and fight behind her gaze that cuts right through me and makes me want to know everything she’s thinking.

Rex huffs out a snort and looks between the two women, and then at me. “Go,”

I allow, and he walks over to Aria, sniffs her hand, and then bumps it, looking for more.

“Hi, boy,”

she croons, her voice gentle and her eyes softening as she scratches his head.

“Did you miss me?”

“He knew she wasn’t you right away,”

I tell her, and her eyes are back on me again.

“Apparently, you did too.”

“She,”

I point to Gia.

“has nothing on you.”

Her brows crease.

“We’re twins.”

“Doesn’t matter. You can go now,”

I tell her sister.

“I’m not leaving without Aria,”

Gia says obstinately, rising from her chair and raising her chin.

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I’m not. And if I do, I can make one phone call and your life, and everyone’s in here, is over.”

“I doubt that.”

Gia laughs and Aria grabs her sister’s arm, dragging her back to the door.

“Stop, Gia. You’re being dramatic and making this whole situation worse. This was your idea and it was stupid and not necessary.”

“Aria–”

“No,”

she says, cutting her sister off. The authority and anger in her voice is turning me on even more than I already am by her mere presence.

They stare at each other, having some kind of silent conversation before Gia finally gives Aria a subtle nod, but adds out loud.

“If I don’t hear from you in a half hour, then I’m making the call.”

“Fine. Just go.”

Gia storms out of the office, with one last look over her shoulder at Aria before slamming the door closed. Aria doesn’t see it though because her gorgeous light brown eyes are on me.

The moment her sister is gone, she takes a seat across the desk from me and crosses her long legs that are on display in a little white sundress.

Fuck, she’s a little tease. Did she wear that for me?

She looks annoyed, slightly flustered, and sexy as hell.

“Why all the games, Aria?”

I ask, breaking the silence.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t know?”

“I wasn’t sure.”

“Are you afraid of me?”

“No.”

I see it in her eyes that she’s more curious than scared, but they still show an ounce of fear, and for the first time in my life, I don’t want someone to be fearful of me.

Fear is an extension of my status and power as Pakhan, and I fucking thrive off it. Everyone is afraid of me, even my brothers to an extent, but I don’t want her to be. I don’t want to see any fear in her eyes when she looks at me, like she’s unsure if I’ll hurt her or not. Even if I’m angry, like I am now, I don’t want her to question if I’m going to physically hurt her. I may want to punish her sexy ass for pulling a stunt on me like she just did, but I don’t want to hurt her.

“Don’t lie. I see it in your eyes.”

She looks down at her hands in her lap and then back up to me. “Fine.”

She raises her chin.

“I’m a little scared. But only because I know what you’re capable of.”

I raise my eyebrows.

“You do? What am I capable of, Aria?”

“Violence. Torture. Murder. The list goes on, I’m sure.”

“Yes, I am capable of all those things, and more, but you’re safe with me.”

“And I’m supposed to simply trust you on that? I only met you last night and I’ve already seen you stab a guy.”

“For you,”

I clarify, and she rolls her eyes.

“I was fine. I can handle men like him, and have plenty of times.”

“You shouldn’t have to,”

I tell her sternly, and she blinks in surprise.

“And if I’m around, there will be punishment for anyone touching you.”

“I handled another guy last night just fine without you,”

she counters with that sexy attitude of hers.

“You mean the guy you slapped then punched, and then your bodyguard had to step in when he wouldn’t let up? I took care of him once you were gone.”

Her eyes widen. “What?”

“I saw everything.”

“What do you mean you took care of him?”

she asks, and when I don’t answer, she continues.

“You killed him because he was drunk and handsy?”

“Yes.”

“You’re insane.”

“No one will miss him, I’m sure.”

“His family? Friends?”

“He had his chance to let you go after you said no and hit him. Twice,”

I growl, my anger flaring again.

“He didn’t, so I made it so he can’t do that to you or any other woman ever again.”

“Judge, jury, and executioner?”

“Exactly. That’s my world.”

“I know exactly how your world works. It’s the same one I grew up in, so don’t speak to me like I’m ignorant.”

“I doubt you grew up in my world.”

There’s no way a beautiful, sweet, and sassy little thing would’ve survived unscathed in my world. She never would have had a chance to even see a day alive in my household.

“Adjacent to your world,”

she amends.

“I just happened to have an overprotective family to keep me from the violent aspects of it, but I’m not ignorant to it.”

“And that once again brings me to the same question I asked you last night. Who are you?”

The last name Rossi isn’t a known criminal name by any means, and it’s starting to piss me off that there could be a whole fucking operation in this city that I don’t know about.

“Not important right now.”

“It is to me.”

“I’m here to pay you for the bracelet.”

“I don’t want your money. I want to know who you are.”

“You don’t want my money?”

she asks skeptically.

“You told my boss this morning that you were going to press charges against me if I didn’t come here and bring you the jewelry in person.”

“I said what I knew would get you here, and it wasn’t even you who came. I don’t like being deceived.”

“You weren’t, though.”

I lean forward in my chair, placing my palms on the desk that’s currently separating us.

“Not the fucking point. You deserve to have your ass spanked so you can’t sit for a week for pulling that shit on me.”

The visual of her bent over this desk with her dress up over her ass and her panties around her ankles as I spank her has my dick hard as fucking steel, and one look into her eyes tells me she likes the visual too.

Her leg that’s crossed over the other tightens and I can’t stop myself from pointing it out.

“You want me to do it?”

“Why would I want you to punish me?”

“Because you know I’d make you feel so good afterwards.”

“You won’t touch me.”

“No?”

“My sister is waiting for my call, and if she doesn’t get one soon, then she’ll make one that will cause a war you’re not ready for or would win.”

“I always win.”

“So does my family.”

“Is that so, Miss Rossi?”

I emphasize her last name, knowing she’s not telling me the whole truth again.

“Rossi is my mother’s maiden name. Gia and I use it professionally to protect us from everyone who would want to hurt us to gain leverage over my family or in the name of revenge.”

The idea of anyone hurting her has my blood boiling.

“No one is fucking touching you.”

My words come out as menacing as a death threat, and she swallows hard, her pupils dilating.

Fuck, I think she’s turned on by that too.

She’s fucking turned on by both me spanking her and my threat to protect her at all costs.

My eyes have her pinned in place.

“No one will get close enough to hurt you, and the only one touching you is me.”

“I never agreed to that,”

she says softly, her cheeks now tinged pink.

“And my family would never agree to that.”

I’m about to lose my shit if she talks about her family as some fucking entity that is ready to take me out in the blink of an eye. Some have tried, and no one has come close to succeeding. It’s hard to kill the spawn of one of the devil’s creations. What she doesn’t realize, is that if I need to, I’ll wipe out her entire goddamn family in a blink of an eye.

“My name is Aria Carfano,”

she finally admits.

Well, fuck.

That was the last thing I expected her to say.

The Carfanos are one of the four remaining mafia families in this city, and they have their hands in everything. Their reach knows no fucking limit when it comes to getting what they want, and their current boss, Leo Carfano, wiped out the entirety of what was the fifth mafia family a few years ago. I respect him for that. A clean sweep so none of them can come back and seek revenge. I’d do the same.

But she’s right. One phone call would bring a war to my doorstep if I did anything to harm her. But I don’t want to hurt her. Far fucking from it.

I want to own her.

I want her begging for my cock to fill her mouth, pussy, and ass until I’ve marked her with my cum everywhere and she’s screaming my name like a goddamn summoning.

This just became a game that I’d love to fucking play with her. Being a Carfano just makes it all the sweeter.