Page 17 of Scarred Bratva King

Those eyes. Recognition slams into me like a freight train. It’s him. The man from my dreams. The one who saved me from drowning, who whispered that I was safe. How can he be here? How is this possible?

The book snaps shut, the sound breaking the silence like a gunshot. His gaze locks onto mine, and the air shifts. It’s electric, sharp, and laced with something I can’t quite name. For a moment, we just stare at each other, the weight of his scrutiny pinning me in place.

But then his expression hardens. His jaw clenches, and his eyes narrow into something cold. He shakes his head once, his movements abrupt and filled with tension.

“Not her,” he says, his deep voice cutting through the room like steel. There’s a bite to his words, a frustration that stings even though I don’t understand it.

I blink, stunned. “Excuse me?” I manage to say, though my voice comes out shakier than I’d like.

He doesn’t answer. He stands, towering and broad, his presence even more imposing up close. The cane in his hand taps the floor as he strides toward the door without a glance in my direction.

“Maxim—” Dmitri starts, stepping toward him. “Where are you going?”

“Not her,” he snaps again, his accent curling around the words.

And then he’s gone, the door slamming shut behind him.

My mind races, trying to make sense of what just happened, but all I can think is: why did he look at me like I was the last person he wanted to see on the entire planet.

9

MAXIM

The hallway stretches out before me, the silence broken only by the sharp rhythm of my cane tapping against the marble floor as I march away from the games room.

My teeth grind together as I walk, each step fueled by rage. Fate is laughing at me. Every thought in my head is a snarl, and it all revolves around her. The gods kept me alive just to taunt me.

Veronica Bennett.

The moment I saw her—those wide eyes, that stubborn chin—I knew. The woman I haven’t been able to forget. The woman I pulled out of the freezing river, whose face has haunted every goddamn dream since. She’s here, of all places.

Dmitri wants me to marry her? No. Absolutely not. My obsession with her would swallow her whole and spit her out in tiny blood soaked pieces.

The anger boils hotter, and I grip the cane tighter, my knuckles aching. My pace quickens, the urge to put as much distance as possible between myself and that room clawing at me. She doesn’t belong here. With me.

“Maxim!” Dmitri’s voice snaps through the air behind me, sharp and commanding, but I don’t stop.

His footsteps pound closer until a hand clamps down on my arm, yanking me to a halt. I whirl around, shoving his hand off with a glare that could burn steel.

“What the hell was that?” he demands, his voice furious. His eyes narrow, his usually calm demeanor cracking.

“I’m not doing this,” I growl. “Find someone else. Anyone else.”

“Why?” He steps closer, his jaw tightening. “She’s perfect. She’s smart, she’s brave, and she needs our protection. You, of all people, should understand that means she’ll be loyal. Plus, she’s Elena’s best friend. She’ll never snitch to the cops.”

“I said no.” My voice is too loud. I’m losing control. I never lose control.

Dmitri doesn’t back down. “Give me the real reason, Maxim. What’s wrong with her”

My patience snaps, and I shove him back a step, my chest heaving. “Because I’ll destroy her. Is that reason enough for you? Your wife’s best friend will be broken by me. You want that?”

He stares at me, stunned for a moment, before recovering. His expression hardens, but there’s curiosity in his eyes. “What the hell are you talking about?”

I drag a hand through my hair, pacing a few steps before turning back to him. The confession comes out like a hiss, each word tasting bitter. “I pulled her out of the river a month ago. The night I got shot.”

His eyes widen slightly, but he stays silent, letting me continue.

“I was waiting for Arseni when I saw her thrashing around in the water. I dragged her out and left her with the ambulance crew. Got back to dealing with him and then got myself shot. Because I was thinking of her.”

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