Page 66 of Forbidden Bratva Virgin

I scoffed. “Elena, wake up and smell the coffee. This is real life.”

“But I am awake, Haze, and I am smelling the coffee, literally. I’m telling you, there’s serious chemistry here. It’s giving ‘Level One’ attraction.” I laughed when she’d used the exact word Amelia did to describe him months ago.

“So, you like him?”

Shyly, I nodded. “I really do.”

“You’re saying he’s not bad for you; he makes you feel good.”

Well, to be honest, I wasn’t sure Miron was one hundred percent good for me either. He was like an addiction I couldn’t get enough of—a drug I almost couldn’t resist.

Instead, I told Elena, “Yes, I believe he’s great for me.”

“Then, what is the hesitation for, Hazel? My dear friend, you deserve to be happy. No hate here, but I always thought what you had with Nathan was borne from convenience. I mean, I don’t like to admit it; he was a good guy. Smart, good-looking, great personality, and all, but Haze, you guys were better off as friends. This spark you have with Miron, I’m certain that it will give rise to something more glorious than you can imagine.”

Elena kept talking, trying to encourage me to give thisthingwith Miron a chance. While I listened with rapt attention, the conflicting emotions continuously nagged. My mind reeled at the impending dangers that could come with accepting Miron completely, and I couldn’t shake off the foreboding feeling that something bad would happen.

And soon.

***

We stayed in the café for more hours than we’d planned because, apparently, we had more catching up to do. After lots of talking, we saw the pink hues in the skies and picked up our bags to go home. Knowing Elena, she was going to sleep at my place for the night without asking first, so I bought extra brownies and two cups of mocha before leaving the café—because she had a weird obsession with drinking coffee at night.

Elena and I walked side by side down the quiet street, the evening sun casting long shadows along the pavement. The air smelled of freshly baked bread from a nearby bakery, mingling with the faint scent of gasoline from passing cars. She was talking about an animated series and some new artist causing a frenzy when she stopped and pointed to a small convenience store ahead.

“I just remembered I need to grab something from that shop.”

I hesitated, eyeing the bustling crowd gathered near the entrance. “Sure, I’ll wait out here,” I said softly. “There are too many people.”

She gave me a knowing look but nodded. “All right. I’ll be quick.”

As she disappeared inside, I took a deep breath, somewhat grateful for the moment of solitude. Miron occupied my thoughts for most of the day and the girls’ time out with Elena. I loved Elena, but I needed some space to breathe and think for myself, and now looked like the best time to do it.

The hum of the city blurred into the background as I let my thoughts drift. My phone buzzed in my bag, and I lowered my head to search for it. Then, suddenly, the sharp screech of tires shattered the peace. Before I could turn, a black van pulled up fast beside me.

Panic shot through me like a lightning bolt, and my mind was going into a system overdrive. “Elena!”

I took a step back, screaming, “Elena!” but it was too late. Strong hands grabbed me, rough and strong, yanking me off my feet. A cry escaped my lips as I struggled, kicking, clawing at my captor’s grip. It was no use. The van door slammed shut, and the darkness swallowed me whole.

The air inside smelled of leather and something metallic, sharp, and cold. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might shatter. I didn’t even bother holding back the tears; I let them pour as fast as they wanted.

“Elena!”

“Miss Sinclair, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person. Does fucking your clients come with the job description?”

My heart sank at the sound of a woman’s voice. Breathless, I blinked against the dim interior, trying to focus. Then, my blood ran cold.

Across from me, staring with unreadable eyes, sat the woman with angry brown eyes and jet-black hair falling like ink below her back: Alina. Miron’s fiancée.

She tilted her head slightly, lips curling into a ghost of a smile. “Well, well, Hazel. Judging by that look in your eyes, I guess you already know who I am. Great, we’ll just skip the introduction.” Her voice was smooth, almost amused. “But you disappointed me out there. What, no fighting skills? Nothing? That was easier than I thought.”

My stomach dropped, realizing what this was. I had been kidnapped. And whatever future I had dreamed of with Miron, this woman looked ready to make it a living nightmare.

***

When the van stopped, a brawny man shoved me out, roughly dragging me by the arm into the night air, which was thick with silence, the kind that pressed against my skin like needles. Alina’s men led me deep through the woods, where even the moonlight struggled to reach, to what looked like an abandoned house.

My heart pounded as Alina stood before me, arms crossed, her gaze sharp enough to cut. “Welcome to your new home.”

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