Page 39 of The Bratva's Captive

Not just me.I caught myself from putting my hands on my stomach.

He was protecting me and our baby.

The baby he didn’t know about.

I furrowed my brow, trying to force my mind to snap these pieces into place faster. “Of course,” I muttered.

“Of course, what?” he asked.

“Of course, you wouldn’t care about killing him. Or anyone else. You’re just another Mafia man.”

A slight smile lifted his lips. Pride. That was what he showed me. He was proud to be such a ruthless criminal.

“But why would you take me? Why did you have to take me from there?”

He frowned and studied me more. It was unnerving to be under his scrutiny, and against my better judgment, I wanted to know what he saw. What he thought. All I was supposed to care about was how to get away, but I was curious.

“You’re upset that I took you from that club? You would’ve rather I left you there to be beaten?”

“No, but…” I scowled, confused how we’d moved on from the right-or-wrong opinions about murder to his taking charge like that. “But it’s not your decision. You don’t own me.”

His smile grew, making me tense all over again. Arguing and talking helped to keep the tension at bay, displacing it because I could vent my anger with words. Feeling him watch me trapped too much energy inside me.

“I’m not yours,” I insisted, pushing the blanket off my legs. I had to move. I had to fight and start escaping before I’d go insane. “I’m not some thing for you to control.” Shifting to my side, I hoped to get up. “You can’t decide my fate and place me wherever you want. I’m not?—”

He grabbed my arms as I tried to bolt. “You’re not going anywhere,” he growled, repeating his claim and finishing my sentence for me by twisting it completely.

“But why?” I sank back on the bed under his push. “Why do I have to be here with you? Why are you keeping me away from where I’m supposed to be?”

“Are you that desperate to get back to that nasty club?” He narrowed his eyes, almost seeming mad but notatme.

“It’s my job.”

“Not anymore.”

I squirmed to get free and failed. “That’s not your decision to make.”

“It is now.”

I strained to get loose from his strong hands. “No, it’s not. I won’t let you control me. I won’t—” Crying out at a hunger pangthat made me bend over, I fought the heat of tears trying to leak from my eyes as I squeezed them shut tight.

He stood, leaving me to curl into a ball on my side on the bed.

“You thanked me for saving you that first time,” he reminded me matter-of-factly as I wrenched my eyes open. “Perhaps you should consider that now.”

“To thank you for kidnapping me?” I screeched, wishing I could hit him. He wasn’t going to answer mewhy, but I wouldn’t stop asking. I would get my answers if it was the last thing I did. “I’m not going to thank you for kidnapping me.” Iwasgrateful he’d saved me from Lenny. Wishing him dead wasn’t something I’d stoop to, but I was thankful this man removed me from Lenny’s abuse.

“Why not?” He crossed his arms, looking mildly amused.

He was insane. Did he think this was fun? That I could ever enjoy having a man dictate my life? “What sane woman would ever want a murderer to capture her?” I sat up, ignoring the growls my stomach emitted. If I was going to pass out from exhaustion and hunger again, I damn well would get every word in while I could. “This is my worst fear realized.”

“To be spared that drunk beating you?” He arched one thick, dark brow.

“No!” He was crazy if he didn’t see anything wrong about kidnapping me. As a Mafia man, his moral compass had to be skewed, but I licked my lips and frantically tried to change my approach. If I could appeal to his kinder side, maybe he’d have mercy on me.

If he has a kind side.

I was desperate to believe he did. He seemed to care enough to save me—twice. “Please, let me go,” I begged.

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