Page 4 of Bought & Bred By the Bratva

I hesitate for a second before hitting the call button. She picks up on the second ring.

“Hey, girl, what’s up?”

I take a deep breath, my fingers tightening around the phone. “I need you to help me get into that auction.”

There’s a pause, and I hear her sigh. “Sierra… you sure? That’s serious shit.”

“I don’t have a choice, Tish,” I say, my voice barely above awhisper.

Tisha’s quiet for a moment, then she says, “Okay. I’ll make some calls. But be careful.”

“Yeah, I know,” I reply in a defeated tone.

When I hang up, I stare at the phone, feeling the weight of what I’ve just set into motion crash over me. But I can’t back down. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Jamal and Nia safe, even if it means selling myself to the highest bidder.

One way or another, I’m getting us out of this mess.

* * *

Aleksander

I can’t get her out of my head.

Ever since that night when she walked into my house with Ioann, she’s been there, like a ghost haunting me. It’s pathetic. A man like me shouldn’t be thinking about some girl—especially not my son’s ex-girlfriend. But every time I close my eyes, it’s her I see.

The way she looked, standing in my entryway, all nervous and unsure, like she didn’t belong there. Those big, brown eyes looking up at me, and the way she fidgeted with her hands. It’s like she was waiting for something bad to happen. And all I could think about was pulling her close, finding out if she tasted as good as she looked.

It’s fucked up. I know it. But it doesn’t stop me.

I tell myself to forget about Sierra, to move on, but it’s impossible. I’m fucking obsessed. Shit, I’ve dealt with all kinds of fucked up mess in my life—rival gangs, cops sniffing around my business, Ioann’s mom, my psycho ex—but this is a different kind of trouble. One I don’t know how to handle.

I lean back in my office chair, staring at the glass in my hand. I’ve tried drowning my thoughts, burying them under work, but it’s fucking useless. Every time I think I’ve got it under control, her face pops back into my mind. Those curves, that sweet, hesitant smile. Fuck.

I’ve never been one to sit still, so I start doing what I do best—gathering information. I have people for that, and in a few days, I’ve got a file in front of me, full of everything I need to know about Sierra. Her name’s all over the documents—school records, job history, shit about her family.

Junkie parents, barely holding it together. Two younger siblings she’s been looking after. That part hits me harder than I expect. She’s carrying the weight of the world, and I wonder what kind of strength it takes to live like that. It makes me want to know more. Makes me want to protect her. And that’s the damn problem.

I push the file away, leaning back in my chair. I need to drop this shit. She’s too young, and she’s Ioann’s ex, for fuck’s sake. There’s no way this ends well. It’s another complication I don’t need.

But I can’t help myself. I keep digging. I tell myself I’m doing it because I need to know if she’s trouble, if she’s a risk to mybusiness. But that’s a fucking lie. I just want to know more about her, like some obsessed bastard who can’t take a hint.

And that’s how I found out.

The report’s short, just a note that they broke up right after she came to my house. I read it twice, the words not sinking in at first. I don’t know why, but the idea of them not being together anymore hits me harder than it should.

He fucking left her. Walked away from someone like Sierra. It makes me want to put my fist through a fucking wall.

I lean forward, rubbing a hand over my face. This should be good news. It means she’s not off-limits anymore, no longer tied to my son. I know the smart thing would be to leave her alone, to let it go. She’s not mine to have, and dragging her into my world would only ruin her.

I get up, pacing the room. “Fuck,” I mutter to myself. I know better.

I should be focused on keeping things under control. But all I want to do is see her again. See if she looks at me the way she did that night—like she felt it too.

I stop, staring out the window at the city lights. I can’t have her. It’s as simple as that. If I let myself go down this road, I know exactly how it ends. And it won’t be good for either one of us.

But even as I try to talk myself out of it, all I can think about is finding a way to see Sierra again. And finally touch her, taste her, fucking ruin her for any other man.

Chapter 3

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