Page 15 of Blood, Bones, and the Bratva Bogeyman
Emotionally, is a different story because my darling fiancé has heartbreak written all over him.
“Fine. I’ll take up station right here then.” Her lips curl down as she stares at me. “If anything happens to you, I’m killing them all, Cressi.”
“If anything happens to me, it won’t be you they need to fear,” I reply, squeezing her arm before walking back to the stairs.
Anger rides me hard as I climb the stairs. My fists open and close, my fingers tingling as the rage builds.
I’m so tired of the men in this lifestyle acting as if women only have a place on their arms and in their bed. We could be useful to them in ways they’ll never understand if they’d just let us have a damn voice.
There’s so much I want to scream at Konstantin about, and I plan on doing just that when I reach the top of the stairs. Before I get the opportunity, our gazes lock. He reads my intentions and gives a quick jerk of his head toward the man sitting across from him. I pause briefly to get a read on the situation, then straighten my shoulders and put my mafia princess mask on. Konstantin’sshoulders relax when he realizes I won’t disrespect him while he’s conducting business.
Sunniva squeezes my hand, letting me know she picked up on the same thing and she’s going to follow my lead.
Konstantin holds his hand out for me as I approach. He smiles in a charming way when I give him mine, lifting it to his mouth to brush a kiss along my knuckles. Then he pulls me to him and guides me to his lap.
I perch on his lap carefully and wrap my arm around his shoulder. “Darling.”
“Cressida,” he purrs.
Then, as much as I hate it, I play the airhead that most of the men in our circles expect.
I pout at him. “I missed you on the dance floor. It’s no fun anymore.”
His eyes laugh at me, reading the distaste in my tone. “If you can be a good girl and stay silent as I speak to my friend here, then I will make sure you are rewarded.”
“Oh, Konnie,” I squeal, throwing my other arm around his neck too. “I can be your best girl.”
Then I mimic zipping my lips and throwing away the key.
“Are you sure we should conduct business with them here?” the man questions.
Konstantin raises a brow, his hand tightening around my hip. “Do you doubt that my wife will be loyal to me?”
The silky tone of his voice raises the hair on my arms, and the man in front of us pales as terror lights up his eyes.
“N-n-no,” the man stammers.
He’s lying, but I don’t call him out on it.
“Good. Good. Now, tell me, Mister Venyara. Who is responsible for the Reaper drug being on my streets?”
Interesting. Konstantin isn’t worried about talking business in front of me. It’s so different from what I’ve grown up with.
“I don’t know who it is.”
A quiet hiss passes from my lips as a current of electricity runs along my skin at his statement.
Leaning back so that my lips rest against Konstantin’s ears, I whisper, “He’s lying.”
Then the infuriating man does something that steals just a small piece of my heart.
He believes me without question.
No hesitation.
Konstantin pats my hip in a signal to move, so I slide from his lap and onto the spot next to him. He sits taller, his chest puffing out and muscles bulging under his suit jacket as he moves.
Mister Venyara doesn’t have time to protect himself as Konstantin strikes so quickly that we don’t even see him do it. Kon’s fingers wrap around the man’s throat as he pulls him from his seat.
