Page 12 of The Bratva's Auctioned Bride
Mila probably lied to cover for her and to give her time to come up with a story about what happened.
However, after a conversation with Arseni and then Mila, I came up with nothing. No one knows a thing. I head back to the hotel, pacing around the penthouse, wondering if I should leak her photo to my contacts. The problem is that many people saw her with me last night, and that is not going to look good for me.
A guard at the hotel security office gives me a glimpse at their security footage. Fuck. Why didn’t I do this sooner? It would’ve been a much quicker way to get an idea of where she went when she left here.
Sure as shit, she got dragged into a black SUV right outside the hotel after leaving my place.
At first, watching the images of her silently screaming and kicking has me confused. It stirs up such an intense amount of anger inside me; it seems irrational.
There’s a tight knot growing in my stomach. Something new. Something…possessive.
For a girl I met once. A one-night stand.
There isn’t any time to sit and ponder why the hell she has this effect on me. I need to find her.
Was it Bardil Popov? From the footage, it is impossible to tell. But Jaroslav seems convinced it’s him.
The tightness in my stomach increases, and I sneer, turning away from the screen. I can’t bear to look at her, grabbed by those men, helpless and terrified. I want to protect her, save her from them. I want to help her so badly it’s hurting me.
“Thank you,” I mutter to the guard I bribed. Picking up a pen from his desk, I scribble my number on a piece of paper and hand it to him. “If anyone else comes asking to see that footage, call me.”
Without waiting for his response, I’m already heading out of the building and back to my car. I happen to know where Bardil Popov is this evening. And if I hurry, I can corner him before his private event starts.
***
The warehouse district is known to host some underground parties of a questionable nature. I’ve been to a few, but generally, it’s not to my taste, and I avoid them wheneverpossible. Tonight, though, I’m on the hunt for Bardil. I want answers.
Using the door code one of my contacts slipped me, I get past security without alerting anyone to the fact that I don’t belong here.
Keeping my head down, I push into the already busy underground party and search for Bardil.
Without confirmation that it was him, I shouldn’t feel so aggressive toward the guy. But he’s not my favorite person, and even the idea of him touching her…
A man steps onto the stage near the end of the venue, and everyone falls silent, turning toward him. What is this?
The event is starting, I guess. Dammit. I still haven’t found Bardil.
But when the lights dim and a spotlight hits the stage, I see him standing there, holding a microphone, grinning at all of his guests.
“Welcome, welcome, everyone. Thanks for coming. I assure you, tonight is going to be a particularly special one.”
I shove forward, no longer worried about hiding in the shadows.
Bardil carries on. “We’re kicking off the auction with a tasty little specimen. The bidding starts high on this one, but I assure you, it’s worth it,” he smiles coldly as he gestures across the stage, and the spotlight moves onto a girl, bound, gagged, and wearing a white dress that I recognize instantly.
Angel.
My heart pulls so tight I want to vomit. I want to launch onto that stage and grab her. I want to pull my Glock out and start firing bullets in every direction.
But I can’t. It would be certain death in a place like this. I might get one or two of them, but they’d kill me, and then Angel will be on her own here.
Clenching my jaw, my mind races as the bidding starts.
Sleezy old guys, lifting their hands and shouting numbers as though Angel can be bought for any price on this planet.
She’s a fucking goddess. I can’t believe they’re doing this to her.
“Eight mill.”
