Page 55 of Tarnished Tyrant (Zhukova Bratva 1)

“Hey!” Belle jumps off the table and spins around. “What the fuck is—”

But I don’t even let her get the words out before I round the table and punch the asshole in the jaw.

My fist connects hard with his face. Something breaks beneath my knuckles, and he spins away from the force of it. The crowd around us gasps and parts, but Belle moves in to grab my arm.

“Nikolai! Don’t!”

I shake her off. Just as the man is turning to face me, I hit him again. It’s almost not fun to beat up such a poor, outmatched son of a bitch.

But the feeling thrumming through me isn’t one I can control. It’s untameable rage, hot and pure.

“Don’t fucking put your hands on her,” I grit out. I charge forward to grab the man by the front of his shirt. His stupid chain gets caught around my hand. I wind my fingers in it and pull it tight like a noose. The man starts to sputter and turn blue.

Belle grabs my arm and tries to pull me away. “Nikolai, stop! He isn’t worth it.”

I can hear what she’s saying, but the words don’t penetrate. All I can focus on is making the man who put his hands on her pay.

The man claws at my hands as his face shifts through every color of the rainbow. I’d happily stand here and watch him die. Except suddenly, Belle spins around and is in front of me.

She plants her hands on either side of my face and forces my eyes to hers. “Nikolai.”

I blink and slowly, she comes into focus. Her hazel eyes, her full lips. “Let’s walk away. Forget this guy and let’s walk away, okay?”

I loosen my hold on the man’s chain, and he gasps to suck in desperate breaths.

Belle pulls the necklace out of my hand and squeezes my fingers. “He’s not our priority. Elise is. Come on.”

I let my fists fall to my side and unclench. “Are you okay?” I growl.

Belle swallows nervously and nods. “I’m fine. Completely fine. The guy barely touched me.”

“He shouldn’t have touched you at all.”

She pulls me away and then flattens her palm against my chest. A crease forms between her brows. “How is your heart so steady after that?” She leans forward and presses her ear to my chest. “You must have a resting heart rate of zero if this is how you respond to almost killing a man for touching me. Who are you?”

The question reverberates through my mind. It’s a good reminder.

Who am I? There are always two answers.

But tonight, I’m not Nikolai Zhukova, Bratva don and violent beast.

Tonight, I’m Nikolai Zhukova, CEO of Zhukova Incorporated and billionaire playboy.

I can’t strangle a man for touching Belle. Not in front of her, anyway. I have to stay in control.

“Come on,” I say, grabbing her hand and pulling her deeper into the crowd. “Let’s find your sister.”

We move away from the bar and into the throng of dancers. People are jumping and gyrating, and Belle presses close to me so we don’t get separated. We move around the floor once and then again, weaving our way between couples while looking for Elise.

“Where is she?” Belle complains, pressing up onto her toes and looking around.

I move up behind her and settle against her back. “The problem is we keep moving. We need to stay still and wait for her to come to us.”

She frowns. “That’s a terrible idea.”

“Because you think we won’t find your sister?” I ask, sliding an arm around her and grinding my hips against her ass. “Or because you’re worried what will happen if we dance?”

I smooth my hand down her stomach much the same way I did this morning, and she leans her head back on my shoulder. “Both.”

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