Page 19 of Ripped Lace (Ripped Bratva)

I do the best I can to ignore it. To ignore her sounds, her smells, her taste, her touch. I just keep fucking her, emptying all my rage and frustration into her with each savage plunge of my hard cock into her wet, greedy pussy.

And she takes it all, with her lips parted and my name lolling off her tongue.

Only when I feel her orgasm envelope my cock do I allow myself to release. I fill her again and again. When it’s done, I feel completely and utterly drained. Her arms are still clinging around my neck when I go still.

And that’s the only reminder I need.

I push myself off her abruptly and tuck myself away. The whole time, I can feel her eyes on me. Confused and helpless.

“Phoenix,” she whispers from the floor. I almost turn to her.

Don’t,I roar at myself.Don’t do it, you fucking bastard.

“Please,” she tries again. “Please just look at me.”

I start to stalk down the steps of the altar. Elyssa remains where she is.

“All I’m asking for is a little humanity,” she says softly. Her tiny, fragile voice carries through the empty cathedral to reach my ears.

“Humanity?” I laugh, looking back over my shoulder. She’s a mirage of white up there, lit aglow by the dying sun. “I have none left to give.”

6

Phoenix

Matvei emerges from the shadow of the cathedral as I step outside. “Everything under control?” I ask him.

“There’s a lot of people out there, Phoenix,” he sighs. He doesn’t sound happy. Truth be told, he hasn’t sounded happy in a month.

“I’m aware.”

“One hundred and thirteen households?” he asks, glaring at me.

“So Ilya showed you the file?”

“The question is, why didn’tyoushow me the file?”

“Because I knew you’d disapprove.”

“Because this plan involves imprisoning an entire fucking town!” he growls. “There’s too many people. Too many variables. Too many wild cards.”

“I plan on taming them.”

“Where’s our evidence, Phoenix? Where’s the proof? Who knew what?”

“That’s what we’re here to sort through.”

“And then what?” He’s ready to tear his hair out in frustration. “What happens now, Phoenix?”

The compound is teaming with my men. Most of them are clustered around the grand house a few hundred yards away from the central cathedral. It’s the brightest and the newest, and I know why: because Elyssa burned the old version to the fucking ground before she left.

It’ll serve as our base while I figure out how to answer Matvei’s questions.

“I can see the wheels in your head spinning,” he butts in accusingly. “Spare me the bullshit.”

I take a breath. “Let’s find somewhere to talk in private,” I suggest.

Growling bitterly, he follows me as we move to a pile of rocks set away from any nearby buildings. I lean against the smooth surface of one boulder. Matvei paces angrily.

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