Page 31 of Bratva Prince
“Please, have a seat,” Ivan said, motioning around him. “Get comfortable and I’ll make us a drink.”
I nodded, taking a seat on the couch. My shoulders were stiff and tense, my body straight, and my hands rested on my knees, stopping my bouncing legs from giving off just how nervous I was. The irony was that I was nervous for a different reason than your typical first time riding in a jet.
Ivan came back with two drinks, and handed me one. “Drink up,” he said, downing his in one swallow.
Uneasily, I tipped mine back, finishing it, as well. I needed something to loosen me up. Something to relieve the tension. The glass remained in my hands, empty with ice clinking against the side. When I looked up at Ivan, he had a large grin and a glint in his eyes I didn’t trust.
“Oh, Willow,” he said, his voice taunting and cruel. It was as if he’d done a complete 180—again. “You thought you could plot against me, did you? You’ll realize soon enough that the Koslov’s are not to be trifled with, dear.”
I cocked my head to the side, feeling abruptly sluggish and dizzy. “What are you talking about?” I asked, my words slurred.
“You’re playing ignorant?” He chuckled, shaking his head. “Doesn’t matter. We’re en route to Moscow. Kiss your freedom goodbye.”
“Moscow!” I shouted, jumping up from my seat, only to lose my footing and crash onto the couch, hitting my arm on the coffee table.
Ivan rolled his eyes, unphased by the way I gripped my elbow and cried out in pain. “Yes, Moscow. To Arman—or as you know him—Daddy.”
My head was swirling, and I could barely sit up without feeling like I’d collapse. What the hell was wrong with me? Was this vertigo?
“But don’t worry,” he continued. “You’ll be staying with me until I’m ready to hand you over. Until Daddy offers the right price, that is.”
As if reading my thoughts, Ivan answered, “You may be feeling a little dizzy or drunk. It’s alright, only temporary. You see, I’ve drugged you, Ms. Egorov. I know a fighter when I see one, and I don’t trust for a minute you wouldn’t try to kill me and Andrey to get off this jet. Really, this is more for your protection than it is mine. Consider that my parting gift to you. Good luck with your father.”
I couldn’t even open my eyes anymore. All I could do was listen to his words. He chuckled as he watched the energy drain from me, and his chuckle grew distant before I heard the door to the cockpit close.
Now that he had finally shut up and left me, I was alone with my thoughts—which wasn’t much better for company.
What was I going to do? I couldn’t go back to my father—I just couldn’t. I still had three more days in Greece.Why? Why does this shit have to happen to me? And what about Viktor? He was stuck in Greece, unaware I’d been sent back to my father on a jet owned by the devil himself.
Fucking prick.
Who was worse at that moment—my father or Ivan? Hell, they’re both on my list of people that I wanted to kill when I got back to Moscow.
Make no mistake, Mr. Koslov, I will have my revenge.
That was the last thought running through my mind when I finally let sleep claim me.
I will kill you, Ivan, if it’s the last thing I do.
16
Ivan
Watching the life drain from Willow’s eyes after I’d drugged her was positively euphoric. Like I said,no one fucks with the Koslov’s.These people would realize that soon enough.
Did I feel bad?
Fuck no. Sure, it hurt leading the woman I’d grown so close to on a jet to her eventual demise, but she shouldn’t have betrayed me. And it wasthatthought that I kept repeating to myself. Every time I looked into her big, crystalline eyes, staring at me with such confusion and anguish, and I would second-guess if I was doing the right thing, I reminded myself of her transgressions.
When she finally closed her eyes and didn’t say anything else, I’d assumed the drugs kicked in full force, and went to the front to check on Andrey.
Though I wasn’t nearly as close to him as I was to Mihailo—really, the only people who were closer to me than Mihailo were my brothers—I still valued his opinion. He knew about my situation with Willow, and I asked him for validation that I’d made the right move.
“She shouldn’t have fucked with the Koslov’s,” was all he said.
I left Andrey to check on Willow and make sure she hadn’t miraculously woken up while I was in the front.
Nope. Still asleep.
