Page 41 of Bratva Prince
Fucking great.Now I’d need to go after her to make sure she didn’t kill herself out there wandering around. The bluish hue of twilight set over the beach and night was quickly approaching. It’d be even darker in the woods where she ran off to.
“Willow,” I called out in the direction of where she ran. “Come back before you hurt yourself.”
The loud, mocking laugh led me to her, and I tromped over the tall weeds to where she sat. Before I could say anything, she turned away from me, demanding I leave her alone.
“Don’t be so dramatic,” I said, taking a seat in the grass beside her.
“Dramatic!” She grunted, facing me as she pointed her finger to my chest, poking me. “You’re the one making all these crazy allegations, calling me names, accusing me of working with my father! You honestly think I’d give that man the satisfaction of getting what he wants? I wish nothing more than for him to die!” She turned away, muttering, “And you, too.”
Ouch.“Not kind words from such a sophisticated woman,” I scolded, but she only scoffed. I could see what she meant, that soundwasgrating to the ears.
“Go lick your wounds and leave me alone.”
My eyes rolled to the back of my head, and I took a deep breath to calm myself from dealing with her bullshit. “Willow, why don’t you come back to the fire and we can talk about this.”
“No,” she answered, her tone firm.
Throwing my hands in the air, I relented. “Fine!” I shouted as I stood. “Then stay out here all night. See if I care.”
As I left her side, she grabbed my arm. “Wait,” she said, holding me in place.
A satisfied smirk curled at the corner of my mouth. “Yes?” I asked, taking a step closer. Maybe she was ready to apologize for her trickery, admit that she couldn’t survive on this island without me.
“Tell me, are you using me to take over my father’s business?” Her voice was laced with judgment and accusations, possibly as strong as mine. But what struck me—what really hit me deep in my core—was the look in her eyes. An untamed, unabridged look of animosity and ferocity melded into one.
There was not a doubt in my mind that she was serious. How she came to that conclusion about my intentions was what confused me.
“I have no interest in marrying to further my father’s career,” she said, her tone filled with certainty. “And if you think that you can just use me as a form of barter, you can forget it. I will not be treated like cattle to be auctioned off. I’d rather die on this island than go back to my father.”
“Well, if you stay out here by yourself, then your wish may very well come true,” I answered, extending my hand.
Flicking it away, she stared at me with a cold, hard expression. Her eyebrows were pulled in tight, leaving an adorable crinkle above her nose. Were it not for that daunting look in her eyes, I would’ve been tempted to laugh.
“Answer my question,” she demanded.
Sighing, I reclaimed my seat in the grass. My fingers ran through my hair as I stalled in answering her question.
Was this more trickery on her part, or was she seriously unaware?
“Were you really not involved with Dominik and Arman?” I asked, observing her reaction to determine if she were lying.
“No,” she answered simply. “I wasn’t. Now tell me what you’re planning with my father.”
I chuckled softly, realizing that she was more clueless than I’d imagined. That, or she was a fantastic actress. Either way, a little disclosure wouldn’t hurt. It wasn’t like she could use it against me—when my men came for me, I’d just take her back to my home in Moscow and continue with my original plan.
“You really have no idea who I am?” I asked, testing her once more.
She shook her head, so I took another deep breath and explained everything.
“I’m Ivan Koslov, of the Koslov family in the bratva. I run an illegal smuggling operation for weapons.” It felt like the introduction to an AA meeting, but I gritted my teeth and kept going. “Arman sent Dominik to steal my weapons in transit, so I was planning on using you as ransom to get my weapons back.”
Her mouth gaped open and she stared with wide eyes as I unfolded my plan. “So that’s why you wanted to take me to dinner?” she asked. I questioned whether she was more offended that I wanted to use her for ransom or that she thought I wasn’t actually attracted to her.
“No. I only planned this after I found out you were working with Dominik.”
She let out a loud grunt of frustration. “For the last time, I told you I’m not working with Dominik.”
“I know that now,” I answered, placing a hand on her arm. “This was before I found out how clueless you are.”
