Page 42 of Bratva Prince
Her face fell flat and she shot me an unamused expression.
“When Ithoughtyou were working with Dominik, I planned to hold you hostage until Arman agreed to give me back my guns.”
“And if he didn’t?” she asked, cocking her head to the side like a curious puppy.
“I’d kill you both.” The answer was matter of fact, and I think my nonchalance set her off.
The answer stunned her. Shocked her into silence. As if unsure how to respond, she just stared at me and turned her head to face away.
I gently squeezed her arm in reassurance, but she jerked it away. “You were going to use me and just toss me to the side when I wasn’t of use anymore?”
Well, when she worded it like that, of course it sounded bad.
“I thought you were plotting to kill me! Feeding Dominik information, telling him where I was. I thought that’s why he showed up at the shipyard to kill me.”
Her head jerked around, and she stared incredulously. “He what?”
“After a meeting with a client, he showed up looking for me. Pulled a gun on me and everything. Ihadto kill him.”
“He’s dead?” she asked in disbelief. I nodded but she didn’t seem as affected as I expected her to be. “Oh, well. Good riddance on that one.”
I burst into laughter, unable to suppress it. Her face contorted in confusion which only made me laugh harder. Tears were springing up at the corners of my eyes, but I couldn’t stop myself from laughing.
“That’s not the reaction I expected,” I said between breaths.
“Oh, I’m sorry. You’re right,” she answered with sarcasm dripping from her tongue. “I should be more upset about losing the man I was forced into engagement with, only to better my father’s career. Yes, I’m heartbroken. Why did you kill him, Ivan, and deny me a lifetime of bitter resentment?”
She faked a frown, but the faux sorrow sent me into hysterical fits of laughter that were so infectious, I’d forced her to join in.
Seeing her head tipped back with a happy expression as her laughter filled the air had left a warmth in my heart I couldn’t describe. It was unlike anything I’d experienced. A pure joy in a moment I didn’t want to end.
But the uncertainty of her true intentions was what pulled me back, away from the pleasant fantasy of what could be to the reality of what was. I still had no idea if she was being honest about her oblivion to everything, so my guard stayed up, not allowing her to come too close—though, not allowing her to stray, either.
“Let me ask you,” I said, my tone bitter once again, making her frown in response. “If you really had no idea, then how did Dominik know of my whereabouts? How did he find me in Greece?”
Her eyes grew wide and her shoulders rose in a shrug. “I didn’t know Dominik was in Greece. Really, I don’t even know what the man looks like, so even if he were standing beside me, I wouldn’t know it.”
Hmm…Something about that answer didn’t seem real. It was like she wastoonaive. That, or she didn’t have enough backbone to tell her father to fuck off. Either one was pathetic.
“Whatever,” was all I answered. My irritation was growing and I’d lost my patience dealing with her. How could one person annoy me so much? I thought Arman plucked at my nerves, but Willow was a whole other ballpark.
She had a way of getting under my skin and controlling my emotions in a way no one else had. When the moment was heated, it was a control I was willing to lose. But when she pissed me off… I wanted to teach her a lesson about messing with the wrong person.
I stood from the grass, ready to walk away from her, but she stopped me again.
“You act like I’m the bad person here.You’rethe one who kidnapped me, drugged me, planned to hold me hostage. You took me away from my friend. Viktor must be going nuts wondering where I am! And you don’t even care. My life is disposable to you, and it means nothing. Yet,I’mthe bad guy in this scenario?”
Her voice was filled with contempt, her eyes narrowed in on me like she was waiting to attack. Of course, that only made me smirk.
“You want to play with the big boys?” I asked, my tone laced with an animosity equal to hers. “Go on, Willow. I dare you. Test my patience, and see where that gets you.”
In seconds, she was to her feet, staring me down—or should I say, staring up. Despite my towering over her, she didn’t cower. No, she held her stance firm, unwavering as she made her declaration.
“I refuse to allow you, or any other man, to hold me back any longer. I don’t fear you, and I won’t let you dictate my actions. Believe what you want, Ivan. I’m done with these stupid games.”
And with that, she left me standing in the grass, watching her ass sway as she stomped away.
Damn.
