Page 27 of Bought By Sin

I stated it with as much urgency as I could.

“What?” Carina mouthed it, watching me, but I couldn’t keep my gaze off the area where I saw someone sneaking in.

“Trespasser. Call for help.” I stated it without changing my expression, but as they both dove under the table, I moved to block them. If anyone was charging in from the diagonal angle from those bushes, they’d have to confront me before reaching the pregnant duo.

Elena spoke on the phone. Carina too. They were calling for help and they were secure. But as someone darted forward, I grabbed the pitcher of water off the table and threw it at him.

I had no weapons. I had nothing but my instincts.

I tensed, bracing to break into a run after this trespasser, but it wasn’t necessary.

I’d done enough.

He staggered at the hit of glass on his head, and in that time, the alerts that Elena and Carina had called out for came. The cavalry rushed in. Guards swarmed the man who’d nearly dropped to his knees from how I’d thrown the pitcher.

I stayed put, blocking Elena and Carina even as guards ushered them out from under the table. They were flanked. Covered. Led inside while the situation was assessed.

Waiting for Lev to return to claim me, I realized with a sharp pang in my chest that this difference would always be there. The difference between me and Elena and Carina. They were Mafia wives. Women with power. Treasures to protect and love and shelter.

While I would be the slave. The thing to put to work and order around, even though no one had ordered me to look out for the women or to react. That was all me, all my intuition.

The men rushed to the house, no doubt informed of the trespasser being caught. Lev caught my gaze, but it was Adrik who approached me first.

“Thank you.” He strode toward me. “Thank you, Mila.”

I swallowed, still unused to gratitude. Or thanks. Or praise or anything the members of this family told me.

“Was this a test?” I asked Lev.

He shook his head but Adrik continued. “No. I would never let anyone arrange a threat near my wife.”

The harsh tone he used was proof enough that he meant every word.

“I wasn’t testing you,” Lev said.

“You didn’t set that up to see how I’d react?” I asked, watching behind them as the security crew dragged the unconscious man away.

“No,” Adrik answered. “And I saw it all. It’s on the surveillance feed.” He took my hand and pressed it between both of his, and this close, I saw the utter relief in his eyes. “Thank you for your quick reaction and sharp instincts, for telling them to get down.” He nodded once. “Thank⁠—”

I pulled my hand away. I was shocked. Relieved. Stunned and surprised and so many other emotions that I could barely sort them out. But hearing this Mafia boss, this Pakhan, act like I was worthy of praise…

This is too much.

This is… not normal.

I was supposed to be nothing but a slave and a thing to be ordered and used. His gratitude and recognition of my wanting to instinctively protect members of this family was proof that I was being pulled in. I was being tugged deeper into the inner mechanics of this family, and it had me questioning everything.

I wasn’t sure if escaping was even possible anymore.

If anything out there in the “free” world where I wasn’t a slave could make me feel as safe and valued as I did here.

As I felt the intensity of Lev’s gaze on me, I wasn’t sure when I stopped being seen as a thing he’d bought but a person he’d found.

11

LEV

Mila never spoke up unless she was addressed first, but on the ride back to my place after I brought her with me to Adrik’s house, she did. She spoke up, stunning me. I was already surprised by her actions at the mansion. Seeing how quickly she noticed trouble and how expertly she moved to block the other women had rocked me.