Page 26 of Forced & Owned By the Bratva Boss

For one impossible second, she goes completely still.

Then her fingers curl into my shirt and she moans into my mouth, kissing me back.

My dick hardens almost painfully, my nails digging into my palms as I urge myself not to rip her off her skimpy clothing and carry her to the bed.

Before things can go any further, a hard knock on the door breaks us apart.

“Boss,” Sergei calls from outside. “You have a call.”

I don’t reply, and neither does Audrey.

We’re locked in a staring contest, gasping for air.

Audrey’s eyes are wild and blazing with flames I haven’t seen in a year. “This…” She pauses and draws in a sharp breath. “This shouldn’t have happened.”

Frustration bubbles inside me. “One minute you’re trying to seduce me and the next minute you’re pushing me away. You have to make a choice at some point.”

She runs her fingers through her hair and snorts. “A choice? You basically threatened me into this marriage and now you’re acting like some benevolent tyrant.”

“If I wanted you in bed against your will, I would’ve had you already.”

Rage flashes across her face, her hazel eyes almost turning red. “I suppose I should be thanking you.” She pauses and inhales. “You know what your problem is? You only know how to possess people. You don’t know how to love or care or feel like a normal human being.”

Her words cut through me like a knife because I know she’s fucking right.

And I hate that she’s right.

A Nazarov is all I’ve ever been. It’s all I know how to be. And as a Nazarov, my duty to the bratva has always come first. I bathe in bloodshed and run several illegal businesses across the globe.

Fickle things like love and emotions have never been on my list of priorities. They still aren’t.

But her words cut deeper than any knife because they’re another reminder of how buried in darkness I am.

I open my mouth, unsure of what to say, when Sergei knocks again, the sound cutting through the tension swirling between us.

“It’s urgent, boss,” he says from the hallway.

“We’ll continue this later.” I step outside to meet Sergei. “This better be fucking important.”

“It is. Joaquin intercepted an unidentified shipment with your name on it. We’re lucky it got to him before the police.”

I let out an exasperated sigh and grit my teeth. “Where the hell’s Joaquin?”

“Port Montero.”

I nod. “Get the car ready.”

Now isn’t the best time for this, but business comes first. It’s always been that way with me. It’s why I couldn’t let Audrey’s feelings for me a year ago grow into something more, and it’s why I’m restraining myself from her even now—though I admit I’m doing a pretty bad job at staying away from her.

“We’re leaving in thirty minutes.”

Chapter Seven

Audrey

The car ride to Port Montero is painfully quiet.

Igor and I are sitting at the back of one of his SUVs, with Sergei in the passenger seat and another of his men in the driver’s seat.