Bratva Boss' Baby (Kotov Bratva Book 1) Read online

  “I understand you’re doing all this to keep me safe,” she finally said. “But Viktor, we shouldn’t have gone to that gala. Just one question. Was I bait?”

  “Bait? No,” Viktor answered in a harsh voice. Did she really think that? “I made a mistake. I was too wrapped up in my arrogance and assumed I was untouchable. I wanted to show you off. It was also just bad timing. I never expected Goran to show up at the gala.”

  “You’re not lying, aren’t you?” She ran a frustrated hand through her tangled hair. Viktor knew she and Katya spent a long time getting ready, and now, her hair and makeup were all ruined.

  Viktor tipped her chin, using his two fingers. “Starting now, I’ll make you a promise, Ava. I’ll never lie to you again.”

  She didn’t draw away, which Viktor took as a positive sign.

  “No, I can’t blame you for everything. Weeks ago, you were about to tell me the truth, weren’t you? I said I wasn’t ready. All the warning signs were there, but still, I didn’t bolt. Now, I’ve dragged Gina and my mother into this mess.”

  “You’re formidable. That’s why you’re perfect. Why you’re my woman.”

  “Am I?” Ava asked. “Don’t I get a choice in the matter?”

  Viktor smiled. “Even if you’re thinking of leaving in the future, you’ll come crawling back to me, mark my words.”

  She had nowhere to go, after all. Running wouldn’t help her. Goran and his enemies would know she was important to him. That made her a target all the time. They’d have no qualms about using her to get to him. Ava had no powerful allies on her side. All she had was Gina, her mother, and Viktor. Yes, that logic might be twisted, but that was her penance for choosing to stay with a man like him.

  Ava slapped his hand away. “You cocky bastard. Don’t talk like you know me.”

  “But I do. I know everything about you, Ava. Your history. Your quirks. Your trust might be hard to win, but once you pick a person, you stick with them all the way, don’t you?”

  Ava lifted his jacket higher, covering her upper body. She looked like she wanted to disappear right there and there, staring out the windows. She pressed her palm against the glass again and furrowed her brow.

  “Where the hell are we? Are we still in the city?”

  “The outskirts,” he confirmed. Trees bordered either side of the car. Few vehicles passed by this road. “We’ll be reaching the house soon.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  A tall and imposing wrought-iron gate loomed a few feet from the car. Ava craned her neck, trying to see how tall they were. At least twenty feet high, she mused. Clearly, they were built to keep enemies out. Two security guards toting rifles let them through. She snuck a quick look at Viktor. He looked out the window, brooding. A little imposing.

  Ava didn’t know what to think. He just dropped a hell of a bomb on her. Of course, he was the head of the Kotov Bratva. Apart from his legal businesses, he also ran illegal ones. Those accounted for the unnamed assets and numerous discrepancies in his accounts. It still chilled Ava to think he’d just shot a man right in front of her.

  She kept playing that awful moment in her head. The driver’s body, slumping against the glass, brain matter and blood exploding. Viktor looping one muscled arm over the enemy’s throat and shooting him. He didn’t hesitate in pulling the trigger. After all this time, Ava had been dating a killer, a man with plenty of blood on her hands. How many countless others had Viktor and his organization killed?

  Don’t be naïve, Ava. If Viktor hadn’t acted, you and he would be under the tender care of Goran Mogilevich and his goons.

  Viktor only resorted to violence to protect her. Them. Thinking about Goran’s repulsive gaze sent a shiver down her spine. Better to be on Viktor’s side than be Goran’s captive. At least Viktor was the monster she knew. He even offered to extend his protection to Gina and her mother. Gina had been right about Viktor after all. Viktor was an unrepentant criminal, except he truly wouldn’t hurt her. His actions tonight taught Ava that Viktor prized her safety. He genuinely cared about her.

  And Pavel. What was Goran going to do to him? She’d never asked for any of this—except telling herself she was just an ignorant party Viktor’s schemes was false. From the night she’d met Viktor, she’d known he wasn’t a normal man. Viktor would get his brother back. Ava was sure of it.

  Viktor touched her hand and gave it a squeeze. Ava jolted from her thoughts.

  “We’re here,” he said, raising her fingers to his lips. He blew at her cold digits.

  She should be outright terrified of him, even slightly repulsed, but she wasn’t. Viktor might be brutal when it came to his enemies, but Ava remained special to him.

  “Right now, I know you can’t decide whether to trust me or not, but know this. I’m keeping your best interests at heart.” Viktor set her hand down.

  He exited the car and opened her car door. Ava took a steadying breath. She could do this. Ava refused to let her new surroundings daunt her. She was a survivor. She’d managed to leave her small town, got her degree, and moved into this dangerous city. She stepped out of the car. The sight of the enormous old Victorian mansion stumped her.

  Ava felt like she just stepped right inside a twisted fairy tale. It must have four floors. Ivy hugged the building’s walls. Ancient and towering sycamore trees and overgrown bushes lent the house a haunted look. Despite the fact the property needed a gardener and perhaps a fresh coat of paint, there was a quiet, stately dignity to the mansion. Ava loved old houses. She sometimes imagined herself living in a place like this. How it would take ages, years perhaps, to discover all its secrets.

  “Wow. You live here?” she asked him.

  Ava chose to put aside the tension that had sprung up between them in the car. They had unresolved issues to settle, but they’d both had a long night. All Ava wanted to do was collapse on her bed and shut out the world. Maybe everything that happened tonight would turn out to be a nightmare.

  Viktor nodded. “My great-grandfather purchased this property. He bought it for his new wife.”

  Viktor extended a hand toward her. “Come. I’ll show you inside.”

  Ava paused, then took his fingers. Viktor nodded to the two guards posted outside the door. She thought she also spied two black figures patrolling the grounds. German shepherds accompanied them. Viktor took his security seriously. This entire place felt like a closely guarded fortress. Then again, it was only logical, given his chosen line of profession.

  Did one choose to be a Bratva boss? Ava thought back to all her conversations with Katya. Parts of the puzzle started to fit. Viktor and Pavel’s harsh upbringing. How violence easily came to them. Their father had been preparing them for the day they’d need to take over the family business. What kind of pressure did that put on a child? Perhaps Viktor and his brother never experienced a proper childhood either, because their father had robbed it from them.

  Antiques and heavy furniture greeted Ava inside the house. They encountered more of Viktor’s men inside. A couple already approached Viktor and asked him if he was hurt. A few gave her curious, appraising glances. Viktor waved them all away.

  “We’ll have a meeting tomorrow,” he said. “For now, I need sleep and to settle Ava in.”

  The spotlight shone on her once again. Ava didn’t like being the center of attention. She just wanted to get out of her clothes, rub off her makeup, and go to bed. In the living room, they passed by a group of men drinking and playing poker. In another room, she spotted another man counting bills, while in another, she glimpsed two men laying out an assortment of guns and ammunition across a long table.

  “I’m starting to understand why you always insisted we head to my place after our dates and not yours,” she said.

  He chuckled. “Now you see all. Forgive my men. This is the first time I ever brought an outsider here.”

  The mansion was gigantic. They made a few twists and turns. Ava’s feet started to ache, so she took her heels off. Viktor d
idn’t seem to mind. He led her to an ornate curved staircase. She noticed the dusty grand piano in the corner. It looked like it hadn’t been used in decades.

  “Do you play?” she asked him.

  “My mother did.” Viktor didn’t elaborate. Oops. Ava felt like she’d bitten more than she could chew. They went upstairs. Ava practically dragged her feet, but eventually, they stopped in front of a door. Viktor turned the knob. He flicked the light switch on. This must be the master bedroom. It was the size of a hotel suite. A four-poster king-sized bed took center stage.

  “The bathroom’s over there.” Viktor nodded to the white door near the bed. “Are you hungry?”

  Ava shook her head. She hadn’t eaten anything tonight, but she doubted she could keep anything down.

  “Very well, I’m heading downstairs for a little bit. Make yourself at home.”

  Ava entered the bathroom. Like the rest of this imposing house, it was enormous. The white marble floor felt cool under the heels of her feet. Viktor’s private bath had a rain shower and even an enormous jacuzzi that could probably fit five people. Ava began to wonder if Viktor brought women here. The thought made her envious. Then she remembered Viktor telling her he didn’t bring outsiders here. Except her.

  She didn’t know what his plans for her were. Ava was stuck at a crossroads, and she didn’t know what to do. The smarter choice was to run far away from Viktor as soon as Pavel was rescued and Viktor dealt with the Mogileviches. Would staying be so bad? She’d given him, them, another shot. Despite Viktor being the head of a Bratva Family, he genuinely cared about her in his own way.

  Ava stripped out of her heavy, elaborate dress. She entered the shower. It took her a few minutes to adjust the shower to the temperature and flow she wanted. Then she just stood there, letting the warm liquid wash away all the grime and smudged makeup. She almost expected to see blood swirl down the drain. No. She hadn’t been hurt, but she did remember Viktor’s blood-splattered face. He’d cleaned up before returning to the car. He’d stuffed a bloodstained handkerchief in his pocket.

  “What have you gotten yourself into?” Ava whispered.

  She was crazy for even considering staying with a man like Viktor. Viktor’s entire family history had been marred with tragedy. Katya mentioned Viktor’s mother and grandmother died young. Viktor had stiffened up a little when she asked about the grand piano at the bottom of the steps. The women in Viktor’s family didn’t live long. If Ava tied her fate with his and his messed-up lot, would she only have a short lifespan?

  Ava shut her eyes. It hurt to think. She finished showering. As she dried herself with a towel, Viktor’s towel, she realized she had nothing to wear. Why was she being so modest? Viktor had seen her naked so many times and yet, she didn’t want to sleep nude. Not tonight. She wrapped the towel around her body, then looked through the cabinets. A knock on the door made her jump.

  “Viktor?” she tentatively asked.

  “It’s Katya. I’ve got some spare clothes for you.”

  She unlocked the bathroom door, surprised to find Katya wasn’t alone. Ava softened and relaxed a little. A little girl about six or seven was with her. Ava remembered Katya had a daughter. It looked like she had inherited Katya’s white-blonde hair and light-blue eyes. Katya held an armful of clothes.

  “I heard what happened. You must be in shock. I hope these fit you,” Katya said. “They’re mine.”

  Ava graciously accepted them.

  Katya’s daughter flashed her a gap-tooth smile. “I’m Anya!”

  “Nice to meet you, Anya,” Ava said.

  “It’s past her bedtime. If you need to talk and can’t sleep, you can find me a few doors down,” Katya said.

  “Thanks, but I think I’ll probably just go to bed,” she said.

  Ava returned to the bathroom. She heard a door closing. Ava chose a pair of jogging shorts and a plain long-sleeved shirt to wear to bed. Ava had larger breasts compared to Katya, so the shirt was a little tight across the chest. It would do. Right now, she craved comfort.

  It didn’t help that there seemed to be a perpetual chill in the entire house. When she emerged from the bathroom, she expected to find the room empty. Viktor sat at the edge of the bed, staring at his gun. He looked up when he saw her, immediately tucking his gun away. She couldn’t look away from the spots of blood on his white shirt.

  “Were you hurt?” she asked, nodding to the bloodstains as she sat next to him.

  “No. This isn’t my blood.” Viktor wrapped his arms around her. She tensed.

  “Just let me hold you.”

  The uncertainty in his voice broke her. She let him lean against her. Ava cursed herself for thinking Viktor a monster. The moment she’d entered this home, she found it a little difficult to breathe. Ava wasn’t anyone’s captive.

  She’d entered this den of monsters out of her own violation and she also chose Viktor. Ava had been drawn to him the moment she saw him in that bar. Over the past few weeks, they’d begun forming deep connections. Her actions tonight could make or break them, she realized. Seeing Viktor at his most vulnerable made her want to console him. All her anxiety and nerves vanished. He’d been there for her when she needed him the most. It was her turn.

  “Lay your head on my lap,” she suggested. “You’re so tense. You need to relax.”

  Viktor furrowed his brow, but then he did just that. He rested his head against the curve of her thigh and closed his eyes. Viktor had to be strong for her, for his men, she realized. She didn’t envy his position.

  “It’s going to be all right. You’ll get your brother back,” she said.

  Viktor closed his fingers over hers. “I know. Most of the time, I might be a dick to him, but I care. When you saw me beat him up, you saw the worst side of me. Tonight, it happened again. I scared you.”

  “Yes,” Ava admitted. She couldn’t lie to him, not when their fates were closely entwined together. Ava wouldn’t leave, not when Viktor needed her so badly right now. She was just an accountant, a small-town girl who didn’t have any connections, and yet, she was important to him. Ava needed Viktor as much as he seemed to need her.

  “I was going to learn the truth sooner or later,” she said. “For now, let’s focus on getting your brother back. Then we can have a discussion about what’s next for us.”

  He laughed, looking up at her. “My woman, always so pragmatic.”

  Viktor rubbed at her thigh. Despite the fabric between them, she felt the warmth of his callused fingers. He didn’t ask her why she chose to wear clothes that practically covered her entire body, why she chose to hide from him. Right now, she didn’t feel too sexy or confident.

  “Let’s go to bed,” Ava suggested.

  “I’ll join you soon, but first, I need a shower.”

  “Good idea.”

  Chapter Twenty

  The repeating knocking on his bedroom door made Viktor growl. He opened his eyes. No wonder he’d slept so well despite last night’s drama. Ava lay curled next to him. She pressed her beautiful face against his chest. Viktor was loath to get up and leave her. Last night, Ava chose the right side of the bed and remained there. In the middle of the night, she eventually sought him out for a cuddle. No surprise there. He was irresistible.

  Ava had shared a tender moment with him the night before. Viktor clenched his jaw, embarrassed anyone had witnessed him looking so lost. Worn-out. Sometimes, being the Pakhan of the Kotov Bratva took its toll on him. Being responsible not just for the Bratva’s day-to-day operations, but also for the well-being of his underlings, wasn’t easy.

  “Viktor, this is important,” came Aleksander’s urgent voice from behind his door. With a sigh, he parted from Ava. Seeing how Ava had armed herself in a shirt and jogging pants, Viktor had worn a pair of boxers, but he usually slept nude. He pulled on a pair of jeans before opening the door.

  “What?” he barked. Viktor shut the door behind him. He wasn’t in the best of moods. Viktor didn’t feel fully awake yet a
nd he didn’t get much sleep last night, despite Ava lying so close to him.

  “A Mogilevich messenger delivered a package at the front door. We already had the dogs sniff at it,” Aleksander said.

  Viktor narrowed his eyes, wide awake now. “Those fuckers worked quick. Where is it?”

  Aleksander presented Viktor with a small ornate wooden cigar box. Viktor mentally prepared himself for the worst. Aleksander flipped the lid open. Two severed fingers looked back at Viktor. One still bore a familiar ring. A gaudy silver trinket with the head of a lion on it. It had two small sapphires for eyes. Pavel loved that ugly little thing because it used to belong to their grandfather.

  “Pavel will survive with two fewer fingers,” Viktor finally said. “Was there a note attached?”

  Aleksander nodded and took out the velvet lining under the fingers and pulled out a hastily scribbled note. The brown spots covering the note could only be one thing. Blood. On the front of the note was an address. Nothing else. Viktor flipped it over.

  “Come alone,” he read out loud. The threat was clear. If Viktor arrived with guns blazing, Pavel’s life would be forfeit. He expected this. Really, Goran was so predictable.

  “It’s a trap,” Aleksander said.

  “Of course, it is,” Viktor said dryly. “Keep those fingers iced, just in case we might be able to re-attach them.”

  “You’re really thinking of going there?” Aleksander asked. Viktor understood what Aleksander was hinting at. His third-in-command was nothing but pragmatic. “You always said Pavel was a liability.”

  “He’s blood,” he said. “That’s all there is to know. Gather everyone in the meeting room.”

  “And the woman you brought in last night?” Aleksander pressed. Apart from Pavel, only Aleksander would have the guts to question him outright about Ava. Aleksander had always been shrewd, ambitious, and unquestionably loyal.

  “Will she become a potential liability in the future?” Aleksander asked before Viktor could form a suitable response.