Page 58 of Bratva Menace

“I don’t want to eat. I want you to release me,” he snarled, thrashing in his chair. “You can’t keep me here! I have to go! My sister’s life is in danger if I don’t⁠—”

“What? Marry Anya?” I said her name mockingly, with a hint of derision. I placed the fork down with a sigh and leaned back. “You really thought I was going to allow that to happen?” He turned his head away from me. I reached out and grabbed his chin, forcing his gaze back on me. “You’re mine. Every goddamn inch of you. We’re married. You and me.” I showed him the wedding ring he himself placed on my finger, in case he had forgotten.

He ripped his chin out of my grasp and scowled at me. “You tricked me.”

I shrugged. “The particulars are irrelevant. It’s legally binding.”

Anger flared in his eyes. He thrashed again. “You can’t do this! You don’t understand what’s at stake!”

“Your sister is safe.”

He stilled. “What are you talking about?”

I picked up the fork again, holding it up to his mouth. Silence reigned between us. He held my gaze, defiance blazing in his eyes. The intention was obvious. If he wanted answers, he needed to eat. I didn’t want him going hungry. He glared, harsh and full of violence, before he slowly leaned forward, wrapping his tongue around the meat and taking it. The sight of his tongue moving the way it did, did things to me. He chewed, that glare still on his face.

I gave him a bright, dazzling smile. “Good boy.”

Something different flashed across his face. Something I couldn’t yet decipher.

“I know how much you love your family. I’ve been watching you for a long time, my love⁠—”

“Because that’s not at all creepy,” he muttered under his breath.

“Creepy or romantic?”

He stared me dead in the eyes. “Creepy.”

“Orrrrrr?”

“Will you just tell me what the hell you’re talking about?!”

“Okay, okay, jeez. You know, you were a lot more playful all the times I watched you.”

“What can I say? Getting kidnapped and tied up by a crazy woman tends to affect one’s mood,” he snapped.

“Huh. I wouldn’t know. Can’t say I’ve ever been kidnapped before. But you? What does this make? Number two?”

“You’re hilarious.”

“I know.” I fed him another piece of meat. “I’ve been planning this for a long time. Been watching everyone in your life for a long time, whether they were close to you, or merely someone on the outskirts. Did you know Anya is madly in love with one of her bodyguards?”

His frown told me all I needed to know. He didn’t.

“Do you know anything about the woman you were going to marry?”

Again, he didn’t answer, not that I needed him to. I could see every single thing Lukyan did on his phone. On his laptop. On every electronic device he owned. I’d bugged them all. He didn’t once attempt to look her up.

“She’s actually very nice. Nineteen years old. Lived a very quiet, privileged life—up until yesterday, that is. Now, well, she’s on the run. Most likely living from hotel room to hotel room. That’s why it was so easy for me to take her place, you see? She had already left, and her parents didn’t even notice when I was the one walking down that aisle because they’re both too self-centered to care about anyone but themselves and their own agendas.”

“How could you possibly know all of this?”

I shrugged absently, the deviousness of my own mind making me smirk. “Because I became her best friend and convinced her to run away with her bodyguard.”

His eyes widened in shock. “You what?”

“Well, once I became aware of your engagement, I couldn’t let it go ahead, could I? I wasn’t too happy, as you can imagine. Roast potato?” I asked, spearing the vegetable and offering it to him. He ate it quickly, clearly eager for me to continue. “I debated just killing her. Almost did a few times, actually. Would have certainly been the easier option.” I chuckled. “But I knew what would happen if I did. I knew your grandfather had threatened to kill your sister if you didn’t go through with the marriage. Which, by the way, is a really dickish thing to do. Like, I’m sorry, but that dude is a serious wanker. What kind of grandparent threatens their grandchild like that? I can see why you guys are trying to kill him.”

Lukyan stiffened. “How the fuck do you know about that?” he asked, aghast.