Daddies Brat

Maksym

I lean closer and drag in a lungful of sweetly-scented air. She smells like innocence and my mouth waters. Sweet and tempting like a sugary treat to a starving man. And I’m ravenous.

Every tempting curve on her body is highlighted by the red number she has on tonight. I’m half tempted to put my tuxedo jacket over her shoulders and whisk her away from prying eyes, but this much tender beauty should be appreciated.

When she descended the stairs I saw the jackals eyeing her. Fucking animals can admire from afar. Get close and I’ll have no problem doing my job.

She’s sneaking glances our way as we leave behind the private divider and insert ourselves into the crowd. I can’t bring myself to step out of her personal space or withdraw my hand from her back despite the leering looks and upturned noses from New York’s wealthiest.

In public, they condone the work me and my brothers do, but in the shadows, when they need shady shit done to ensure their riches, not a single one of them has a problem coming to us. The hypocrisy these people show is as rich as our bank accounts.

I turn my focus to India. She glides beside me in her heels looking regal. My fingers linger over the dip of her back and she doesn’t look disturbed by my touch which is a relief.

Missing her nearness drove me to lose a lot of sleep when we were apart. I memorized her parting text and every time I close my eyes those cutting words flash behind my eyelids: This won’t work. Thanks for the memories. Love India.

Now I know how all my old flames felt when I never returned their calls. Karma paid me back in spades for damn sure.

I swirl the tip of my thumb beneath a strip crossing her back and she shudders, giving a soft almost inaudible gasp. The connection we have right now formed the second my fingers came in contact with her heated skin and she doesn’t seem in a hurry to break away from my touch or me.

Nosy guests try to peer around us for fodder to put into their gossip rounds, no doubt and I angle my large shoulders and thick mass to block India from the milling crowd wandering about the newcomers.

Five days ago, two men popped up in our territory claiming to have a contract out on someone within our borders. Normally we grant permission for other families to work within our city for a fee, but the second India’s name passed their lips the meeting took a hard left to a dead-end alley.

For them. When they refused to give over the name of the person who hired them, we dropped them on the spot and decided on a new approach. If we couldn’t find out who was behind the contract, we could at least pull her close and keep her safe that way.

Stefan and Tomas entertain the idea of a family every once in a while, but I never saw it happening. We have blood on our hands. How can men like us ever deserve someone as pure as India? We were okay with living day-today and we all accepted that we would never have a family that could be used against us. We gave in to a life filled with a string of one-night stands.

Not the most romantic, I admit, but it’s the truth.

Until that one night at Sapphire.

I focus on the steady heat of her body. The voice in my head warns me I shouldn’t let her get too deep beneath my skin, but it’s too late. She’s it for me. The one. Every breath I take after this second belongs to her. India’s sweetness and tender soul give us one chance at redemption. As long as we can protect her. I’ll give my life to make sure that happens as I know my brothers will too.

My attention slides to the feel of her body against mine. The way she moves gracefully with every step I take. She is vastly unaware of her sensual allure, making her all the more beautiful. Who am I kidding? She is walking fucking sin in red silk and my cock hasn’t stopped throbbing since spotting her at the top of those stairs like a fairy tale come true. I slide my arm around her and lean in. “You are gorgeous, moya lyubov’.”

And curvy in all the right places, and smart. Make that Ivy League brilliant.

Brains and beauty are a wonderful combination I have a hard time ignoring and I know for a fact my brothers feel the same.

“And you think a few sweet compliments will make everything better?” There’s a bite in her tone, despite the cool smile on her face for the guests. She nods and waves to a few people as we make our way toward the dance floor.

I enjoy watching her cross her arms over her chest. It makes the large globes press high and the view is striking. “So what now? Do I walk and you three shadow me? Or should I walk between you? How exactly does this kidnapping thing work?”

Smartass.

I try not to look happy this evening will end with her in our bed and her taking a pounding that will drive out all confusion about where she belongs once and for all.

She physically looks uncomfortable around so many people and a deep part of me wants to find a way to fix it for her for the time we have to be here. Her vivid blue eyes lock on mine.

“If you’re supposed to protect me twenty-four hours a day does that mean you’ll be sharing everything with me? House, bed, shower? Yours or mine? Well, since you’ve swooped in here and demanded I go with you. I guess that means yours. I didn’t know the Bratva took on being personal bodyguards. Is it because we’ve fucked in the past? Do you feel some kind of obligation? Will you trail me to work, cook me breakfast? Will it be all three of you at a time, or just one? Ugh. My life just became triple complicated. I think I need a drink.”

We are not about to tell her the shit we laid at her father’s feet to get him to agree with our demands so I don’t bother correcting any of her assumptions.

She pauses long enough to drag in a lung full of air and I’m afraid she’s gearing up for round two. Stefan’s hand slides down his face and he throws me a sideways look, probably fearing the same.

The thing is, my dick gets harder the longer she talks, and the way her face colors the slightest of pinks when she mentions taking all of us in the shower damn near knocks me over.

She undermines her bravado and sassy talk with the shaky hand she uses to reach up and straighten the slipping bodice that makes her look like a fucking fantasy come true for any man with eyeballs in their head. Her other hand is busy pressing into her stomach and a feeling of protectiveness comes over me so strongly I take a moment to measure how deeply this woman has changed the workings of my thoughts and soul.

Our queen is a talker when she’s nervous, mad, or a combination of both like now.

I keep the smile that wants to come out in check so as not to make her feel bad and take her hand in mine as Tomas reaches for her other while Stefan scans the room for any threats.

Together, Tomas and I draw her in until our noses nearly touch.

“All the above. We like how you think.”

“Which part exactly though? One at a time, all three? Do I get a say in any of this? Or do the alphas get all the control?” She huffs and the lips I’m dying to taste turn up with a sardonic smile.

She fails to see just how much control she truly holds over us. One order from her and we’d slit our own throats. Jump from the highest building. Give our lives for hers. She’s come to mean more than the world or our own well-being ever will to us.

We’re both tracing small circles on the back of her hands with our thumbs.

“You’re safe with us and we wouldn’t dream of forcing you to do anything you don’t like. Unless you beg us sweetly.”

I pick up where Tomas stops. “And you’re almost right on all accounts.”

I could elaborate on what he means, but opt to leave it at that. The curious little pinch of her brows is cute and I like to see her riled up a little.

“You’re good at dodging straightforward questions, I’ll give you all that. So, how about this for being straightforward. Forget what my father said. I have had enough fun for one evening and I have work to do.” She tries to pull her hands from ours.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

Fear and uncertainty have her retreating from us. I’ve seen this kind of reaction to sudden changes a million times. No one likes their choices being taken from them even if it is for their own good.

I feel myself smile. “Oh no you don’t,” we say in unison, our grip tightening on her hands.

In the few times we spent sharing small talk, India revealed the shell she climbed into after her brother’s death. If we let her run and hide in her protective zone, she may never let us get close to her again.

That shit breaks my fucking heart and maybe it’s why Tomas, Stefan, and I feel so damn protective of her. It is as though her pain from loneliness speaks to ours. I don’t fucking know. All I do know is I can’t bear another second without her in my life.

I swing her into my arms and smile down at her upturned face. Luckily for all three of us, I recall what she loves most in this world after coding and her brother.

“I have a better idea. Before you try to run off, dance with us, krasotka.”