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The despair is overwhelming, eating me like a hungry little monster, bite by bite. My body literally hurts and I squeeze my eyes shut because I’m sure if I look down, I’ll see chunks of my flesh missing, and then limbs, and then all of me will be gone.
Which might be a better fate than my current lot.
* * *
CHAPTERFIFTY-SIX
Kir
The idea of Dimitri helping himself to Charleigh—whether today or some other time—as some sort of payment over his hurt little-boy feelings?
Over my dead fucking body.
And from the expressions on their faces, my brothers feel the same way. They might not be saying much but I have no doubt about their feelings on the subject.
Brothers, yo.
I wait for thePakhanto announce his verdict. For as long as I’ve known him, his word is final. Sure, there are times when various factions might try and sway his decisions. They are rarely successful.
But in this instance, Vadik has made a good point. There is a reason Charleigh is going up for auction, and that supersedes anything Dimitri’s whiny little ass wants.
ThePakhanfinally nods. “I see. Alright. We can resolve this later, but for now, the Alekseevs take the girl.” He turns to Dimitri, whose eyes burn with rage. “She’s one of their assets, given she’s under contract. She goes home with them.”
He considers Charleigh, looking her over like every man does, the way many will in the coming week. Dominika has distributed photos of her to drum up interest, and we are due for a record showing of parties interested in bidding on her at auction.
And yet here she is, hovering behind my left arm, completely unaware of how she has men around the globe dreaming of her. Willing to pay small fortunes, they covet her so. I have to say, I am one of them. But she is not for me. And even if having herwerea possibility, I don’t deserve her.
She is an asset to us and the club, yes. And so much more. ThePakhan,looking at her right now, sees that, just like all the men who attend the auction will.
His eyes drift over her, from her high-heels and ripped stockings, to her short skirt and bustier, to her face, where he takes her in, unspoiled and innocent as she is. He’s probably wondering what we’re doing with someone like her, so far from the typical woman we work with. And he certainly has a hankering for her like other men do. It’s inevitable, and I wait for him to ask if he might bid on her, as well.
But he doesn’t. ThePakhandoesn’t take advantage of his position, no matter how tasty the treat being dangled before him. It’s a conflict of interest, sure, to use his power for ill-gotten gains, but he’s a moral man—at least as moral as bratva men can be—and he believes in earning his riches, not power-grabbing the best toy for himself.
That includes women.
“One last thing,” thePakhansays.
I hold my breath.
“While Dimitri can’t take home Charleigh, at least not today, he is to be permitted at the auction. If he wins the girl, so be it. But you can’t shut him out because of family differences. We don’t do business that way.”
Charleigh’s grip on my arm tightens, almost to the point where it’s painful.
Because there’s no choice, my brothers and I nod in agreement at thePakhan’sdirective while Dimitri fawns over him like they’re the best of friends.
ThePakhanextricates himself from Dimitri’s slimy devotions and says his goodbyes, leaving my brothers and me facing off with the enemy. I’m not at all convinced the visit accomplished much, but at least Charleigh is still with us.
Not that I, or my brothers, would have let her go anyway.
“Well,” Dimitri says, smirking, “I guess no one gets what they want today.”
He’s right about that. I would have liked to slit Dimitri’s throat today. But I didn’t.
Niko, usually the calm, level-headed one, tilts his head at Dimitri, who I can see has really gotten under his skin. “Does that mean then that youdidintercept our cargo shipment? Because it sure sounds like it.”
Dimitri drops his head back and laughs, like he so often does. “It means nothing of the sort, my little Niko.”
My brother’s shoulders twitch just the smallest amount at the diminutive term. We all remember when Niko was small, and I’m afraid he’ll never stop trying to prove he’s a grown man fully capable of taking care of business. I have to remember that myself, every now and then. ‘Little Niko’ is no longer little.
