Page 14 of The Bratva's Beast

"Just let things go how they do. Even villains deserve happy endings. So, promise me that whatever happens you won't fight it." She wasn't asking, not with how stern and determined her eyes bore into my own.

Rolling my eyes, I sighed softly before holding up a shot glass and lightly tipping it at her. "Fine, promise."

With a knowing look, she let out a long sigh before jabbing my forehead with her finger. "Or if you're going to be a stubborn ass then screw him, literally, and get him out of your system. Or get him out of your system some other way if you're gonna be a stubborn bitch like you always are."

"We'll see." I chuckled softly before taking a sip of water.

Grinning, Angel giggled before taking another shot and getting up. "Come on, let's dance and have some fun." And that would be all the alcohol hitting her.

Leaning over, she grabbed my arm with another giggle before pulling me up to my feet. "Just a little, I'm a little tired from today." I gave into her with a soft smile, letting her drag me to the dancefloor where all the other sweaty bodies were dancing away.

Much to my word, we only stayed on the floor for a few songs before returning to our little table for more drinks. Then, just as we were about to hit the dancefloor again, we were stopped. Well, more of Angel was stopped.

Nikolai seemingly appeared out of nowhere and trapped her tiny body against his broad one with an arm around her shoulder. "Alright, that's enough for you tonight, lisichka." Nikolai's deep chuckle could barely be heard in the place.

"Wha? Noooo, anh, just a little more, please." Angel instantly pouted, wrapping her arms around her husband's waist and pressing herself to him.

I watched as Nikolai leaned down and whispered something to Angel, making her loose posture stiffen and eyes widen. Leaning back up with a now blushing Angel in his arms, Nikolai turned his attention to me. "Sorry, I'm going to have to steal her from you. Do you want me to have one of the guards take you home?"

Giving him a polite smile, I shook my head in response. "Thanks, but I'll be fine. I'm gonna stick around for another drink or two maybe and Uber home or something. I don't want to take your guard away from their post, so don't worry."

"Well, I'll have one at the ready just in case you change your mind. Have a good night Hanna." Nikolai gave me a faint smile before dragging his beet-red wife out of the club, leaving me to my lonesome self.

Downing the last of my drink, I left for one more round on the dancefloor. After dancing for a good while, and working up too many hungry men, I left a trail of disappointment in my wake when I went to the bar for one last drink.

A rush of warmth cascaded down my body when I felt an electrifying feeling run across my shoulders.

"I thought that was you I saw."

Chapter 9

Stepan

The last person I expected to see tonight was the person of my interest.

I have yet to find out more about this mysterious woman, which made my clear mind cloud more and more with each dead end.

I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me because I'd been thinking about Hanna so much. Perhaps my mind had manifested her on the dancefloor, and I would have played it off if it weren't for the nasty feeling welling up in my chest at the sight of her and those men.

"Fuck, Stepan, don't sneak up on me like that." Hanna's tense body relaxed with her sigh of relief.

"Were you going to stab me with a straw?" I mused with a chuckle, eyeing the tiny piece of plastic clutched tightly in her hand.

Narrowing her eyes at me playfully, she threw it at me with a huff and took a sip of her drink before replying. "So what if I was? You came out of nowhere, you could have been some handsy creep for all I knew."

"It's a straw." I deadpanned with a slight smirk while nodding at the object that had landed on the table.

"Hey, don't discriminate, anything can be a weapon if enough effort is put into it. I can easily stab that thing into your eye or ear and do some damage." She elaborated proudly with an uptilt of her chin.

Well, I never would've thought about that. "Aren't we creative." I mused with another chuckle.

Reaching over, I plucked the little piece of plastic from her after she grabbed another and watched her pout in response. "I don't want to deal with a report of a straw stabbing from a patron." I half-joked while setting the straw down on the bar top.

"Hey, if they get stabbed then that's their own fault, I don't get violent without a good reason." She clarified with a playful scoff and roll of her eyes.

Making eye contact with the bartender, I held two fingers up and received a nod in return. They already knew what I drank at this point.

"Didn't take you for the clubbing type, let alone a regular." Hanna noted with a quirked brow.