Page 25 of The Bratva's Bounty

Besides being on my ass about their assignment for me with Nicole, they've been causing our bratva some trouble with some shady business dealings that were starting to affect some of our current client base. Some of our customers were jumping ship, yet we couldn't figure out what kind of ammo the Le's had. They were also in business with someone who kept on eluding us, and that was what pissed us off the most about the whole situation with them.

"I don't really know where to start, so I'll just kind of start with when my problem with them started," Nicole said with a sigh, slouching into me until her head rested comfortably against my chest. "It was a few months ago, a little over six or so, not too sure at this point. Either way, around that time, I found out that my parents stole my company from me, cut me out completely, and transferred everything to them and my younger brother."

I sensed that wasn't the end of the story, just the beginning. And I would be right because she proceeded to unload over the next few minutes. "If having my own company pulled from right under my nose by my own parents wasn't badenough, they proceed to try and cart me off to some old man over in China who wants a wife for himself and his bum of a son. Some old friend of my father's is what my parents claimed." Scoffing, Nicole muttered something in a different language before continuing. "A load of bullshit is what that all was. It was some business deal, and I was the bargaining chip. Like hell was I going to let some stupid misogynistic man and his equally shitty son beat me and use me."

Tension clenched my jaw as red-hot anger burned through my veins until the veil of anger threatened to cloud my vision. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't storm your parent's gaudy mansion and tear it to the ground with my bare hands to bury them alive in their deceit." I seethed with a silent anger that kept a deep scowl permanently etched on my face.

"Because I need to rob them of everything they have and figure out what they're up to before they can die," Nicole replied flatly with some sarcasm in her voice. "I owe a friend a favor, and my parent's business dealings with this mystery person is putting a big nail in her coffin."

I've never had much reason to doubt Nicole until now. Something about the slight strain in her voice, her slight reluctance set my gut off—and my gut was never wrong. So, what was my empress hiding? And why? Who was this friend of hers who she didn't name?

Although, one thing did bug me a little. "Why do your parents want you back?" No matter how much I dug into her parents, I couldn't find a reason as to why they wanted me to locate and retrieve her.

Pursing her lips, Nicole shrugged her shoulders at me and sighed heavily. "Your guess beats mine. I mean, they took everything from me, so I literally have nothing left to give them." Tilting her head from side to side, she let out an unsure sound. "Well, I mean, I have what I do now, but it's nothing compared to what they got."

Sighing, I tucked the subject away for a later time. "Well, what's your plan now, then? Oh great, Queen Nicki." I snarked the last part out rather sarcastically with a chuckle, earning an eye roll from Nicole.

Playful lust darkened her eyes as her lips curled into a smirk. Walking her fingers up my arm, she sneaked her fingers across my shoulder and down mychest to my tie. One by one, her slender fingers coiled around my tie. Then, with a firm tug, she jerked me closer until our lips were a breath away from touching.

"It's empress to you, little lion." Her whispering words sounded like a ghost as they fanned over my face. "Only my friends call me Nicki or Queen Nicki."

My words became caught in her mouth from the sudden kiss, where she stole my breath away with each press of her soft lips. "And you're not my friend." Again, before I could argue, her frenzied mouth silenced me. "You are far beyond that."

I quickly grabbed her chuckling face, not giving her a chance to take my voice from me again. "Oh? Beyond a friend? So, a boyfriend?"

"Mhmm, more than that." She giggled, grinning at me rather deviously.

Prying my hand away, she set it on her ass as she leaned in and hugged me tightly.

Her heavy breaths made my skin prickle with excitement as her delicate lips and tongue danced along my sensitive neck. All I could do was melt under her care, letting the room grow hot and heavy with my desire for her. Then, when her lips brushed against the shell of my ear and her breathy words whispered into my ear, I nearly lost it then and there.

I wanted to throw her down onto the couch, pin her down by her neck, and fuck her full of my cum.

God, pump her full and make her round with my baby.

Fuck.

What is wrong with me?

I don't even know if she wants kids, so why the fuck am I even thinking about that?

"You. Are.Mine."

Click!

Chapter 14

Nicole

I should have setup a camera.

"Did you just—take it off!" Lev was quick to shove me off to dart into his private bathroom. "I swear to God,zhizn moya, this better be a fucking joke."

Laughing haughtily, I propped myself up on my arms across the back of the couch, watching Lev grab and tug at the metal collar around his neck in the bathroom mirror. "We are really going to have to work on your manners,d?i ca." I teased him with a mocking laugh. "I mean, first the cake, then the tattoo. I mean, I gave you so much yet received no gratitude." Clicking my tongue chidingly, I shook my head. "So rude."

Growling, Lev spun around and glared at me with burning eyes. "That's it."

Confused, I tilted my head at him as I raised a brow. "Wha—ah!" My squeak cut out into a sharp gasp from the shock of Lev lunging at me and pinning me down onto the couch by my neck.