Taken by the Bratva by Paige Warren (best short novels txt) 📗

earlier. We’ll do whatever you need. Miss Byrnes seems like a nice woman.”

“She is.” I waved a hand toward the door. “Thank you, Sonya. Now, please get back to work. I’ll check on Miss Byrnes shortly.”

She nodded and fled my office.

If what she’d said was true, my house might very well run smoother with Irina gone. I just needed to find someone capable to run things until Imogen was up to the task. It would be her job as the lady of the house, but I doubted she’d had any training. Not with the way her uncle treated her.

I tapped my fingers on my desk, thinking about her reaction earlier. She’d seemed scared when I mentioned having a baby. At the time, I’d thought perhaps she didn’t like the idea of carrying my child. I had to wonder if there was more to it. She’d lost her parents when she’d still been a teenager. Was she worried she would be a bad mother?

I picked up my phone and dialed Dimitri. If anyone could dig up dirt on Imogen, it would be him. He answered almost immediately.

“Shouldn’t you be busy with your fiancé?” he asked.

“I need information on her. Other than her age, and the fact Byrnes was her uncle, we know nothing about her. See if you can get her medical history while you’re digging.”

“Something wrong?” Dimitry asked, sounding more alert.

“Not exactly. She just feels a bit off. I know Byrnes abused her and let others do the same. She’s scarred and bruised, terrified of men. I need to know exactly what I’m getting into. I think we’re making progress and I’d hate to lose ground if it can be avoided.”

“I’ll have the files to you by tomorrow,” Dimitri said.

I hung up and went to find my wife-to-be. Sonya had mentioned giving her a book. I’d need to find out what she liked to read and make sure she had plenty of books. I wanted her to be happy here. Now that I had Imogen in my grasp, she wasn’t leaving. I’d do whatever it took.

I found her asleep in the bed, her book discarded on the table. I ran a finger over the old cover and smiled at the thought of her reading a romance novel. Even after all she’d been through, she still wanted to believe in happily-ever-after. I pulled my phone from my pocket and opened a shopping app. I didn’t use them often, since I had staff who purchased what I needed, but in this instance, it would come in handy.

I ordered the top twenty bestselling romance books with next day delivery and made a note to order a bookshelf for them. She could easily fit one in our sitting area. If she wanted her own space, a library or something, I’d have one of the many bedrooms converted. Although, I hoped we’d have a need for at least two or three of them.

I texted Dimitri and Pavel to let them know I’d be taking the rest of the night off, then I stripped out of my clothes and climbed into bed with my woman. I tugged her against me, holding her close. She tensed right off. I murmured softly to her in Russian as I ran my hand up and down her back. Eventually, she relaxed.

“You’ll learn, kiska. One day you’ll trust me.”

I kissed her brow. Already she’d become the most precious thing to me. Tomorrow her wedding dress would arrive, and we’d apply for our license. Soon she’d be mine in all ways.

Chapter Five

Imogen

My heart slammed against my ribs and my body locked up as I struggled not to fight the arms holding me. It took me a moment to remember I was no longer at my uncle’s house. Ivan Lenkov had claimed me, and tomorrow I’d be his wife.

This was the third morning I’d woken this way.

Ivan shifted, his hand coming up to cup my breast. It made me wonder if he’d been awake and aware of what he was doing. I could feel the hard length of his cock against my ass. When he rubbed against me, I was almost certain he wasn’t asleep.

“Ivan?”

He lets loose a sexy growl and tightens his hold on me. “Morning, kiska.”

I bit my lip and tried to stay calm. He hadn’t hurt me. Not really. The little bit of pain I’d felt had ended with pleasure each time. Still, I tried to stay as quiet and unassuming as possible. I didn’t want to draw his attention to me. But there was one thing I needed to know.

“What does kiska mean?” I asked.

He kissed the side of my neck, giving my breast a squeeze. “It means kitten. Even when you seemed broken and empty, I could see the fire inside you. I knew one day you’d find your claws again, and you’d be formidable.”

He saw all that? When? I didn’t want to admit a part of me felt warm and content at the nickname. I’d been called so many horrible things over the years. But his seeing me as a little kitten? It was… sweet.

It was hard to picture him as anything other than a fierce killer. I’d heard the stories. Men like him didn’t do cute and cuddly. And yet… he held me every night as I slept. Ivan was more than what he seemed. I just didn’t know if I could trust the kindness, the times he treated me so gently. It could all be a lie. A way to lure me in, then he’d show his true colors.

But I was tired of living in fear every damn day.

Ivan bit my shoulder and rolled my nipple between his fingers. “Are you going to give me what I want, kiska?”

“Y-yes.”

He licked my neck. “Because I demand your obedience? Or do you crave me as much as I crave you?”

My throat grew tight and I couldn’t say the words. He growled and tightened his hold until I started to struggle. Fear consumed me as Ivan