Page 40 of Violent Pawn

Me

I care about my best friend’s wedding. You die, who’ll be Z’s best man?

Unknown

Nah, you care about my death. Would you cry? After all, who else would harass you?

Me

You sound like a child.

Unknown

Whatever makes you believe you’ve won this round. Which, I guess you have. See you in a week, Ana.

Me

Anastasia. And no. I already told Van I can’t attend.

Unknown

Liar. See you soon.

I stare at the screen an extra few seconds to make sure he doesn’t message again. Before tossing my phone away, I add him to my contacts.

Just in case he messages in the future and for no other reason.

Not because I’m anticipating he will.

I don’t realize I’m smiling until halfway home—and then curse every letter of his name, every smirk he throws my way, and every touch he’s heated my body with.

Fuck you, Amato.

Whatever happens next, I need to return to the beginning—to when Nero was no more than a stranger. Regardless of what happens between our families, he’s merely an acquaintance. I’ll live and die by that.

There was a single occurrence when I allowed a man to get close before. “Close” as in he was the one I spent time with for social reasons, not because my father mandated it, but he didn’t know anything personal about me or my life. He got as close as a person gets to a lion in a zoo—visible but untouchable.

Viktor, one of the Pakhan’s guards, catches my wrist as I round the Volkov mansion back to Papa’s car. Papa is finishing his meeting with Ursin and instructed me to wait by the vehicle. Lev should be by soon, as he’s out with Dimitri dropping off a shipment of drugs.

Viktor pulls me deeper into the shadows, wrapping his arms around me as his lips find my neck. “Hey. I’ve missed you.”

I hum, having missed him too but unable to say the words.

Viktor is five years older than me and has been inducted into the Bratva for the previous three. He’s the only soldier to ever actually speak to me, and it’s brought us closer over the past two to three months. He’s fun because he’s not some crazy old man Papa forces me to interact with. Viktor is uncomplicated, which is everything I need in my life.

I tilt my head to kiss him, the typical feeling of being drowned by his lips taking me away from all of Papa’s demands. On the way here earlier, he told me about a party we’ll be attending this weekend—and who my target will be.

“You okay? You’re quiet.” He pulls back to look me in the face, but my eyelids remain partially shut, enjoying the peace found within his arms. In minutes, Papa will be out here, and Viktor must be gone by then. I’ll never let him know about something actually good in my life because that gives him something to hold over me.

“Just enjoying the moment. You make things feel a bit better.”

“Good.” He presses his lips to my forehead before nuzzling down the side of my face, back to my neck. His hands go from my hips down to my thighs with a low groan. “How long do you have? I need you.”

I pull away to look him in the face, curious where this is coming from. While we’ve done things, we’ve yet to have sex. I’m trying to have a normal relationship with him since Papa’s treachery has tainted sex for me. Seventeen years old and it’s disgustingly depressing to be traumatized by something so natural. I’ve been holding out on Viktor so we could get to know one another, which has been a slow progression since I only see him occasionally.

“I’m not… You know I don’t…”

All of a sudden, a stranger is in front of me. His fingers dig painfully into my hips, as if rooting for my soul. “Why are you being like this?”