Bought by the Bratva (Morozov Bratva #17)

Chapter 11 - Abram

I felt stiff as I opened my eyes. Things weren’t as they should be. I glanced at the woman in my arms. Blinking a couple of times, I made sure I was seeing clearly. As I became more lucid, the pain hit me like a sledgehammer.

Letting out a silent groan, my face pulled tight. Glancing around, I noticed I was on the floor of the cabin. Closing my eyes, I tried to remember what had happened. There was the shooting, the car chase, and then our trip through the woods. I remembered getting to the cabin, but then everything was blank.

I saw Nadia sleeping on my chest, cuddling in my arms. Lifting the sheet carefully, I noticed we were both half-naked. Feeling her skin on mine sent signals to my dick that I found hard to control. My shoulder was wrapped in a bandage. I realized she had most likely saved my life.

With the adrenaline of the chase, I hadn’t even noticed that I was shot. But thinking back, it made sense why I had blacked out. She had stopped the bleeding, but I wasn’t sure if she removed the bullet. I will probably need to see a doctor soon. But I felt relieved knowing she would take care of me.

My dick was hard and throbbing the more I thought of her. I had to wake her and get up. Lightly touching her cheek with my fingers, I loved the feel of her skin. Closing my eyes, I could see us together under different circumstances.

I felt her stiffen and shift a tad. Glancing down, her eyes flickered open. Looking up, her sleepy eyes met mine. The tension between us was palpable.

“Good morning, how are you feeling?” she spoke, filling the room with her sweetness.

Trying my best to smile at her through the pain, I responded softly. “Good, I think, and it’s all thanks to you.”

Her smile was so bright it even lit up her eyes. Then she frowned, sitting up quickly. “Who were those people trying to kill us?” she inquired.

There were so many options, but I didn’t want her to know all about my life. Plus, I had my suspicions that it could be her family. I knew she was snooping and had to keep my guard up. “So, how did you get me inside?” I asked, changing the subject.

She scrunched up the sheet around her as she glanced at me. Nadia rolled her eyes as I shifted to get up. “You’re quite a weight you know,” she replied teasingly.

“Oh, am I?” I asked, grinning.

She flopped back down next to me, puffing. “I had to drag a ton of weight inside. Then try to get you on the mattress. It wasn’t an easy task,” she breathed out.

Her words and facial expression made me laugh, and I had to hold my shoulder.

“That’s payback for making me drag your sorry ass in here,” she added, giggling.

Smiling at her, I replied between breaths. “Okay, okay, that’s fair.”

Sitting back up, she turned to face me. Her face was stern as she spoke again. “You are avoiding my question.”

Smiling at her, I gave her something as she wouldn’t let it slide. “Okay, well, we have many enemies that would like to see us perish. In the Bratva world, we are seen as new and weak. But it’s not true.” Sitting up, I turned and leaned against the couch.

Nadia sat quietly, waiting for me to continue. “There are people who would do anything to bring us down. But I have to say this is the first time they have come at one of us directly.”

I could see she was thinking very hard about what I had said. I felt sure she was also wondering if it was her family. “It’s nothing,” I added. “We’ll just show them who we are, so don’t worry your pretty little face, okay?”

She frowned and then glared at me. I was confused by her reaction. “And now, why the stare?” I asked.

“Why did you take a bullet for me, you could have died?” she asked softly.

The look of pain and sorrow filling her eyes spoke to me. The realization of her actions hit me as I looked at her. I didn’t want to believe I was right and had to confirm it.

“Nadia,” I replied in a gentle tone. “Please tell me it’s something your family would also have done. Your life is worth just as much as any other.”

She diverted her gaze to the door. I felt my anger igniting. Before I could stop myself, the words just flowed out of my mouth.

“What the hell was your cousins doing with you all this time?” I could hear my voice burning with the anger I felt inside.

Nadia lowered her head as she replied. Her voice was shaky and barely audible. “They only took care of me because I was family. They didn’t want me.”

As she spoke, it dawned on me that she was nothing more than a tool for them. They would use her in any way they saw fit. Frustrated and engulfed by my anger, I stood sharply. “How can anyone treat family like that!” I spat.

Nadia scrambled to her feet. Her face filled with shock as she replied harshly. “Who are you to judge? They had their own lives, yet they provided for me.” She took a deep breath as she stepped backward. “They could have thrown me out. But they didn’t!”

As she fought with me, I felt my frustration growing. How did she not see what they were doing? I had to make her realize she should be thinking about herself now. “You deserve more, especially from blood. Family doesn’t treat each other like that.”

I could see the tears clouding her bright green eyes. Walking closer, I held her shoulders as I spoke with tenderness. “You deserve so much more than just basic living.”

I gazed into her eyes and saw the first tears strolling down her cheek. Smiling warmly at her, I pulled her close and wrapped my arms around her. “It’s okay,” I breathed out, feeling the pain shooting through my shoulder.

We stood frozen in a tight embrace as she cried softly. I could feel the tension between us breaking. There was a different kind of tension suddenly building between us. Pulling her tighter against me, I softly lifted her face. Leaning down, I claimed her mouth with mine.

Our lips glided over each other as we got lost in the kiss. I felt her fingers sliding around my side as she pulled me closer. Taking hold of her ass, I squeezed gently. She was the sweetest forbidden fruit I had ever tasted, and I wanted more.

Nadia gasped, parting her lips slightly. Taking advantage of this, I slipped my tongue into her mouth. Taking hold of her neck, I leaned her back as my kiss grew in intensity. It felt like she was the only source of life, and I had to have her.

I felt her hands drifting to my waist and slowly making their way to the front of my jeans. Pulling back to catch my breath, I knew I had to stop. Nadia looked at me, stunned for a second, as I grabbed her hands. Then, as if she had come to the same conclusion, she lightly pushed me back and headed for the bathroom.

We had no right to do this. I had no right even if she was playing the same game. I felt guilt crawling in as my mind cleared. I was vulnerable and thankful. But this couldn’t happen.

Yet, I wanted her. She had taken care of me. She could have left me to bleed out. Maybe she was feeling the same way? No, I couldn’t think this way. I was a Dubow and we knew her reason for being here.

Pulling out the kitchen chair, I sat down. My shoulder felt like it was on fire. Looking at it, I noticed the blood seeping through the bandage. I have opened the wound. Looking up, I saw Nadia rushing back with the half-empty medical kit.

Sighing, I reminded myself not to be so reckless. I was still weak and vulnerable. As she worked at cleaning my shoulder and stopping the bleeding, I found it hard to believe that she could hurt me. She was so gentle and kind. Seeing her as part of the enemy was becoming harder to do.

Once I felt sure the wound would hold, I started looking for my phone. Heading back outside, I found it in some bushes by the steps where I had collapsed. I called my guards to come and fetch us and hoped the family hadn’t been looking for us.

At home, I called my doctor to come and remove the bullet. I had to keep this incident under wraps for a while longer. The family couldn’t know what was happening. They would blame her family. Yet, I wasn’t sure it was them.

I had to create a cover. Once the doctor left, I picked up my phone and called the only person I could depend on.

“Tasha,” I said as she answered. “I’m staying home this week; can I ask you to forward all my emails and calls to my home office?”

“Why, what’s wrong?” she whispered.

Laughing, I pretended that all was fine. “Nothing, I just need some time with Nadia,” I replied.

“Okay, if, you’re sure.” She questioned. I could hear a hint of suspicion in her tone, but knew she wouldn’t just show up. My brothers on the other hand would.

“Yeah, thanks, I’ll see you next week. Love you, sis,” I added before hanging up. It would be a day or two, then I could return. But I wanted to be sure the wound was concealable before seeing my family again.