Page 25 of Forced Bratva Hostage

Alexei's brows knitted together, and he reflexively pulled back a little before exchanging glances with Yakov. “Care to elaborate?” he asked, returning his gaze to me.

“It's simple,” I began, gently swaying in my chair. “If I marry Wren, she becomes mine, which means she'll no longer be a possession of the Bratva.”

Alexei squinted as though he was starting to catch up, his eyes never leaving my face.

“And once she's a member of the Tarasov family, she becomes untouchable, immune to whatever debts she owes,” I explained, fingers drumming on the mahogany table as I watched the amusement playing on their faces.

I was an evil genius—I'd always known that—and right now, it was hard to argue with my logic because my plan was still in accordance with the Bratva law. I wasn't breaking any rules or going against any of our codes. I’d simply found a loophole and used it to my own advantage.

Alexei chuckled, rubbing his eyes. “You clever bastard. You're doing this because you know the members of the Tarasov family aren't considered debtors to the Bratva.” A faint grin twitched at the corners of his lips, his tone laced with amusement. “Once she has the family, she'll be pardoned of her debt.”

I relaxed in my chair. “Now, you're catching on.”

“But why? Why are you so interested in her?” Alexei asked, his head tilting to the side.

My eyes left the Rubik's cube in my hand and settled on his curious face.

That was a good question.

With a soft exhale and squared shoulders, I began. “Because I know a good woman when I see one,” I said, my voice tinged with conviction, each word spoken with deliberate certainty. “And, cousin, believe me when I tell you this: Wren is a good woman.”

His brows arched, surprise plastered on his face. Then, Alexei's eyes narrowed, scrutinizing me as if searching for hidden motives.

I continued, “She's different, Alexei. She's innocent and undeserving of the punishment for her father's crimes.” I paused, letting the words sink for a moment.

“Have you fucked her yet? Maybe if you fuck her, you'll realize she's not so different from the other girls,” Alexei blurted out, his voice calm and collected yet raw and harsh.

I didn't appreciate the disrespect in his tone, and my brows furrowed slightly, mirroring my displeasure. But I was going to let it slide this one time.

“She's not the type for a one-night stand,” I said, my eyes fixed on him. “Wren's the type you wanna keep for yourself. And that's exactly what I intend to do.”

Alexei's fingers combed through his dark hair before he swiped a palm across his face. He heaved a sigh, knowing that my mind was already made up and there was no room for further arguments.

Roman was right.

It was high time I found a wife and settled down. Who better than the naive, innocent little virgin whose life, at this moment, mattered to me more than anyone else's?

Wren seemed like a good option; this marriage would save her life, and I would, in turn, have her to myself for all eternity.

“Do you think she'll agree to that?” Yakov asked, his skeptical eyes locked on me. “What if she rejects your proposal?”

“She won't have a choice,” I replied, reveling in the thought of her reaction to my plan. “She's mine. I own her.”

My lips curled into a self–assured smirk.

Chapter 10 – Wren

A slight groan escaped my lips as I woke up to the savory aroma of eggs benedict and the sweet fragrance of freshly squeezed orange juice.

This tantalizing scent that teased me awake wafted through the room, making my stomach growl in anticipation.

My eyelids fluttered for a moment, my vision still a little hazy from the lingering sleep, but there were two figures—two maids—standing across the bed.

I squinted at how poised they stood ahead of me, their gaze fixed in my direction. With the back of my hands, I wiped my eyes, my senses basking in the sweet aroma that filled the air.

My vision cleared, revealing Mary and Martha standing before me with beautiful smiles perched on their faces. My eyes narrowed, head tilting slightly.

“Good morning, Miss Wren,” they chimed in unison, their contiguous smiles never faltering.