Hunted By The Bratva Beast: A Bratva Stalker/Captive Romance by Jagger Cole (books to read in your 20s .txt) 📕

“Feeling like moving back to the city?”

I smile at the sound of my brother’s voice behind us. I turn in time to see Fiona slide into his embrace and peck him on the lips. When he grins, my own heart swells.

I never knew family or love like this until six years ago, when he found me. I didn’t know much of anything besides pain and fear actually, before then. But six years ago, my brother—well, half-brother—found me in the horrible foster house in Moscow that was home. He found me, pulled me out of there, and brought me here, to Chicago and to the life I live now.

I’d have honesty been happy even if my long-lost half-brother was a vagrant living under a bridge without a penny to his name. But as it turns out, Viktor is the head of the Chicago branch of the Kashenko Bratva. And business is very, very good. Good enough for Viktor and Fiona to live in a freaking palace out in the suburbs, and for Zoey and Lev to move into a penthouse that would make Christian Grey jealous.

Fiona grins. “And leave our house? And the pool? Nope, no thanks.”

“It’s okay, only the cool people live in the city now anyways, right Nina?”

I smirk as Lev sidles up to Zoey. He slips an arm around her waist and winks at me. Since he and Viktor grew up on the streets together basically as brothers, Lev is like a second brother to me, too.

Fiona frowns. “I still can’t believe you moved out,” she pouts at me.

I roll my eyes and grin. Since I moved to the US, I’ve lived with my brother. I mean lord knows it’s big enough. But with Fiona and him being married, and the almost certainty of them starting a family soon, it was time. Plus, I’m twenty-three years old. Huge house or not, a girl needs her own place that isn’t one of her brother’s guest rooms.

“Oh, c’mon,” I tease back. “You guys need your space.”

Zoey smirks. “Was your room even in the same zip code as theirs?”

“No, but some people…” I nod with my chin towards Fiona and my brother. “Have volume issues.”

Fiona turns bright red as Zoey and Lev crack up. Viktor groans, rolling his eyes before he grins at me.

“Hilarious.”

“Yeah, when you’re waking me up from another time zone, not so hilarious. There are some things you never need to hear, and your own brother—”

“Ooookay,” Viktor groans, actually blushing himself. “Who needs a drink?”

He flags down one of the catering staff, who brings over a tray of champagne flutes. Around us, the party is in full swing—DJ, lights, fancy food, and drinks; the whole nine yards. Officially, it’s a pre-wedding party for Lev and Zoey. But also, it’s a celebration of everyone being able to take a breath. After the drama of Fiona and my brother getting together, and then the craziness of Lev and Zoey’s romance, involving the rival Volkov Bratva, we could all use a sigh of relief that it’s over. And this party is the perfect opportunity.

And yet, though I toast with the others, and smile, and laugh… something’s missing. It’d be easy to point out the obvious—that I’m the perpetual fifth wheel now with these two couples. But that’s not really it. I know to others—namely Fiona and Zoey—it appears as though I’m “forever alone” and heading towards a future full of cats and late-night reruns. But there’s not a love interest in my life because I choose not to have one.

As if on cue, I spot Nikolai, one of my brother and Lev’s top captains, across the party. He grins and gives a wave, I smile back. Fiona and Zoey desperately tried to push that agenda a few months ago. As if Nikolai and I are the last single people on the planet and of course need to get together. It’s not happening; no interest or romantic connection on my part, none on his. And that suits us both just fine.

But the thing is—and it’s something I don’t really expect Zoey or Fiona to really get—is that I’m not “different” because I don’t have a love interest in my life. I’m different because I’m not like any of these people. I’m not like Fiona and Zoey, who grew up with wealth and safety. I’m not like various politicians, society elites, and minor celebrities at this party that my brother rubs elbows with, given the power he wields. And though he and Lev grew up very hard and rough on the streets, even they don’t know the darkness that was my life growing up.

Yes, Lev and Vik had hardship. They came up together fighting for scraps on the vicious streets of St. Petersburg. But they were men. They were big, and strong. They could fight back, unlike me. My childhood almost broke me. My life before Viktor found me is a darkness not even he fully grasps or understands.

And that’s why, even with my brother being who he is, and even with the money, privilege, and life I have now, I’m not like other people. I won’t ever be like most other people, and I’ve made peace with that. There’s no “getting over” or getting past the traumas of my old life. There’s just moving forward and keeping the demons at bay as best I can.

Fiona, Zoey, and Lev eventually head inside for some food. Viktor hangs back and grins as he throws an arm over my shoulders.

“Everything good, sestra?”

“Da,” I smile up at my brother. “Perfect, actually.”

He chuckles. “How is it that I’ve been in this country more than twice as long as you, and yet my accent persists while yours is barely there?”

“Well, because obviously I’m the better sibling.”

Viktor chuckles and shakes his head. “Obviously.”

“Everything good with you?”

He nods. “Still pissed you moved out, but I get it.”

I grin. “I was just kidding about the loud sex.”

“No, you weren’t.”

“Dude, Fiona is