by Paige Warren
Taken by the Bratva
By Paige Warren & Harley Wylde
She’s been used. Broken.
Scarred inside and out, she tries to hide. But I see her.
There’s a fire burning deep inside. One they haven’t extinguished.
Imogen Byrnes is going to be mine.
I’ll show her there can be pleasure with pain. Freedom in submission.
I’m a monster. Her monster.
I’ll bend her to my will.
Break her in new ways.
Then I’ll put her back together.
My beautiful, broken girl will be in my bed, and she’ll wear my ring.
Once she’s mine, I’m never letting her go.
Taken by the Bratva a stand-alone short novella with a limited plot, lots of steamy sex, and a guaranteed happily-ever-after. No cheating and no cliffhanger. Please be warned there are some scenes that may trigger sensitive readers.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any written, electronic, recording, or photocopying without written permission of the publisher or author. The exception would be in the case of brief quotations embodied in the critical articles or reviews and pages where permission is specifically granted by the publisher or author.
Although every precaution has been taken to verify the accuracy of the information contained herein, the author and publisher assume no responsibility for any errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for damages that may result from the use of information contained within. Any trademarks mentioned are used for descriptive purposes only and are the property of the trademark holder and not Harley Wylde.
Edited by Ilse Shaffer
Cover Art by Jessica Coulter Smith
Cover images from Canstock Photo and iStock Photo
©2021, Harley Wylde & Paige Warren
Published by JCS Books
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Epilogue
Dear Reader
About the Authors
Collateral Damage Preview
Prologue
Ivan
The day Pavel had taken his wife in payment for a debt, things had changed. He still ruled with an iron fist, but he’d grown soft when it came to women. Which was why he’d put me in charge of the brothels. He no longer had the stomach for using women who hadn’t volunteered. Most of our stable contained young women who’d been taken to cancel a debt, much like his wife Rianne. Except she’d never graced the halls of our brothels. No, Pavel had wanted her for himself.
I checked over the books one last time before getting up from the desk in the small office. I made my way to the front, admiring the women lounging in various rooms. We catered to all types in our establishments, which meant our women varied in age, size, and race as well. At the end of the day, it didn’t matter. They were all whores. Even if they hadn’t been in the beginning, it’s what we’d made them.
Normally, I’d partake of a little entertainment after working so hard, but I had places to be. A few debts hadn’t been paid and the men were dragging their feet, which meant I needed to see what leverage we could find. Most responded to pain, or rather they did anything they could to avoid it. Some didn’t care one way or the other.
Sean Byrnes was my first stop. I wasn’t sure which category he fell into, but I’d learn soon enough. I’d had men watching him and now knew his every move. The man was nothing if not predictable.
By the time I reached my stop, I was wishing I’d delayed long enough to at least have one of the whores suck me off. Too late now, but I could always go back later. For the moment, I leaned against a brick building and watched the restaurant across the street. Byrnes sat at a table with a young woman and two men who I knew were part of the Mancini Family. It seemed Byrnes owed more than the Bratva.
The way he motioned at the woman, and the vacant expression on her face, I knew exactly what he’d done. He’d brought her as a bribe, or a way to cancel his debt to them. I was curious if they’d accept. I couldn’t let them hurt Byrnes before I got my hands on him. The man was neck deep with the Bratva, and there was no way Pavel would let him walk without paying in cash or blood.
When they’d concluded their business, Byrnes stood and shook the men’s hands. I noticed the woman remained as he walked off, but two of his men stayed behind. Thne Mancini’s men stood and gripped the woman’s arms, leading her from the restaurant. They shoved her into a limo and drove away, with Byrnes’ two men following in a black car.
It seemed she was his get out of debt card, which meant chances were good he’d offer Pavel the same deal. I hadn’t gotten a good look at the woman, but what I’d seen intrigued me. There’s been no passion, no fire or anger. Just… nothing. What would it take to make her break? To make her fight back?
I smiled, hoping I’d get the chance to find out. One way or another, she was going to be mine.
Chapter One
Imogen
My stomach clenched and I fisted my hands so they wouldn’t tremble. My Uncle Sean was an evil, despicable man, and I loathed him. Since my parents died, I’d been under his control. At first, it hadn’t been so bad. He’d mostly ignored me. Then I’d turned fifteen and things changed. I’d learned the hard way that he had a lot of debts to pay to men who were even worse than him. Men who had been happy enough to trade some time with his underage niece and wipe his debt free.
I’d tried to tell the authorities, the school, anyone who would listen, but it seemed my Uncle Sean knew men in very high places. Instead of someone saving me, I’d been made to look like the crazy girl trying to get some attention. It hadn’t taken long before I’d given up on anyone helping me. I was eighteen now, and should have been free of him, except I didn’t have a cent to my name and he kept me under constant guard.
You’d think after three years of this shit, I’d have learned to block it out, do whatever was necessary to survive, but I hadn’t. And now he owed money to the Bratva. I didn’t know what they’d expect of me, and I fought hard not to throw up. I’d heard stories, and knew they owned several brothels around town. Would I be forced to work in one? Getting handed out by my uncle was bad enough, but having to do that every night for the rest of my life? I’d sooner slit my wrists, which was probably why he’d made sure I was never alone.
I didn’t understand how something like this could happen. Fifty years ago, a hundred years ago, but now? It seemed that greed would always rule the world. And people like me would always get kicked to the bottom.
“Perhaps you should get ready, Imogen,” Uncle Sean said. “The Bratva will be sending men by shortly.”
I gave a jerky nod and walked off, with my two shadows following. When I reached my room, I didn’t bother trying to shut the door. I knew it wouldn’t do any good. Going into the bathroom, I started the shower and removed my clothes, ignoring my uncle’s man as he leered at me. The other kept an eye on the room to ensure I didn’t have an escape route. I took my time washing, hiding behind the dark blue shower curtain, until the water started to cool. Wrapping a towel around my hair and another around my body, I hesitated only a moment before I yanked the curtain open and stepped out.
It took me over an hour to smooth lotion into my skin, dry and curl my hair, and put on just enough make-up to accent my eyes and lips but not enough that it looked caked on. I couldn’t do anything about the bruises on my hips or the scars on my back, but no one ever seemed to care about any marks on my body. I doubted the
Bratva would be any different.
I slipped on the sapphire dress that had an open back to my waist, and hardly had anything up top in the front, then stepped into a pair of heels. Giving myself one final look in the mirror, making sure not a hair was out of place, I went downstairs to greet our… guests. As I neared the front entry, I stalled. My heart was hammering in my chest and I struggled to draw a breath. I couldn’t remember being this scared before, but these men, the Bratva, they were known for taking whatever they wanted. I’d heard about women being snatched off the streets, drugs being pushed into the hands of children, and much worse.
A shove at my back had me moving once more. I walked into the front parlor and stopped in the doorway. There were four men with my uncle, ones I hadn’t met before.
“Pavel, this is my niece, Imogen. Beautiful, isn’t she?” Uncle Sean said.
The man he’d called Pavel barely scanned his gaze over me before turning away. My heartrate picked up again. If he didn’t want me, if they denied the offer my uncle made, then I would be the one to pay the price. He’d be infuriated and beat the hell out of me.
“Something wrong with my niece?” my uncle asked, his tone getting icy.
“Pavel is happily married,” one of the others said. “Complimenting another woman would feel like a betrayal of his wife.”
“I see,” said Uncle Sean. He glanced at me before returning his gaze to the others. “And the rest of you?”
“Single.” One of them undressed me with his eyes. “And yes, she’s stunning.”
“You know why we’re here,” Pavel said. “And it’s not for a social visit. There was no need to bring your niece downstairs.”
The way the man said niece made it clear he thought I was a whore. And he wasn’t wrong. It hadn’t been by choice, but it’s what my uncle had turned me into over the last three years.
My uncle snapped his fingers and I went to him, knowing what would come next. I drew in a shaky breath as I stopped at his side and waited.
“You owe us a considerable sum, Mr. Byrnes. We’ve come to collect. If you don’t have the money, then…” Pavel shrugged a shoulder.
I could only imagine what that meant. They’d break my uncle’s legs, or possibly kill him. Then again, I knew my uncle wouldn’t go down without a fight, and he’d offer them me, and anything else they wanted, if he was unable to pay.
“I don’t have your money,” Uncle Sean said. “But I would like to offer something else.”
“You have nothing we want,” Pavel said with his thick accent.
My uncle snapped his fingers again and I swallowed hard, then reached for the straps of my dress, letting the garment pool at my feet. I stood before them, bare, and unable to look any of them in the eye.
“What is the meaning of this?” Pavel demanded.
“My niece as payment for what I owe,” Uncle Sean said. “You can all take a turn with her. Or take her at the same time. Matters little to me. She’ll do as she’s told.”
Pavel started spitting out words in what I assumed to be Russian. I looked up and my eyes went wide at the fury in his eyes. He came toward my uncle, his hand drawn back, but one of the others stopped him. A man who appeared a bit younger than Pavel. His golden blond looks were striking. Except for the blank look in his eyes. Looking into the blue depths, I saw nothing. There was a void where emotion should have shone.
“Nyet. Don’t do this, Pavel,” the other man said.
“It’s like Rianne all over again,” he muttered.
I didn’t know who Rianne was, but it sounded like they’d been made an offer like this before.
“Except her father didn’t give her to you as payment. You just took her,” the other man said. “And it was a good thing since he’d been abusing her.”
Pavel growled and glared at my uncle. “How many times have you offered your niece as payment for debts?”
My uncle clamped his lips tight and I knew he wouldn’t answer. Maybe he thought if they knew just how thoroughly used I was, they wouldn’t want me. Whatever the case, Pavel didn’t seem to be the type to accept my uncle’s silence.
“He’s used me to repay all his debts for the last three years,” I said, my voice coming out in a near whisper I worried they wouldn’t hear.
“You look like little more than a child,” Pavel said.
“I’m eighteen.”
Pavel snarled and lunged for Uncle Sean, slamming his fist into my uncle’s mouth. “She was fifteen?”
The man spit out more words in Russian and I took a hasty step back. I knew my uncle’s guards wouldn’t let me flee the room, but the anger pouring off Pavel frightened me. My heels caught in my dress and I gave a cry as I tumbled to the floor. The blond man, the one who had stopped Pavel before, came toward me, moving slow. He crouched next to me and offered his hand.
“Let me help you, zaika.”
I didn’t know what that word meant, but I took his hand and let him help me stand. The man shrugged out of his suit jacket and draped it over my shoulders. My cheeks warmed as I pulled it closed across the front of me. I didn’t know why he’d shown me a kindness, when it was clear he didn’t care about me one way or another. Maybe it was because of Pavel’s reaction.
“Thank you,” I said.
My uncle’s face was bloody and barely recognizable when Pavel took a step back, breathing hard. “Men such as you do not deserve to live.”
Pavel looked my way and I huddled closer to the other man. The fury in his gaze hit me like a fist to my stomach and my knees nearly buckled. He’d been angry on my behalf, but what would he do now that he’d beaten my uncle? If he left me here, I’d probably end up dead. But if he took me with him… A shiver raked my spine. I’d heard tales of their brothels. He might have been angry I’d been put to use by the age of fifteen, but this man was no saint.
“Dimitri, do you wish to accept her as payment?” Pavel asked.
My back stiffened. Or maybe I’d been wrong. Biting my lip, I looked up at the one he’d called Dimitri, the man who had been nice to me. Or at least hadn’t caused me pain so far.
His blue gaze was locked on mine. “Pavel, what exactly are you asking?”
“If you take her, you accept responsibility for her. She’s yours. Completely.”
He didn’t look away, just watched me. I didn’t understand what was happening. What did that mean?
“Completely,” Dimitri said. “The way you owned Rianne?”
Pavel gave a soft snort and Dimitri’s lips kicked up on one corner in a slight smile. “Nyet. I took Rianne as my property. If you take this one home with you, it’s forever. You’ll marry her. I’ll not have the likes of her uncle coming for her.”
The way Dimitri’s eyes flared, and his jaw tensed, was enough to tell me he didn’t want a whore like me for his wife. I couldn’t blame him. I took a step back then removed his jacket, handing it back to him. I gathered my dress and held it front of me, knowing that I was about to say could very well doom me in a different way.
By refusing the offer, I would open myself up to Pavel’s wrath. I didn’t know why he’d wanted to help me, but I knew it wouldn’t come without conditions. All I wanted was my freedom. Being married to one of these men, would be no different from what I knew now. Everyone knew their wives were used just like me, to further their business deals. I’d only be trading one monster for another.
“No,” I said.
“Excuse me?” Pavel asked.
“I won’t marry him,” I said.
“I’ll take her,” one of the other men said. The look in his eyes was one I’d seen many times before. I knew he would never make me his wife, but he would use me the same as all the other men had.
“Ivan, I didn’t offer her to you,” Pavel said. “You’d just make her your personal whore.”
“She’s one already,” he said.
I flinched, but it was true. I’d never be a wife, a mother. My hands cl
enched and I fought back tears as I thought about the baby I’d been forced to abort. I didn’t even know if I could have more children. I’d assumed there was a chance, since my uncle said the men couldn’t take me without a condom, or maybe he was just being cautious. The abortion had been costly and my uncle had screamed about it for weeks.
“She’s a victim,” Pavel said.
“What’s going to happen? With Uncle Sean? And me?” I asked.
Pavel rubbed the back of his neck. The fact he didn’t answer right away worried me. I didn’t know if he didn’t want to share Uncle Sean’s fate with me, or if he was still figuring out what to do with me. I couldn’t stay here. Uncle Sean’s men would just use me, sell me, and make me do their every bidding. I’d only trade one owner for another. Then again, it seemed like I’d be doing the same with the Bratva. Even if Dimitri did marry me, I had no delusions. He’d never remain faithful to me, not a wife he didn’t want.
“Go shower and put on something… not so revealing as that dress,” Pavel said. “Then pack a bag. Whatever you need from your bathroom and a few changes of clothes at the least.”
“Shower? But I just…” His look silenced me. “Right. I’ll go shower. But I’ve already learned that no matter how hot the water is, or hard I scrub, I’ll never be clean.”
I turned and walked out of the room, heading up to my bedroom and doing as he’d commanded. If I’d bothered to turn around, I might have seen the look on Ivan’s face at my words. I hadn’t said them as more than a reminder to them of what I was. Whatever was to become of me, as long as they didn’t put me into one of their brothels, then my life couldn’t be any worse than it was now.
I reached my room, for once without my shadows, and dropped my dress to the floor. Yanking off my shoes, I tossed them into the corner. I showered quickly, doubting the men downstairs wanted to wait very long. When I was finished, I braided my wet hair and pulled on a pair of denim shorts and a tank top. I slipped on a pair of canvas tennis shoes then packed a bag like the man had instructed. If none of them wanted me, I didn’t understand where I was going.
