Brutal Boss (Bratva Brothers 1)

MADISYN

“What the hell was that?”Aaron is on me the minute I shut the door. I’ve just secured the lock to make sure Mikhail doesn’t change his mind.

Aaron is in my face. He’s taller than I am, and while there was an insane chemistry between Mikhail and me, it’s unrequited with Aaron.

Or rather, I used to like him before I got to know the real Aaron Moore. The persona at work isn’t anything like the man when he leaves the office.

“What?” I try to defuse the situation. I don’t want him to know what’s happening or harass Mikhail. If I can end what I started, so be it.

“Don’t play dumb with me, Madisyn. You’re not really a blonde.”

“You’re such an asshole.” I should have shown him out the door with Mikhail.

Mikhail’s car door slams shut, and the engine kicks on, roaring as he revs the engine. Any minute he’ll be gone, but I’m not sure that I feel any safer. Not while Aaron is still locked inside my house.

“Me? How am I the asshole? I came here to warn you that your new boyfriend is with the bratva. What the hell is going on? Is he an assignment or your new boy toy?”

I take a step back.

“I’m not doing this with you.”

The whirl of an engine roars again, and I’m confident that Mikhail just left.

Relief is not what I’m feeling.

Dread lulls in the pit of my stomach.

Hopelessness. Anger. Fear.

Aaron isn’t a good guy. Sure, he works for the FBI, but there are plenty of bad agents, just like plenty of bad seeds. I just didn’t see it before it was too late.

“You need to leave,” I say and head for the front door.

Aaron rushes after me and grabs my arm, his grip strong and forceful as he yanks me around.

I wince from his strength and the mark that he’s bound to leave on my arm. “Get off me!” I knock his arm down and push him back, my hands firmly against his chest.

“You want to play rough?” He stalks closer. “Is that why you were dating Mikhail Barinov? Because you like it rough and dirty in the sheets?”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” I refuse to tell him anything. It’s clear that he’s been kept out of the operation and his entire team reassigned. Why is that? What did he do to get his ass in trouble? How is he even still an agent?

“I know that you’re just another notch on Barinov’s bedpost. You mean nothing to him.”

“Get out!” I scream at Aaron and move out of his grasp. I bolt toward the door to show him out, but he’s quicker.

It doesn’t help that he’s taller, making his strides faster. He grabs a fistful of my hair, yanking me toward him.

Aaron leans in close to my ear. “I thought you liked it rough. Isn’t that why you’re bedding the bratva boss?” He takes a deep breath, inhaling my scent. “Tired of sleeping with your old FBI boss and moving up the ranks?”

“I don’t know what I ever saw in you.” I slam my heel onto his toes and thrust my elbow backward into his groin. “Get off me and get out of my house.”

“No one tells me when to leave.” His grip doesn’t loosen on my hair, and he slams my face into the door.

“You fucking asshole!”

“No, that’s the problem. You’re not fucking me. You’re sleeping with him.” Aaron drops his grip on my hair, and I take a step back, keeping distance between us as I open the front door.

“I can’t believe I ever slept with you,” I mutter.

“Well, believe it, sweetheart. And believe me when I say this isn’t over between us. You’ll come crawling back to me when you realize Barinov’s too good for you.”

Aaron steps outside and onto the porch. The minute he’s out the door, I slam it on his ass, ensuring he doesn’t come back inside. I don’t ever want to see him again, but I’m not that lucky.

* * *

I don’t bother going into Steele Concierge Medical the next morning. What’s the point? My cover’s been blown.

I pack up my belongings, including the flash drive, and head outside, waiting for a cab. While my cell phone hasn’t been replaced since the rainstorm, the landline in the house works. I never thought I’d be grateful to have an accessible landline.

Thunder echoes in the distance, and lightning illuminates the sky. I grab the umbrella and open it as the first droplets of rain come crashing down.

I hurry to the cab and toss my bag into the back seat with me, heading to the FBI headquarters downtown.

The giant pair of sunglasses in a rainstorm looks odd, but I’m trying to mask the black eye that Aaron gave me last night. I tried a bit of concealer, but it wasn’t enough to hide the mark left behind.

I can’t wear the shades inside the office. It’s much too dark. I remove them but keep them in my palm as I step out of the elevator.

I don’t want to be here.

I’d rather be cleaning bedpans and taking patients at the medical center. Maybe I should have continued to work there, if only to keep far away from Aaron.

I should have taken the cab to my house, but if there was any chance of being followed, I wanted to come straight to the office. However, I didn’t see any sign of Mikhail or his men outside the house.

“Oh my gosh! What happened to you?” Savannah catches sight of me the minute I step out of the elevator. She rushes toward me, a file in her hands, but she opens her arms to hug me. “Are you okay? Did that bastard Mikhail do this to you? I swear I will kill him myself.”

“Long story,” I say and exhale a heavy breath. My gaze travels toward Aaron.

He’s in his office, a cup of coffee in hand. He strolls out, heading right for Savannah and me. “Morning.” He steps closer and leans down, invading my personal space, taking a long look at the mark that he left.

“Ouch. Did your boyfriend do that?”

“I have to speak with Kingston,” I say and take a sharp turn, heading down the hallway.