Chapter 1 - Clara

Loud music pulses from outside in the garden area, where a white tent is set up to accommodate all of my uncle's guests. My uncle always goes overboard with these parties. He invites everyone, perhaps trying to impress them all. Who knows. I'm bored out of my mind watching all of his allies mingle, chat, laugh and drink.

To anyone else, I guess it looks like an incredible evening; to me, it's just another reminder that my uncle never lets me do anything fun.

Even at these parties, I am controlled—how to stand, what to say. Ugh. I can't wait for it to be over.

My uncle is watching me like a hawk. Ever since he took over raising me when I was really young, he's been so strict and overbearing. I've hardly been able to have any real experiences in life.

I look across the sea of faces, people I know, but not really. I spot Oleg Dubrov, one of the newest alliances my uncle has made—an unstable alliance that I am not even convinced will last that long.

Still, it means all of the Dubrov brothers have been attending our events lately, and they are all so hot. Oleg is here, I wonder if his other brother is here yet? I stand on my tip toes looking around for the hottest Dubrov—Alexei.

Of course, he's also one of the people responsible for kidnapping me a few months ago. So, you could say I'm a bit nervous around him.

It wasn't as scary as it might sound. They were only trying to get my friend Tia back after my uncle took her. I had no idea about my uncle's other life . His alter ego, as I like to view it, because it's all so new and strange to me.

I'm only just adjusting to the idea that my whole family is part of the Bratva mafia.

He kept me sheltered from it, but after the kidnapping, it was impossible not to come clean.

So, now I know—and I'm learning new things every day.

I can't find Alexei in the crowd. He's my favorite of all the brothers, but I have to be careful around him. Ever since kidnapping me, Alexei has been flirting heavily.

Of course I love the attention.

But if my uncle caught me enjoying it, there would be hell to pay.

I chuckle quietly to myself. I enjoy Alexei's advances, but I also continue to give him the cold shoulder. It's just too much drama, I think, to date a Dubrov. Apart from my uncle having a literal shit fit, they are a dangerous family.

"Giorgio."

I hear someone calling my uncle and turn towards the loud voice.

My uncle was on his way towards me, but now he's sidetracked. Should I take this chance and disappear into the crowd? I don't feel like going on some side mission my uncle is sure to give me. Meet this new client, have a drink with these boring old men— no thanks.

I duck into the crowd and quickly weave my way towards the bar. I think I need more champagne if I am going to survive this already too-long night.

I keep my head down and push quietly past people, right into the chest of a really tall guy wearing a pitch-black suit. My eyes trace up the perfectly tailored, tight fitting outfit, over the very broad shoulders, toned body, and lightly stubbled jaw line of Alexei Dubrov.

My heart beats heavy in my chest when I realize that I've walked right into him, and now his hand is resting on my waist.

I chew at my lower lip.

"Clara, you look more beautiful than ever." His deep sultry voice purrs through me like a lion.

"Alexei," I say, curt and short.

"Have you been behaving so far? If you're bored of that, we could always get out of here together." The grin that spreads across half of his mouth, creating a deep dimple on one side of his cheek—I pull my eyes away from his lips. Don't do it. Don't flirt back.

I grin back, sly and mischievous.

My hand has been resting on his chest since I bumped into him. To anyone watching, this would appear to be a very cozy scene indeed.

I slowly drop my hand away, letting my fingers trace over the sculpted muscles of his stomach. Holy fuck, he is built like a demigod.

Clara, you are asking for trouble.

Oh, but the best kind of trouble.

I glance at the floor, grinning to myself.

Why the hell does my heart beat so fast when he's near me? It's probably because I know how wrong this is.

"So, do you want to get out of here?" He brushes his hand over my jaw.

"Clara Vitali. I have been looking for you everywhere." My uncle steps close to me, grabbing my arm a little too tightly. I wince but manage to hide it. I can tell immediately that he is angry—he hates it when I speak to any of the Dubrovs.

"Giorgio, good to see you." Alexei looks down at my uncle.

"Alexei. Enjoy the party," he replies, short and clipped, then drags me away so roughly that I almost trip over my high heels.

I want to tell my uncle that he's embarrassing me, but I wouldn't dare.

Not a chance.

He hauls me all the way into the house, and by the time we get inside my cheeks are glowing red.

Giorgio turns towards me with deep anger in his eyes. His jaw is clenched. His words come out at me in a harsh whisper. "How the fuck many times do I have to tell you to stay away from Alexei Dubrov? His family is no good. Why were you talking to him?"

"He came to greet me. He is your guest and your ally, I wasn't going to be rude."

"Bullshit. You were falling all over him," he snarls.

"Falling over him? Are you kidding me? I most certainly was not," I snap angrily.

A sharp slap across my face stuns me into silence and my cheeks glow redder, heated with even more embarrassment. Fuck, I hope no one saw that.

Anger and resentment burn inside me, directed right at my uncle.

He points his finger into my face, his voice a dark whisper. "Stay away from him."

I don't reply.

Giorgio spins on his heel and walks away from me.

I take a few deep breaths trying to get my anger to simmer down a little, but it isn't working.

I have been turning Alexei down for months, and all my uncle sees is me ‘falling all over him.' Like I'm some desperate girl.

If he wants something to complain about—if he wants to see what it looks like when I do actually fall all over him —then I will fucking show him.

No one speaks to me like that in public, making me feel weak and shitty. Not even my uncle.

I march back out into the party, standing on the top step until I spot Alexei leaning against the bar ordering a drink. I push past the crowd, my head held high this time, all the way to the bar, where I slide right up to Alexei, making sure my hip brushes against him.

I wave the barman over and ask for champagne.

"I see you couldn't stay away," his voice smooths over me.

"What can I say?" I shrug, flashing a sly and suggestive grin as I let my eyes play up and down his body.

"I think we should celebrate you coming to terms with the fact that you can't stay away from me." He orders two tequila shots and then turns his body to face mine. I turn as well, but with the crowd around the bar, we are pressed together far more tightly than I had planned.

Fuck, he smells too good.

And he feels so good, too.

He reaches up and runs his fingers over my jaw again, and this time all I feel is electricity shooting through me, all the way down my spine. The heat from his body is soaking into me and I'm struggling to concentrate.

I was just here to flirt so that I could piss my uncle off, but this is backfiring in a big way.

Alexei's fingers are still wrapped around my jaw as he tilts my face up towards his. He leans close. Our lips are inches apart.

"What are you playing at, Clara?" he whispers, and the warmth of his breath brushes over my skin.

"Playing…" I mumble, my eyes locked onto his. "Um…." What was I doing?

He chuckles, a low rumble that vibrates through my chest. Then he drops his hand and lets it slide all the way over my waist down to my hip. He pulls me against him, pushing his groin into me.

"Are you sure you want to play with me like this?" he growls.

The barman puts two tequilas down at the bar counter and I take the chance to turn my body away from him.

I clear my throat softly. Get a grip, Clara, what the hell. Get yourself under control.

I take a deep breath, hold up my shot glass and throw Alexei a grin that I hope says I am still in control of myself. Then I toss my head back and let the gold tequila pour down my throat, hoping that the harshness of it will snap my brain back into itself.

My body is going crazy. This was such a stupid move.

Alexei's hands are on my waist again, pulling me back to face him, the heat of his touch searing against my body. I should stop him, but I don't. I let him turn me, and I let him pull me close. I can feel the curve of his body against mine.

His hand travels up the back of my neck and knots in my long, strawberry blonde hair, which I wore in loose curls today. Then he twists his fingers in my hair and gently but firmly, pulls my head back.

He leans down and lets his lips brush over the skin of my neck.

My knees feel as though they are about to collapse beneath me. I reach out and grab his waist to steady myself, but touching him like this is making it worse.

I gasp softly, and a low chuckle ripples through him.

Fuck.

What is going on?

His lips are now hovering over mine again and I find myself tilting my head up a little more, wanting him to kiss me—what am I doing? Stop this immediately.

My chest explodes with panic when I realize that I have completely lost control of my body. He's so fucking sexy and my mind is doing wild flip-flops to try and escape all of my reasoning and now I am about to kiss Alexei Dubrov.

I push my hands against his chest, hard, abrupt.

His fingers release my hair. The grin on his lips tells me that he knows he almost had me there.

I spin around, fast, in a hurry to get away.

Then I disappear into the crowd.

I rush away quickly, ducking back into my uncle's mansion, running up the stairs to my bedroom, and slamming the door behind myself, locking it just to be sure.

I lean with my back against the door, breathing heavily and still full of panic.

What in the world just happened? That was way too close for comfort. I was just trying to annoy my uncle. I didn't expect to be that turned on.