4. Luca

CHAPTER 4

LUCA

LONDON – SAME DAY – RUSHING HOME

M y favourite playlist blasted through the speakers as I drove along the motorway back to London. I’d been sorting out a staffing issue at Platinum, which took longer than I’d anticipated, and now I was running late.

As I drove, my thoughts drifted to Claire, as they always seemed to do these days. After weeks of forced separation, I was finally going to see her again tonight, and the anticipation was a tight knot in my chest.

I hated being away from her, but it was necessary.

For the last couple of years, we and our Polish allies had been under constant attack from various enemies. After we’d wiped out the ones responsible for the attack on the Rominov family home, which we referred to as the Estate, and our drug lab—the same night I first kissed Claire—we discovered a network of men orchestrating the chaos behind the scenes.

One by one, we dismantled them, until we reached the man at the top. A corrupt politician and member of the UK government, Timothy Evans-Hughes, with a personal vendetta against the Bratva, intent on making us suffer.

But it wasn’t just about us—he was a twisted bastard in every sense. His company, Darkest Desire Productions , catered to rich degenerates who paid to hunt men and women for sport. Even as criminals, there were lines we wouldn’t cross, and murdering innocents for profit was one of them. It was something we couldn’t tolerate, especially when women were concerned.

There was no doubt that he’d needed to be stopped. But we had to tread carefully. Taking him down directly would have jeopardised our public image as legitimate businessmen.

That’s where our friend Anton came in. He got me in as a bodyguard, and I bided my time, earning the MP’s trust while we planned his downfall. Marcie’s position as the event planner at one of his garden parties provided the perfect distraction and gave us the opening we needed to pull off a heist and gather enough evidence to bring him down.

We handed it to the authorities anonymously, and the MP was hit with multiple charges, including murder. But, of course, the prick managed to get bail. Now he was tagged and under surveillance, unable to leave his home thanks to the reporters swarming his doorstep. In essence, he was under house arrest.

I’d gone underground the moment the authorities moved in. Although I’d been careful, disguising myself as much as I could during my time with the MP, it was safer to lie low at the Estate, where I’d grown up and still had rooms, just in case. If the MP ever discovered who I was, he’d undoubtedly seek revenge.

Now that he’d been formally charged, and I had things other than my identity to worry about, I was finally back to my usual routine—and it felt damn good to be out in the world again. Back to my life, and back to Claire.

Shit, I frowned as I saw the long queue of traffic up ahead. By the looks of things, it could be hours before I got to see her.

Frustration coursed through me, but I refused to let it sour my mood or dampen my anticipation. I’d been longing for this night, and nothing was going to stop me from getting there and spending time with the sexy lawyer I couldn’t stop thinking about.

Soon , I told myself, taking a deep breath. It didn’t matter if I was late, as long as I got to see her.

The traffic continued at a slow pace while thoughts rushed through me.

Tonight was Marcie’s birthday party, and I still had to swing by my apartment to grab her gift before heading to the venue, Glitz , our newest club.

For once, I was looking forward to being a guest there rather than running the show.

With the help of Miki’s brother Ash, my assistant manager, Suzie, had been running everything in my absence. But tonight was her first big test on her own. I was confident she’d handle it without a hitch—she was more than capable.

Assuming all went well, I planned to hand over more responsibilities to her in the near future. And once the MP’s trial date was confirmed, I had a long-overdue holiday in mind—time with my family back in Russia. I needed the break. And I intended to take Claire, my Little Miss Sexy Ass, with me; despite her current resistance to my charms, I was still hopeful that soon she’d be putty in my hands.

After the sexy lawyer rejected me following our first kiss last year, I’d made it my mission to show her how good we could be together.

Before I had to go away, I’ll admit, I’d practically turned into a stalker. Gracie or Marcie would mention where Claire was going to be, and like clockwork, I’d show up. I was obsessed—an addict needing a hit of her any way I could get it.

I tried everything to prove that beneath my player exterior—and despite the whole criminal thing—I was a good guy, someone worthy of her trust, maybe even her heart. We’d shared two incredible moments of intimacy since, but she still couldn’t admit that what we had was special.

Yet, with every minute we spent together, every intimate moment we shared, the connection between us only deepened—no matter how much she tried to deny it. Her refusal to see me as anything more than a friend because of my criminal roots and reputation as a player, was soul-destroying.

Having been born into this life, I’d never had a choice about being part of the Bratva. My dad was Bratva and a good friend of Maxim Rominov. So, when Miki’s dad brought their family to the UK to establish a branch of the Bratva here, my dad was tasked with being his second and mentor, and so my family came with them.

Since Miki took over as pakhan, things had changed. We’d built our legitimate businesses and offloaded the more overt criminal activities these last few weeks in favour of more covert ones. Leaving such a lifestyle behind wasn’t easy, but like the Rominov family, I was trying hard to find a way out of it, and my plans were starting to fall into place.

As for my player’s past, well, that was over. It had been the moment I’d laid eyes on Little Miss Sexy Ass. I couldn’t get her out of my head. She was the woman I wanted, nobody else compared. But the constant rejection was wearing me down.

While I was away, I went cold turkey and had time to think. I made a decision—if I couldn’t change Claire’s mind by the time I left for Russia, I’d do something drastic. Maybe I’d take her with me, whether or not she agreed. A little break away together—forced or not — might be exactly what she needed to finally give in to my charms. But that was Plan B, and I had a lot of mileage yet in Plan A.

Claire wanted me—I knew that much. She just didn’t want to admit it. Tonight was my chance to get close to her again, and I intended to make the most of it. It’d been weeks since she last saw me. Had she thought of me as much as I’d thought of her? I could only hope.

Maybe the time apart had worked in my favour. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? A grin tugged at my lips. Tonight, I’d get her to dance with me, and if she had missed me, maybe I’d get another taste of those sweet lips. And maybe, this time, we’d go further.

The thought of that sent my pulse racing and made my cock thicken. She had no idea how much I wanted her, but this attraction went beyond the physical. I wasn’t just after a quickie or a one-night stand. Claire was different, and I wanted something more—a hell of a lot more. Something real and lasting.

Before meeting her, the idea of a long-term relationship had never seemed likely. Finding someone who could handle both sides of me had always felt impossible. And it wasn’t just about my criminal and legitimate lives. There were two distinct sides to my nature: the calm, charming man I showed the world and the darker, more possessive side that craved control. Especially in the bedroom.

But that didn’t mean I wanted someone I could walk over. No, I respected women too much for that. I needed a woman with strength, one who could hold her own, but who would also submit to me when the moment was right. And my Little Miss Sexy Ass? I was convinced she was that woman. I could see it—her strong, no-nonsense persona during the day, and then, at night, her yielding to me in all the ways I’d been imagining for months. The thought of her surrendering, trusting me enough to give in, had been driving me insane.

So, my mind was made up. Tonight, I’d make another move—because accepting that she would never be mine wasn’t just gut-wrenching; it was downright impossible. The thought of walking away from her twisted something deep inside me. I couldn’t let it happen. One way or another, I would make Claire mine. I couldn’t imagine a future without her.

I had ambitions, and I was determined to focus on them—to become the man I’d always wanted to be, not the one shaped by being Bratva-born. But I was just as determined to have Claire at my side when I did.

Several hours later, I pulled into the underground car park, my thoughts still churning with plans and hopes for the future as I killed the engine. The lift hummed softly as I stepped inside, pressing the button for my floor. Pushing aside my swirling emotions, I focused on getting ready for the night ahead—one that could change everything.