Sasha: A Dark Mafia Romance (Belles & Mobsters)

The California sun hung low in the sky, the heat of it still glowing on my skin.

I wore a blue, sleeveless dress that fell to my knees in waves from my waist. The straps on my shoulders bared half of my back, and I combined it with a pair of nude heels. Autumn opted for a green, sleeveless dress with a closed back and pair of flats. She said it was more practical. She was right of course. But for me, it was easier to hide behind beautiful dresses than plain clothes and get-to-know-you questions.

My eyes traveled over the fancy restaurant. I shouldn’t be in this territory. I knew it, but the odds of someone recognizing me were slim to none.

My father and his cruelty earned him a lot of enemies over the years. The family that controlled this territory of Los Angeles was one of them. The Konstantin family.

According to my brother, they were the Russians that took over control of the west coast. Twin brothers who didn’t have the best relationship with Father. No surprise there, I thought wryly.

I searched my memory for the names and came up blank. All I remembered was that Alessio said they could be ruthless when double-crossed, and Father didn’t get along with them because they were against human trafficking coming through their Siberian territories. Alessio ended that business, but Father still occasionally went behind his back.

No fucking wonder our family was doomed. All the suffering our father inflicted on others.

There was no coming back from that. Generations of the Russo family would pay for his sins. Good thing I had no intentions of marrying or having children.

Ilias and Maxim Konstantin.

The names hit me out of nowhere, and I smiled satisfied. Alessio always said to pay attention to names and keep aware of the enemies. The Konstantins were part of the Russian mafia, but they didn’t get their hands dirty like most Bratva. Their style was more sophisticated, but they didn’t hesitate to exercise brutality and elicit fear in the hearts of their enemies.

Now I started to wonder whether this was smart. Although what threat could I possibly pose? An eighteen-year-old girl that wasn’t part of the underworld.

Constantinople was one of the most expensive and elitist restaurants in Los Angeles, located in the middle of the city. The name suspiciously close to Konstantin but the ownership was vague. The restaurant was smack in the middle of their territory, so it would make sense if they owned it. It was one of those mysteries that everyone wanted to solve but nobody could get their hands on the answer.

Ownership aside, the restaurant was very popular and frequented by movie stars, mob families, and politicians alike. Nothing showed corruption as much as L.A., but who was I to judge. My own family wasn’t exactly all rainbows and roses.

As I waited for the hostess, I stared out the window, watching laughing couples stroll by hand in hand. People looked so happy and something tightened in my chest. I didn’t like to wish for something unattainable. It made that first year after Alessio and Mia left unbearable.

The floorboards creaking.

He was closing in.

Stale breath. Sweat. “Your father gave you to me. To break and mold.”

My throat squeezed. Fear cut off my breath.

Dark chuckle. “We’re going to play.”

My skin seared, the pain shot through me. Cold fingers.

“It will only hurt a bit.” My lungs squeezed. I couldn’t breathe.

“I’m in the mood for a pizza.” Autumn’s voice pulled me out of the dark memories that I had buried. My hidden scars itched. “You?”

A smile pulled on my lips at her excitement. Her eyes turned a greener shade, which told me she was happy. I fucking loved her happiness. It was contagious and pushed the darkness away from me.

I returned the attention to the bustling waiters and chattering crowd.

Autumn took my hand. “I’m so excited we get to eat here,” she beamed. “Maybe we’ll run into someone famous. Like Jaymes Young.”

Or someone dangerous. But I held those words back. “Somehow I cannot envision him eating here,” I answered instead.

The hostess greeted us with a smile, took Autumn’s name because I didn’t dare give her mine, and, within ten minutes, we were seated.

“Wow, this place really loves red,” Autumn remarked.

The interior of the restaurant was decorated in various shades of the color.

“Probably a reflection of all the bloodsuckers,” I remarked, referring to both the businessmen and the mobsters that frequented this place. They were one and the same in my book. I saw firsthand how corrupt the men that should protect the world were.

Sighing, both of us looked around the restaurant. My eyes traveled over different guests. We were in the general seating area. There was a section behind a heavy curtain, the waiters bustling in and out.

Someone famous might be behind there. Definitely not here.

A waiter ducked through the curtain, pushing it out of the way and leaving it open.

And suddenly, I sat up straight.

The guy from the other night sat there. A woman, tall and gorgeous, sauntered towards their table and sat down next to him. Her blonde hair was the same exact shade as my guy’s.

I shook my head. No, not my guy. Just a random dude I’d kissed.

All three men stood up and sat back down once she was seated. Once she acknowledged the men, her eyes wandered the room until they came to mine, and she stared as if she knew exactly who I was. God, she had those same freakish pale blue eyes. She had to be his sister. There was no way those two weren’t related.

My eyes left her and went back to Moye Serdtse. Whatever that name was. My heart thundered strangely and blood thrummed in my ears.

The memory of the kiss invaded my mind. It was the first time I had truly enjoyed a man’s kiss. A man’s touch. I wanted more. Maybe I was greedy or stupid, but I knew finding a man who could touch me without my body freaking out had never happened before. I shouldn’t question it too much.

He had yet to look my way, but I had a feeling he knew I was here. I’d bet my life on it. My eyes drifted to the other two men who looked to be twins. A gorgeous set of twins though they weren’t identical – one with dark hair and one with lighter brown hair.

And it was then that I knew exactly who they were. The Konstantin twins.

There was a lethal energy about both of them, but especially the darker haired twin. His eyes moved from table to table, like a panther watching its surroundings for any danger. His eyes came to me and something flickered in them.

Recognition.

No, it couldn’t be. I shook my head as if trying to convince myself I was wrong. That I was paranoid. I had to be.

Alessio kept me out of the underworld on purpose. So Father’s enemies couldn’t spot me. So my brother’s enemies couldn’t recognize me.

Yet, I was certain this man knew exactly who I was.

“Branka.” Broken out of my staring, I turned to Autumn to find her watching me with a worried expression. “Is everything okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

Autumn’s eyes traveled to the table where the Konstantins sat. She tilted her head and returned to watch me.

“Are they connected to your family?’ she asked in a low voice. I swallowed, then nodded. Without hesitation, Autumn stood up. My eyes lifted up to hers in question. “We’re leaving.”

“But–” I cleared my throat. “You were so excited for this place.”

She shrugged. “We’ll get pizza somewhere else. I’d rather see you comfortable.” She smiled and extended her hand.

I took it and we left without a backward glance. Just as we stepped outside, a guy shoved past Autumn causing her to lose her balance. A misstep and she winced, pain crossing her expression.

“Watch it, you fucking moron,” I hissed after the guy who didn’t even bother acknowledging us.

I reached to steady her and the moment she took the next step, I knew something was wrong.

“I think I twisted my ankle,” she grumbled. I helped her as she hopped to the outside seating bench.

“I should go after that fucker and break his ankle.”

A strangled laugh escaped her. “You can be scary sometimes, Branka.”

I just grinned. “For people I care about, you bet I am.”

Checking on her ankle, I noted it swelling. Walking on it would only make it worse.

“I’m going to go get the car. You wait here. Okay?”

“I could just kick myself for my clumsiness,” she muttered.

“It’s that asshole’s fault.”

With a last check on her, I headed to the back of the restaurant where we parked. I hurried down the alley, disliking the idea of running into anyone while in such a secluded spot, I was almost at the end of it when another set of footsteps joined mine.

Halting in my tracks, I turned around to see none other than the man who kissed me a few days ago striding towards me purposefully, his huge frame clothed in a custom suit. I preferred him in jeans and a leather jacket.

I stayed still, watching his sure strides bringing him closer and closer to me. A part of me urged me to run, but not because I was scared of him. It had nothing to do with it; though, my gut warned he should be feared. The urge to run had something to do with the raw need that clawed at my chest.

With each step he took closer to me, my heart thundered harder as I drowned in that pale blue gaze, colors of the Arctic sea beneath ice.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded to know. I raised one eyebrow at him, refusing to show him any emotions. “This is not a safe part of town for you.”

That was a bizarre comment. He didn’t know me. I didn’t know him. How in the fuck would he know what was safe and wasn’t safe for me?

He remained standing, never glancing away from me, and I realized he waited for an answer.

“It’s as safe as anywhere else,” I told him. We stared at each other as he stood five feet from me. Even from this distance, I had to tilt my head back to maintain eye contact with him.

He took a step closer. So did I. And another, until there was barely an inch between us. My head tilted back further to keep eye contact. My heart thundered in my chest at seeing his eyes burn with something that I couldn’t quite understand.

My neck craned further, watching those blue flames in fascination. Our bodies almost touched, our gazes locked, but I kept my breathing even as my heart thumped with something unfamiliar.

His hand came up slowly to cup my cheeks, his big hands gentle. Almost like a lover’s touch.

I froze, unable to say or do anything, as his thumb slowly traced my jawline, the rough pad of his thumb stroking my soft skin. A shiver wracked my body, but I didn’t move. I watched him anxiously, worried whether he was a good guy or bad guy. As his thumb traveled lower and settled upon my racing pulse, I realized my body had already decided.

“Who are those men?” I asked, my voice breathy. I needed my suspicions confirmed.

If he was connected with the Konstantin family, maybe he was an enemy too.

He leaned in closer, his mouth brushing against mine. “Don’t worry, kotyonok. None of those men will ever get close to you.”

The vehement, lethal tone of his voice made me believe him.

“You want to know why?”

A gulp sounded between us. Mine. “Why?”

He leaned in, lining his mouth with my ear, his scruff rough against my skin.

This man was a predator, hiding in the skin of a man.

“Because you’re mine.” The words were quiet. Soft. Yet, there was conviction in his voice that sent another shiver down my spine. “I want you all to myself. I’m yours. You’re mine. No one else can have you.”

For the first time, my body didn’t protest against being owned by a man.