Vengeful Dreams: A Dark Mafia, Forced Proximity Romance (The Vlasov Bratva), page 1
Vengeful Dreams
Alexa Michaels
Chowen Publishing House LLC
Contents
Copy Right
About Vengeful Dreams
Author’s Note
Trigger Warnings
Fullpage image
Fullpage image
Dedication
Chapter 1 – Daniella
Chapter 2 – Kazimir
Chapter 3 – Kazimir
Chapter 4 – Daniella
Chapter 5 – Kazimir
Chapter 6 – Daniella
Chapter 7 – Kazimir
Chapter 8 – Kazimir
Chapter 9 – Daniella
Chapter 10 – Kazimir
Chapter 11 – Daniella
Chapter 12 – Kazimir
Chapter 13 – Daniella
Chapter 14 – Kazimir
Chapter 15 – Daniella
Chapter 16 – Kazimir
Chapter 17 – Kazimir
Chapter 18 – Daniella
Chapter 19 – Kazimir
Chapter 20 – Kazimir
Chapter 21 – Daniella
Chapter 22 – Daniella
Chapter 23 – Kazimir
Chapter 24 – Daniella
Chapter 25 – Kazimir
Chapter 26 – Kazimir
Chapter 27 – Daniella
Chapter 28 – Kazimir
Chapter 29 – Kazimir
Chapter 30 – Daniella
Chapter 31 – Kazimir
Chapter 32 – Daniella
Chapter 33 – Daniella
Chapter 34 – Kazimir
Chapter 35 – Daniella
Chapter 36 – Kazimir
Chapter 37 – Daniella
Chapter 38 – Daniella
Chapter 39 – Kazimir
Chapter 40 – Daniella
Chapter 41 – Kazimir
Chapter 42 – Kazimir
Chapter 43 – Kazimir
Chapter 44 – Daniella
Chapter 45 – Daniella
Chapter 46 – Kazimir
Chapter 47 – Daniella
Chapter 48 – Daniella
Chapter 49 – Kazimir
Chapter 50 – Daniella
Chapter 51 – Kazimir
Chapter 52 – Daniella
Chapter 53 – Daniella
Chapter 54 – Daniella
Chapter 55 – Kazimir
Chapter 56 – Daniella
Chapter 57 – Kazimir
Chapter 58 – Daniella
Chapter 59 – Kazimir
Chapter 60 – Daniella
Chapter 61 – Daniella
Chapter 62 – Kazimir
Epilogue – Dimitri
Bonus Material for Vengeful Dreams
Fullpage image
Merciless Princess
Stalk Alexa & Become One of Her Villainous Darlings
About The Author
Copy Right
Vengeful Dreams Copyright © 2024 Chowen Publishing House LLC All Rights Reserved
Kindle Edition All Rights Reserved
Print Edition: All Rights Reserved
ISBN: 9798323121076
Editor: North Pines Editing LLC
Cover design: Covers By Aura
Interior Art: Atra Luna Graphic Design
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a review.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
About Vengeful Dreams
Daniella
Revenge,
I crave it,
But can’t get it on my own.
I ventured into the underworld and broke into the house of a monster.
And now, I have to pay the price for his help.
Work for the cold, ruthless Bratva prince,
The one whose name is whispered throughout the underworld,
And earn his trust.
But before I collect my part of the bargain,
I accidentally start an underworld war.
Kazimir
The Bratva hardened me, forged me into the perfect soldier.
Nothing surprises me.
Until I discover a little thief in my home.
The audacity of this woman,
A clever girl, aware of our world, but always keeping away,
Until now. Until she needs help when the more legal channels fail her.
I’m captivated by her graceful presence.
I can’t stay away. She calls to a part of me I thought was long burned away.
She came to the underworld looking for a dark knight,
Now I’m not letting her go. I want her—all of her.
And I will do anything to keep her in my dark kingdom.
Forever mine.
Even if it means breaking the rules and starting a war on her behalf.
Vengeful Dreams is the first book of the Vlasov Bratva tales, set in the Midwest Underworld series. It’s a stand-alone darker mafia romance, with no cheating, a guaranteed HEA, and no cliffhangers. A morally grey romance, this book may not be suitable for everyone.
Author’s Note
Dear reader,
Welcome to the Midwest Underworld! It is my absolute delight to introduce you to the Vlasov family, a prominent house in this dark and wicked landscape.
The story you are about to read is a darker contemporary romance. The male main character is a ruthless businessman and member of a criminal organization, and therefore he’s not afraid to do any number of shady things. But the female main character will never take it lying down. In fact, she’ll give it right back. If you’re looking for a safe read with traditional heroics, I caution you. It’s not to be found here.
Vengeful Dreams contains mature content that is not suitable for all audiences. Reader discretion is advised. The top dogs in the criminal underworld don’t play by the rules—neither do those who venture into the dark with them.
While Daniella may be from the normal/safe world, don’t expect her to play by the rules. Tragedy struck, and she’ll only find justice by striking a bargain with a man capable of doing what needs to be done: a real villain. A monster. Daniella is fierce, incredibly strong, and completely unafraid of this angel of vengeance. These two are ready to set the pages on fire!
If you’re new to my contemporary or fantasy books, I write what I like to describe as “darker” romances. My MMCs are hardened villains who would burn the world for their FMCs. There are definitely moments of grey morality, dashes of violence and a smattering of cruelty in my books, but this story doesn’t have ugliness between the two main characters.
Just remember, darling, monsters deserve love too. It’s the motto for all my books.
Now! If you’re like me, and love a bad boy & a sassy, brilliant girl, flip the page and let the action begin.
Xoxo,
Alexa
Trigger Warnings
Aheartbroken sibling
Reference to sex trafficking
Violence
Reference to drug abusing relative
Light stalking, more like haunting her
On page romance
Adult language
Impact play
A corporal punishment in the criminal world
Destruction of those who hurt the FMC
Maiming of those who hurt the FMC
A Blood Oath
Dedication
For all the dark romance readers who think striking a bargain with the villain will be thrilling, dangerous, and sexy, this is for you.
Chapter 1 – Daniella
Ipicked a piece of lint off my skirt as my heel tapping against the faux wood floor created an incessant beat. The prim receptionist shot me a side glance while typing on the keyboard with acrylic claws. When she noticed I was watching, her frown of annoyance turned into a big, bright, fake smile. I inwardly gave her the middle finger. She hadn’t stressed how important this was when she rang the executive floor.
If she even called up there in the first place.
You knew this could happen.
I huffed under my breath. Unless I showed my cards, it would be difficult to gain access to the upper floors of this building. But there was no way I would let a lowly employee such as the building’s receptionist see my hand. I had a damn ace up my sleeve.
Just because I wouldn’t hint at my true purpose, didn’t mean I couldn’t hurry this along. This needed to happen. I was here; I hadn’t come this far to flee at the first sign of difficulty. The call she supposedly placed to the top floor hadn’t been returned. Twenty minutes was long enough. I pushed to my feet and crossed the lobby.
“Can you please call Mr. Vlasov
“He’s been contacted, but he’s a very busy, very important man,” the receptionist responded tartly.
I shifted my weight, considering my options. There was a backup plan. Meeting him outside of the legitimate business space was certain death. Hell, meeting the monster in his offices was dancing with the afterlife. But anywhere else? Could I really do that?
There was no choice. I had to meet him.
I hope my guardian angel is ready for that….
The elevator dinged in the background.
“Ring him again, please,” I said, dropping the pleasant veneer.
The little twit opened her mouth to make an excuse when the elevator door opened. A man, who looked like he belonged in biking leathers rather than the deep navy suit, walked out. Ink stained his hand, and three chunky rings flashed in the light. That shoulder-length brown hair was combed off his face, gel accenting the natural wave. His dark gaze cut to mine. Pavel Lebedev, right hand to the CEO, was a man with a taste for violence. He had to be half savage to stand his boss.
I swallowed hard. The data compiled from the files I’d stolen flashed through my mind. He was one of the few underworld soldiers to have been prosecuted and served time. Only, it wasn’t in the American Justice System. It was a miracle he was out and in one piece.
As he marched across the lobby, Pavel smacked a packet of cigarettes against his palm, not taking his eyes off me. A cold sweat broke out along my spine, but there was no way in hell I was dropping his stare. If I wanted to do this, if I was serious about recruiting these vicious devils, I would have to get used to scary men.
“Good morning, sir, may I take a moment of your time?” I began, forcing my body not to tremble.
“You the one who rang for the CEO?” he clipped out.
I nodded. “Yes, I have delicate information—”
“Mr. Vlasov is out today,” he barked, sliding a cigarette from the pack.
That was bullshit. I watched Vlasov arrive. I missed dance practice to sit in a coffee house across the street from the parking ramp the employees used. I’d been waiting since five this morning, and he hadn’t left in the twenty minutes I’d been sitting here. The question was, how did I want to play this?
“He’s going to want to meet with me,” I insisted. While every fiber of my body might be laced with fear, I kept the shake from my voice.
Pavel slid his gaze down my body, taking in the slight structure that lacked plush, feminine curves. It wasn’t an outright lascivious look, more of a masculine appraisal. When his gaze swept back up, it was clear from the set of his jaw that he found me lacking.
“No, he won’t.” With that, the asshole continued his trek to the door.
“Can we set up an appointment with one of the other staff? Perhaps a team manager?” the receptionist asked, a smug look on her face.
“Yeah, I don’t think so,” I drawled. “You pass a message to Mr. Vlasov that his employees are making a big mistake.”
I turned on my heel and left to the sound of her sardonic chuckle. People like her didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. I wasn’t going to let her holier-than-thou-art attitude bother me. She was a means to an end, and now that I would have to go another way, she could be written off. I let the bad feelings slide away, falling to the threshold, as I walked through the door. There was only room in me for one emotion: anger. A righteous, all-consuming wrath. If I didn’t focus on that, I was in danger of falling apart.
I would not fall apart.
In addition to holding me together, the internal blaze kept me insane enough to attempt the impossible. Confronting an underworld player was always risky business. Made Men, mobsters, criminals in an organization—they didn’t fear the law. Which meant they feared little else. If I wasn’t going to be paralyzed by their presence, I had to be something they feared.
Magari! I wish.
As I exited the building, my gaze swiveled, taking in the plaza. Unlike other office buildings on this block, there was a sprawling open space with bushes and benches before the entrance to be enjoyed most months of the year. Since it was the beginning of January, no one was out here freezing in the biting cold. No one except the man in the designated smoking section.
Careful not to slip because of my delicate pumps, I picked my way across the mostly cleared ground. Pavel watched me. Although his body language screamed boredom, his scowl warned me to go the other way. I set my shoulders and stopped right in front of him.
“You’re making a mistake. I can help Vlasov with his problems,” I said firmly.
Pavel sucked on the smoke until the end blazed cherry red. “What problems?”
“Ones with his business,” I emphasized the word.
Interest flashed through the henchman’s eyes. “Business?” he repeated, testing me.
I reached out and plucked the cigarette from his fingers. Slipping it between my lips, I pulled the toxic air into my lungs. I quit smoking right after high school graduation, but the current hellscape that was my life tempted me back into old habits. The sweet buzz of nicotine instantly dulled the sharp edge of my emotions.
“Neb. Tech., of course,” I said sweetly, handing the death stick back.
“Uh-huh,” he murmured, nodding slowly.
For a brief moment, our fingers met. The contact stole my focus, and I noticed the scars littering his hands. On top of that, his skin was chapped from the cold. The crack on his pointer finger was deep. I winced inwardly. That had to hurt.
“Give him the message,” I insisted, before turning on my heel.
A heavy hand fell on my shoulder. My heart smashed into my ribs, sending my pulse racing. “How will we know where to reach you?” he said roughly.
Bait taken. “I’ll be in touch.”
Pavel scoffed, removing his hand. “He isn’t interested in gold diggers.”
I huffed. “I can assure you, I’m not after his last name.”
“Ambulance chaser?” the vetted criminal pushed, clearly having fun at my expense.
I gave him a cold look over my shoulder. “Disaster management.”
The beefy soldier just snorted as he put out his cigarette. “No, thanks. We’re not interested.”
Fine. I’ll just have to track him down at a less convenient time and tell him how you wouldn’t listen. “It’s your funeral,” I muttered as I marched away. This was clearly a dead-end, and I wasn’t going to stand out here in the sub-zero temperatures to be some morning entertainment for a soldier of the criminal underworld.
I was going to plot how to gain access to his boss.
Chapter 2 – Kazimir
Creeping to the shelter of a concrete pillar, I checked the clip in my handgun once more. Old habits died hard. There were eight rounds per clip, and one in the chamber. As the fight progressed, I would keep count. It was a tic, a quirk of mine. Having an empty gun meant the wrong people could die. The extra ammunition was in the pockets of my cargo pants, and my backup .45 was holstered on my left breast.
There was a shout from farther down the parking ramp. A shot rang out in warning. One of our targets was trigger-happy.
Good, they’re nervous. These thugs hadn’t expected an attack from above. That meant the strenuous climb up the back side, the towering height, and the dangling ropes weren’t a waste. The ghost of the harness still irritated muscles that hadn’t yet regained their full function. I could get used to these climbing shoes…if it wasn’t January and Lake Michigan’s caress wasn’t brushing against us.
“Shit, how did they know we were already here?” Stepan hissed.
“It’s not like we were noiseless,” I grumbled.
Dimitri pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, tongue running across it. “Let’s send them to hell, gentlemen,” my cousin growled, the fight blazing in his eyes.
I brushed a touch to the cross inked over my heart. If today was the day I met my maker, I was ready to go. Rising in one smooth move, I fired.
Nine.
The moving vans were right there. These thugs were hired by a bigger cartel to guard the transportation of drugs destined for rural areas. The product came off a shipping container earlier today, and we were going to destroy them before they left the city. It was a strategy to keep the cartels out of our territory.
