Page 22 of Kidnapped By the Bratva

This would be the perfect way to escape.

Until I look down and see the guards patrolling the grounds. Nik may not allow the men at the factory to carry loaded weapons, but this feels different. These men look like they’re ready to kill someone on the spot if anyone approaches.

I bury my face in my hands, and my stomach churns. I’m trapped. There is no way out.

My head is spinning out of control. All I can think about is Joseph and the way his blood spilled on the ground. His eyes will haunt my dreams and my mind for a long time.

I can’t think about escaping right now. I need to clear my head and get some rest.

Even though Joseph’s blood is gone from my skin, the scent of death clings to me. It may just be in my head, but I have the urge to scrub my skin raw. I need to erase the memory of Joseph’s death from my body.

Bottles of perfume cluster together on top of a wooden dresser. There is a stand with beautiful gold necklaces dangling from it.

I wonder whose room this is?

I open the door on the right, the silky robe brushing against my shoulder as I peer into the bathroom.

Ah, a hot bath is calling my name.

Bottles of bubble bath and a bowl full of bath bombs sit on the white marble counter. Against one wall in front of a massive window is a giant white tub.

I turn on the taps and inspect the rest of the bedroom in the meantime.

When I look at the bed pressed against the middle of one wall, all I can think about is slipping beneath the silk sheets and sleeping. Though I should be thinking about my escape plan, I just need a moment to myself. I need to take time to process everything that’s happened in the last several hours.

A good rest if I want to get out of here. A bath and a nap. And then I can figure out what to do.

“You’ve got this.”

Talking to myself helps chase the fear away a little. I just need to focus on putting one foot in front of the other and doing my best to leave all this behind.

That starts with taking back a little bit of my confidence. Building myself back into the woman who was able to seduce a member of the Russian mafia before arresting him. I need to be the version of Hazel that has everything under control.

Even if Nik throws me off balance again.

Ugh, I need to get out of his shirt.

The scent of his cologne clings to the fabric, reminding me of the kiss downstairs.

It may have been the best kiss I’ve ever had, but that doesn’t change who he truly is.

Or the fact that my body aches for him even though I should be running away as fast as I can.

I pull open the closet door and to my surprise, expensive dresses in a rainbow of colors jump out at me. I dig through the clothing, looking at the tags. Most of the clothing seems new, but there are pieces without tags. The more I look through the closet, the worse I feel.

He’s keeping clothes for his whores.

There is no reason for a man to have any of those things unless he is married or has a revolving door of ladies coming in and out of his life. I know the latter applies to Nik.

I glare at the clothes before I slam the door. As I lean against the door, I let out a loud angry huff.

It’s insane to be jealous of women I don’t know. I’ve kissed him once. Although he sends waves of lust through my body, he isn’t mine. He shouldn’t be mine. He’s everything that I despise.

And yet, there’s a part of me that wants more.

A bath. I need a bath. Scald the feeling of Nik’s hands off my body.

I head back into the bathroom. Steam clouds the room with the scent of honey as I toss a bath bomb in. Thick piles of bubbles form on the surface and I strip out of my clothing.

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