Page 11 of The Bratva's Forced Bride

I was sure my cousins would’ve locked the door behind her if they were in my situation, but I felt she wouldn’t go anywhere regardless.

Chapter 4 - Grace

No heartbreak could measure up to how devastated I felt.

Two days had passed since Yaro took me from my dorm room. I hadn’t heard anything about what I was supposed to do or how long I was meant to stay there. There was no word on what was going on with my classes or if I was even still a student there. After all the work I had put in, it seemed it had been for nothing.

Since Yaro mentioned the marriage I was going to be forced into, I could only imagine my time there would be longer than I wanted. Even a moment inside the condo was too long for my liking.

Sleep came surprisingly easy for me since there wasn’t much else I could do. I stayed within those four walls for those two days, with various things being dropped on a table next to the door.

Food was freshly picked up and wrapped for me, different sanitary items, and even a bag of clothes with the tags still on. I picked at what I wanted when I got hungry enough, but for the most part, I felt nauseous.

Not that I tested it, but I knew the door was unlocked. Based on the fact that there was no click sound before or after things were delivered to me, it only made sense.

As Yaro promised, I wasn’t locked in there like a prisoner, but I felt like one.

Thinking about my dad’s betrayal was enough to leech the determination from my bones, and I was left to feel like a pile of heavy limbs. I didn’t see a point in fighting if I was going to be overpowered by the much bigger man who took me.

I had no doubt the building was under total surveillance as he said. Given that he had somehow learned my school, campus, and dorm number, I could only imagine his connections. If he had been angry enough to follow my dad up on his offer, then he surely had more than enough money to feel like a monetary payment wouldn’t suffice.

The condo alone was enough proof that he was wealthy, and if he wanted it, he likely got it.

Stuck with my thoughts in that room alone, I had never felt more trapped. Regardless of the unlocked door, my freedom had been completely stripped.

With no phone, I couldn’t connect with anyone outside that place. I couldn’t even call my dad and scream at him for using me as a pawn.

Even if my dad had his problems, I never imagined I’d be caught in the middle of it. I had planned on leaving him and Boston since I was a young girl, and that plan took a long time to execute.

I was well on my way to living the life I wanted for myself, and yet he had to find a way to ruin that, too. Not only did he make all that effort completely useless, but he also managed to write off the rest of my life.

Without my knowledge or consent, I would be signed off to Yaro, and the only hope I had was if he somehow changed his mind. If he decided not to follow through with it.

Stepping out of the shower after marinating in my filth for long enough, I felt a little better. I pulled the brush Yaro got me through my long hair and dried it with a towel.

I had nowhere better to be, and I figured it would help the day go by faster. Not that I had a release date to think about or anything.

With the towel still wrapped around me, I reached for the bag of clothes and grabbed a comfortable pair of soft joggers and a grey hoodie. They were some of the most straightforward items he had grabbed, and mustering the desire to wear anything else took too much energy.

I had spent the last two days alone since Yaro never came in at night. While the space was nice—since I would’ve fought him against it if he had tried—it felt strange that we had hardly exchanged two words with each other since I arrived.

I hadn’t exactly been open to conversing with him, but to think he planned to marry us perplexed me.

While staying in the room by myself sounded tempting, I was going stir-crazy. I needed to see something else, even if it meant running into him.

For my sanity, it was in my best interest to pretend that Yaro wasn’t there at all. To try and trick myself into thinking that nothing was wrong.

But a part of me felt curious about who my apparent fiancé was. Even if he didn’t seem like the most open person, I wanted to try at least and make the situation easier to stomach. Plus, I was tired of sitting in the bedroom all by myself.

Closing the bedroom door behind me, I drew a deep breath and carefully padded through the condo, taking in my surroundings. I didn’t know why I needed to tiptoe around, but I didn’t want to disturb the peace. It was easier to be quiet and to make myself smaller.

I was unfamiliar with the space, making me feel slightly more secure as I turned corners and checked everything out.

Moving down the stairs, I noticed how the morning light poured in through the bright windows and brought everything to life. I appreciated that sight, and it made me realize just how bored I indeed had been to find something so mundane and beautiful.

The closer I was to the kitchen, the louder a light sizzling sound became. The smell of cooking eggs hit me next, and I couldn’t help but take a deep breath.

Yaro stood over the stove, moving fresh eggs around in a frying pan, alongside fresh onions and peppers. A plate of bacon was ready at the side, and bread was browning in the toaster oven.

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