Page 42 of Baby for the Bratva

I groan, dragging my tired feet to the door and opening it slowly. A tall man in a black suit stands outside. His eyes are cold and clinical, like he was made in a lab.

My stomach does a somersault, even though I know Yuri sent him. There’s just something about his eyes that unsettles me, like he could kill someone without feeling anything.

When he speaks, I hear that distinct Russian accent, like Yuri has. “You will need to stay in the room until Yuri returns. It will not be long.”

“Where exactly did he go?” I ask, refusing to open the door more than an inch.

“That is classified information,” the man replies.

Classified? That’s an odd way of putting it.

“Okay, at least tell me who you are,” I say.

“Dima,” he answers flatly.

“Okay, Dima, let me ask you something else. Why do I need to stay in the room? I could go back to mine.”

His bushy blonde eyebrows come together in a deep scowl, and his voice deepens. “Not possible.”

“Why not? Am I being kept prisoner?” I ask, anger rising in my chest. I don’t like being bullied, and this robotic weirdo is toeing the line.

“You are not a prisoner. You are being kept here for you own safety,” he says. It sounds like he’s parroting a memorized script. Does he understand how ridiculous he sounds?

“I want to go back to my room. It’s just next door,” I say.

“Not possible.”

I groan, opening the door a little more. “Just let me out. Stop blocking the door or you will be keeping me prisoner. I might add that doing so is against the law.”

I’m almost laughing inside. I doubt the law is going to stop one of Yuri’s men at this point. They’re all a little whacky, and most certainly dangerous. I’ve given up on the notion that Yuri is an undercover hero. He’s obviously running some kind of criminal operation on this cruise ship, and I’ve stumbled right into the middle of it.

Dima places his hand against the door, pushing it open so hard that I stumble backward. He pauses for a moment, adjusting his tie before walking in. He closes the door behind him, folding his arms over his chest and standing there so still it’s like he’s been turned to stone.

“Jesus,” I mutter, taking a long step back from him. He’s creeping me the fuck out. Why would Yuri send someone like this to keep me trapped in his bedroom?

“Are you just going to stand there?” I ask, unsure of what to do.

Dima nods. “I have been assigned to protect you.”

More robotic behavior. Yuri has a lot to explain when he comes back, but the first thing I’m going to do before I ask any questions is slap him so hard that he sees stars. I’ve never felt the need for violence, not even against Tyler, but Yuri has turned out to be a real wicked piece of work.

I sit on the bed, trying to make sense of this, but my head is spinning. Everything is happening so fast. First, the breakup, then the shooting, and now this? I’m on a bad trip, and it’s only getting worse.

I look up at Dima after a minute of silence, and he’s standing in the exact same position as before. I’m sure not a single hair on his body has moved.

“So, you’re really just going to stand there like a statue all night?”

“Yes, I have been assigned to protect you.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Please, Dima, try to talk like a human being.”

He doesn’t respond, and I want to throw something at him. Would he even flinch? I’m tempted to try, but then again, I don’t know what he’d do if I triggered him. He’s already shown me that he’s not afraid to use force, and even though he claims to be protecting me, what he’s actually doing is holding my captive.

Would screaming work? I doubt anyone would be able to get into the room in time. I could be dead within seconds of opening my mouth.

So, I’m confined to Yuri’s room for an indefinite amount of time in silence. There’s no way out, and there’s nothing to do. I didn’t bring anything with me except the key to my room. I’m not even wearing panties, for God’s sake.

Just me and Dima.

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