Page 97 of Forced Union

Wasting no time, I drop into a crouch and pull my gun. The first shot rings out in the confined space. A symphony follows as Konstantin’s men and mine exchange fire. Maks leads the charge.

In a matter of seconds I’m kneeling in a growing pool of blood. Konstantin’s men slump all around the room, either bleeding out or already dead.

I walk right up to their dazed leader and punch him again. He drops to the floor in an unconscious heap. Arrogant fucker really thought he’d won. He’ll learn soon enough that I’m the victor, and an avenging angel as I make him pay for his crimes against my loved ones.

“Take him to a holding cell at Riot,” I order Maks. “I’m going to find my wife.”

Pivoting, I exit the room and continue along the corridor, where I run into Blake. He motions me to a door at our left.

“We’ve searched this floor. Nothing. The crew’s cooperating with us, so no need to worry about them. Let’s go down a level.” He leads and I follow. Judging by the way he moves I’d think he had military training, then I remember that he’s a billionaire trust fund baby. Maybe he’s spent too much time playing virtual reality first person shooter games.

Or, he has enough money, maybe he pays people to play war-camp with him on the weekends for fun.

I shake away the irrelevant thoughts and focus on my surroundings. This level is storage and general cargo hold. We search two rooms that both hold generic supplies including food, water, and dry goods.

Frustration makes my jaw work. The primal need to get to Arianna grows stronger by the second. Konstantin delayed me for too long already. In that time, what has Boris done to her? My gut hollows out at just the vaguest notion.

I have to find them.

I have to find her.

A shrill scream pierces my ears when Blake pushes open another cargo hold door. That sound wraps around my insides and squeezes tight.

Rushing into the room, I find row after row of dog kennels, all containing women. Halfway down one row I hear them before I see them.

“Get back here, you little bitch,” Boris roars. “You’re going to take my dick. One way or another.”

He has my wife on her hands and knees, her dress pushed up around her hips to expose her bare ass. He’s kneeling behind her with is dick in hand. She’s struggling to get away from him.

Blind fury like I’ve never experienced before overtakes my body. I charge.

CHAPTER 47

Arianna

Boris’s meaty hands keep reaching for me, tearing at my clothes and trying to hold my hips still so he can force himself on me. Rape me. I scream, for all the good that does, and struggle against his hold. My desperation drives me, giving me a strength I didn’t know I had.

But it’s not enough. I’m shut into a barred cage with this man. There’s no escape. My fate is sealed.

And if Konstantin’s telling the truth about selling me, then this will only be the first of many assaults to come. Pure terror twists in my stomach. I feel like a caged animal fighting for a hopeless chance at freedom. All reason has fled, leaving only my instincts intact.

Fight, run, or freeze. Those are my only options. All of them are pointless.

This happened to Ilaria six years ago. I’ve always known it would happen to me, too. Deep down, I knew we’d share the same fate, we were so close, inseparable.

I’ll never be safe. No matter what. Not unless I can get far, far away from this brutal world. Away from men who use and discard women as easily as a condom. Away from the darkness that overtakes us all in the end.

But, it’s too late now.

Boris grabs my hips and pulls me against him. My ass smacks against his balls. Another soul-splitting scream crawls up my throat. He curses at me.

Then cool air sweeps across my backside. Suddenly, he’s gone. I’m free.

I pull my skirt down and scoot away until my back hits a corner. I need to get out of here. I need to?—

My panicked gaze finds Boris lying on the floor right outside of the cage. Dimitri’s on top of him, pummeling his face. Finally, I tune into the thwacking sounds of pounding flesh and the crunch of bone.

This isn’t a fight, it’s an execution. It’s punishment.

---