Page 14 of The Bratva's Hostage

The first-floor corridor was even more finely decorated than the ground floor, and several expensive-looking vases lined the front of one wall. I heard the voices coming up the stairs, and without thinking, I rushed into one of the rooms on my right, praying as I twisted the door handle.

Closing the door quietly behind me I scampered across the room, ducking behind the massive bed. I listened quietly, too afraid to breathe as the voices walked past the room.

The footsteps retreated down the hallway and I let out a pent-up breath. How the fuck am I supposed to get out of here? It’s impossible. I can’t do it.

I looked around the room I’d taken refuge in. It was wonderfully decorated, like it belonged to someone important. I couldn’t stay here. But where could I go?

I heard a sound outside the window, and I crawled to it. There was movement in the courtyard below. From where I hid, I could see the front of the house. Four men stood there, talking with anxious postures. Two SUVs pulled up, and the four men split into separate cars.

I recognized Maksim and his second-in-command, as they got into the same vehicle. The cars pulled out of the driveway, and the massive gate that led to the streets clanged shut behind them.

Four men stood guard there, and they were armed. There was no getting past that gate. I took a mental map of the house and decided to get to the other side, facing away from the heavily guarded gate.

Without a second thought, I rushed into the hallway and took off running. As I got to the end of it, I entered the room to my left. My luck held firm; the room was empty.

I hurried to the window. There was a garden with trees below, and beyond the line of trees, a tall iron fence was visible. If I could make it through the garden without being spotted, I could scale the fence.

The backyard appeared deserted, but there was no way to be sure. I judged the distance to the back fence to be about one hundred yards. It would take me a few seconds to get to it. If I was quick enough, I could be over the fence even if someone saw me dashing through the garden.

I had barely lifted the window a few inches when I felt a hand around my neck from behind, squeezing the air out of me. Dissolving into panic, I let the window drop and clasped the hand holding me with both hands, scratching wildly. The figure towered behind me, and I feared the man from earlier had found me, although I had no idea how he’d woken up so fast.

Regaining some composure, I stomped hard on a booted foot. My attacker grunted, and in a ridiculous show of strength, lifted me into the air, and slammed me hard into the nearest wall.

The air rushed out of me in a torrent, and I tasted blood in my mouth. He held me firmly against the wall—my legs dangling inches over the floor—and leaned forward, his lips inches away from my ear.

“And where the fuck do you think you’re going, princess?”

I froze. This wasn’t the brute I’d strangled. It was Maksim! But hadn’t I seen him leaving? My head swam violently, and my thoughts scattered like dust in the wind.

Maksim’s hand tightened around my throat, and I struggled to breathe, choking as I grappled with the futility of pulling air into my burning lungs. Hot tears welled in my eyes and rolled down my cheeks, shadows filling the corners of my eyes.

He’s going to kill me. He’s going to kill me with his bare hands, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

His grip slackened and he opened his hand. I crumpled to the floor, boneless like a rag doll. I swallowed mouthfuls of air, shivering with fear at how close I’d come to my death. My lungs and throat screamed in pain, and tears flowed freely from my eyes as I coughed fitfully.

Maksim crouched beside me. I looked up at him with red, blurry eyes. I’d never seen anyone look angrier and more murderous in all my life. All the hate and bitterness that existed in the world paled in comparison to what I saw in his cold, green eyes.

He looked me over with disgust stark on his face. When he spoke, his voice sounded as hard as iron. “Let me make one thing crystal clear to you, princess. There’s no escape from me. None whatsoever. This is the last attempt you will make. The next time you do, I promise, I will kill you and dump your body in the Hudson. Do you understand?”

I stared into his eyes as a cold shiver ran through my bones. I knew he meant it. There was no humor or misdirection in his voice, He meant everything he said. Not trusting myself to speak, I just nodded.

That satisfied him and he got back to his feet. “Good. Now that that small misunderstanding is out of the way, shall we talk about something more… positive?” He walked to the bed and sat on it. I remained on the floor, watching him warily like a wounded animal.

“It seems we have found a solution to our small problem.” He gestured at a chair. I considered hesitating but thought against it. I quickly sat down, and he continued. “I have a proposal for you, one that I believe will serve both our needs.”

I watched him, my eyes filled with distrust. “Go on.”

“We should get married.”

The unexpected statement threw me into a coughing fit. “Are you fucking insane?” The disbelief was clear on my face, and in return, he smiled.

“Ah, I expected this reaction from you.” He shook his head. “You heard me, Elena, but to clear any misunderstanding, I repeat. I propose a marriage between us.”

“No,” I replied without thinking. Was he crazy? How did he think this would work? He’d have to kill me if that was the alternative, but he would not kidnap me, and press me into marrying him.

He sighed deeply. “Stubborn like all Italians. Focus, princess. I know you are a smart and savvy woman. Our two families have suffered enough from the fights. We’ve lost friends, money, and time, and I’m tired of it all. The only way to end this feud is to join both our families through marriage.”

“It’s impossible,” I replied, momentarily forgetting about the burning feeling around my neck.

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