Page 30 of Ruby Menace

“Agent Thomson?” The man looks around at the others. “Eta suka dumayet, chto my politseyskiye.” There’s more laughter, and there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s at my expense. “You think we’re cops, bitch?”

“Um… I don’t know.” I scramble stupidly for words, my head still pounding. A part of me is still clinging to the hope that these guys are undercover operatives, even though it’s painfully clear that they’re not.

Don’t be an idiot, Tiana.

These guys are not here to help you.

As if to confirm my suspicion, the men speak another string of Russian, then laugh again. I feel a cold knot of fear blossoming in my stomach.

“Let me be very clear, suka.” he says, grinning. It’s not a friendly expression. “You’re here as bait. Play along and you just might survive.”

“Bait?” I repeat, my heart starting to pound in my chest. “What are you talking about?”

“What do you think? To set a trap for Kirill Vyronov,” the man says, his grin turning into a sneer. “And what better way to draw him out of his fucking cave than by kidnapping his pregnant woman?”

No.

I feel a wave of nausea wash over me as it all sinks in. My suspicion has been confirmed. They’re members of a rival gang, and they’ve kidnapped me to lure Kirill out to them. And worst of all, they know I’m pregnant.

How the hell do they know I’m pregnant?

I swallow hard, but refuse to say anything. I know it would be useless. I could beg all I want, these are not guys I’m going to reason with. But it takes every ounce of my will to fight down the surge of panic creeping up my spine.

I have to find a way to get out of here.

The first thought that comes to mind is that Kirill will come for me. That’s what they want, after all. But that also means they will be prepared for him. He’d be putting himself in danger – just as they’re planning.

I can’t just lie here!

I try to stand up, but my legs give out beneath me, and I collapse back onto the floor. The men exchange words then one of them strides over, leans down, and grabs my arm, pulling me to my feet.

“Time to move, devochka. Let’s find out what you have to say about that fucker Vyronov,” he smirks as he binds my wrists behind me with an efficiency that speaks of years, if not decades of experience.

“I… I don’t know anything about Vyronov,” I stammer, my mind racing. “He doesn’t tell me anything about his business.” I try to fight back, but my body is too weak, and my mind is still foggy from whatever they used to knock me out. Besides, even if I wasn’t reeling from what I’ve been through, I’d be no match for these guys. They’re ruthless brutes. It’s clear that they wouldn’t think twice about killing me if it suited them.

Too disheartened to keep fighting, I finally give in as they haul me toward a door at the far side of the warehouse. Several of the men hang back while the two who’d initially spoken to me take over.

Unwillingly, I’m dragged out of the warehouse and thrown into the trunk of another vehicle. Once I’m out in the open, I put up another futile fight. “Help! Help me!” I scream, praying that someone might hear me.

“Tikhiy, suka! Shut the fuck up!” one of the guys snarls. My efforts only earn me a cuff to the head before something is stuffed into my mouth and bound in place. Then the trunk is slammed shut, and an engine roars to life as the car begins to move. I curl into a fetal position on my side, my tightly bound wrists screaming in protest.

It’s okay, baby,

We will be okay…

Panic claws at my chest, but I can’t afford to give up – it’s not just my life on the line anymore. I steel myself, forcing myself not to give in to hopelessness, trying to focus on anything but the fear and pain. With the way my mind is still swirling with confusion, it’s not too difficult. Desperate for any form of comfort, I tug at the stray tendrils that are all I have left of my mother. Fuzzy moments I’ve clung to. I think back to one of the few memories I have of her. It was one of the last times as a child that I felt like I was truly cared about by someone.

I was maybe four or five years old, and my mother had taken me to the park. We were sitting on a bench, watching the other kids play, when she turned to me and smiled.

“You know, Tiana,” she said, “you’re going to be someone very special one day. You’re so smart and strong and beautiful. You can do anything you set your mind to.”

I swallow a lump in my throat. I remember feeling so loved and protected in that moment, like nothing in the world could ever hurt me as long as I had my mother by my side.

But then she was gone, and I was left alone with a father who didn’t care about me and a world that seemed determined to break me.

It’s breaking me now.

At least, it felt that way until I met Kirill. Sure, he doesn’t love like a normal person, but he’s more obsessed with me than anyone ever has been and probably ever will be again. However long that might be. And even though I know I shouldn’t, I can’t help but feel love for him.

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