Page 49 of Forced Bratva Bride

A man tied to a chair in front of him, black and blue and covered in thick, bleeding cuts.

My father laughs as blood pours from the man’s mouth. In my father’s hands is a knife, and a long pair of—are those tongs?

I squint my eyes, trying to deny what I am seeing.

Gripped in the tongs is what looks like a human tongue.

Panic surges in me.

I hear my father laugh again. “You won’t be telling anyone anything ever again.”

I spin and bolt down the passage as fast and silent as I can. I rush down the stairs and run straight out of the house.

Ivan spins to face me as I push open the front door and rush outside.

“Jeez, Chiara, you scared the daylights out of me. Oh. What’s wrong?” He walks towards me. “You look really pale, what's going on?” he asks, his voice becoming darkly serious.

I wave my hand, trying to smile. “I ate something—weird—last night. I think—I think I have food poisoning. I don’t feel—well,” I say between gasping breaths as I try to hold back the vomit threatening to spill out.

“Oh no, let me get one of the guys to drive you home, or to a doctor. You should be resting.”

I shake my head. “No, I’ll be fine in a second. It will pass.”

He stands close to me with his hand on my back as I lean over, catching my breath. I can’t stay here. I need to leave quickly. My father can’t know that I saw him.

“I'm going to drive straight home and get into bed I think,” I chuckle, weakly.

“That's probably the best thing to do. Get someone to collect some meds for you.”

I nod, standing up slowly as my vision clears and my body, still shaking, is able to move again.

I walk to the car and Ivan quickly runs ahead to open the door for me.

“Are you sure you're okay to drive?”

“Yes, it’s passed now. I’ll just go straight home.”

“Alright. Take care of yourself.”

He closes the door behind me, and I drive off in a hurry.

I arrive home with my entire body still shaking. Did I really just see that?

My father was torturing a man.

And the look on his face. I have never seen him look like that before. He looked ecstatic. He looked deliriously happy. The sound of his laughter, so twisted, is still ringing in my ears.

I wipe my arm across my forehead, feeling the perspiration.

Inside the house, I wander from room to room trying find to Maxim, calling out for him. I just need to see him. I hope he's home already. I just need to be near him.

Finally, I find him in the gym with his headphones in, sweat glistening on his body, topless and lifting weights.

“Maxim,” I repeat angrily.

He spots me and pulls one of his earphones out. “Chiara, hey, were you calling me?”

“I’ve been calling your name for ages, and you didn’t even bother to answer,” I snap.

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