Page 110 of Caged

She’s alive.

“Mila.” I add more urgency to the sound, but not enough to draw attention. I hope.

Nothing.

Fuck.

A scraping sound comes through the thick concrete walls, faint, but distinct.

Footsteps follow and grow louder.

“Melissa!” I hiss, quietly begging her to hear me.

If we’re to die today, I at least want to talk to her one last time.

Tell her how I feel.

How badly I want her, and how I forgive her for what she did. I just need her to know, before we’re gone, that I’ll find her again.

I promised her forever… even in death.

A heavy thump and the grinding of metal screeches through the moist air.

Blinding white light erupts from overhead. Blinking, my eyes focus on a face I never wanted to see again.

Ivan with a broad smile on his graying, bearded face.

His dog Dmitri stands grinning by his side.

“Welcome home, son.” Ivan moves closer and pats me on the top of the head.

Then crosses his arm across his body before backhanding me.

Pain explodes from my mouth, but I don’t make a sound. He’s taught me well through the years to take what he dishes out.

“It appears that I hired the right bitch to find you.” He wipes his knuckles on his expensive pants and smooths his white hair. “I told her to use any means necessary. She’s quite good at her job, isn’t she?” He nods to Dmitri.

The pale man steps over to Mila, and it makes anger grow in my chest watching him. “You stay the fuck away from her,” I growl.

He gives me a side glance, then with a smirk reaches out and waves something under her nose.

The overwhelming scent of ammonia soaks the room.

But, her head turns, and with a moan she pulls away from his hand.

It’s only when her eyes open and fix on me that I feel a tiny bit of relief.

I’m glad she stays quiet as she takes in the room. My father’s rage has no bounds when there’s protest. I learned that very young, as well.

“I wanted to thank you for bringing what I asked you to.” Ivan’s hands open as if he were a benevolent man. I know better.

Mila glances at me, then back to him. “You wanted the diamonds.”

“Yes. And, I have them. You luring Nikolai to me is the icing on the cake.”

Her eyes narrow. “I didn’t.”

I think she’s saying it more for me than for him.

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