Page 11 of Between Power and Passion

Tears I've held back spill down my cheeks again. The man I loved—love—stands before me, utterly unreachable.

"I don't want to keep you down here, bound to a chair," he says after a long pause.

My heart leaps with a spark of hope before his next words dash it away. "You helped me once, so I'll extend that courtesy." He shifts his weight, glancing toward the door. "But I can't have you pulling a stunt like you did earlier."

I nod, my voice catching in my throat. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to see you."

Several tense heartbeats pass before he breaks the silence. "Nothing can happen between us, Valentina." My name on his lips sends a pang through my stomach. I turn my face away, unable to meet his eyes. A tremor runs through me, and I wrap my arms around myself, as if to hold the pieces of my shattered heart together.

Dmitri crosses to the door. "I'll send the guard to show you to your room if you promise not to try to run again."

I nod, not trusting my voice. Dmitri lingers for a moment, then leaves the room.

I bury my face in my hands as sobs shake my body. The enormity of Dmitri's words hits me with brutal force. My own father, the man who doted on me and provided every luxury, is responsible for the utter destruction of Dmitri's family. How could he be so heartless, so cruel?

A million questions swirl in my mind as the veil of ignorance is ripped away. I had lived such a sheltered, privileged life. How many others suffered at my father's hands while I remained blissfully unaware?

The scrape of a key in the lock jolts me, and I hastily wipe the tears from my cheeks as the door swings open. A burly guard eyes me warily.

"Follow me." His gruff voice leaves no room for argument.

With leaden steps, I trail behind him through a dimly lit hallway and up the stairs. He stops before an ornate wooden door and gestures for me to enter. The room is far nicer than I expected: There's a queen-sized bed draped in plush linens, and antique armoires line the walls.

"The boss says you're free to move around, but I'll be with you at all times." He pins me with a stern look.

I nod mutely, my gaze drifting to the window. Night has fallen, the inky blackness providing no clues about my location. The guard slips back through the door, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Sinking onto the edge of the bed, I stare up at the vaulted ceiling.

"Did you know, Mama?" I whisper into the stillness. "Did you know the kind of monster Papa truly is?"

Chapter 6 - Dmitri

I jolt awake from a light doze at the sound of muffled noises outside my office. My body tenses, instantly alert. Reaching for the phone, I dial Alexei's number. He answers after the first ring. For someone who sleeps like the dead, Alexei has never not picked up a call at the first ring.

"They're here." I don't need to say more.

"Got it." His reply is clipped.

I hang up and grab my gun from the desk drawer. The weight of it feels reassuring in my hand. My fingers brush the hilt of the knife I always keep close, the blade that has saved my life many times.

I expected this. Sergei would never sit idle while someone challenged his authority. His men aren't here to rescue Valentina—they've come for me. For us.

I leave my office and move silently through the dimly lit corridors. The house is eerily quiet, with only the soft thud of my footsteps on the hardwood floor. I stay close to the walls, using the shadows for cover.

At the end of the hallway, I fling open the door. A figure emerges from the shadows, gun raised. I react with instinct honed by years of survival. My knife flashes in the dim light as I sidestep him and thrust the blade into his exposed throat with lethal precision. The body drops to the floor with a thud.

Alexei appears at the other end of the corridor, his eyes alert and gun drawn. We exchange a terse nod. He turns left; I go right.

I move swiftly down the hallway, my footsteps silent on the hardwood floor. Adrenaline courses through my veins as I approach the next room. I pause, listening for any sound that might give away an enemy's position. Hearing nothing, I kick open the door.

Two men whirl around, guns raised. I don't hesitate. Two quick shots, and they fall to the ground. I step over their lifeless bodies, scanning for more threats.

A shuffle behind me is my only warning. I spin, my knife slashing in a deadly arc. Another man falls, clutching his sliced throat. Blood sprays the wall in a gruesome pattern.

The tang of copper fills the air as I move deeper into the house. Alexei's voice echoes from somewhere ahead, followed by a burst of gunfire. He's engaged the enemy.

I round a corner, and a figure looms in the shadows. Before he can react, I'm on him. My blade finds its mark, sinking into his chest with sickening ease. He gurgles, eyes wide with shock as I twist the knife. Another body joins the growing pile.

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