Page 17 of Innocently Imprisoned By the Bratva

My heart soars with ecstasy. I could sing and dance at this very moment. But, I still have a long way to freedom.

Adrenaline surges through my veins as I push the door open, expecting to step into the morning air and make my escape. But instead, I find myself face-to-face with Lev's men, their expressions a mixture of amusement and disappointment.

"Going somewhere?" one of them smirks, grabbing my arm tightly.

"Let go of me!" I hiss, trying to yank my arm free. But my attempts are futile, and they quickly bind my wrists together behind my back.

"Lev's not going to be happy about this," another man comments as they lead me back into the house, their grip unyielding.

I could seriously kick myself. I shouldn’t have tried to escape during the day, I should have waited until it was nighttime!

As we enter Lev’s office, his dark eyes burn with anger. His jaw is clenched, and I can feel the fury rolling off him in waves. “What’s going on?” he asks as he notices my hands are bound behind me.

“She picked the lock to the pantry room, Boss. Tried to run. We were right outside.”

He dismisses his men with a curt wave of his hand, and they leave us alone, shutting the door behind them.

"Did you really think you could just walk out of here?" he asks, his voice low and dangerous.

"I had to try," I reply, defiant. "You can't expect me to just accept being your prisoner without putting up a fight."

"You need to stop this madness, Pippa," Lev scoffs, walking circles around me like a predatory animal.

"Trying to escape is not madness," I snap back, trying to keep my voice steady despite my nerves. "But what you’re doing to me is!”

His eyes narrow, and for a moment, I fear I've pushed him too far. But then he steps behind me, his fingers expertly working at the knots binding my wrists together.

"Maybe you have more fight in you than I thought," he admits begrudgingly, his warm breath ghosting over my neck, and sending down a series of goosebumps.

The tension between us is palpable as Lev's nimble fingers work on the knots binding my wrists. The heat of his body radiates against mine, and I can't help but shiver at the way his fingers graze my ass with each motion.

"Stop it," I snap, trying to regain some semblance of control in this situation. "You're doing that on purpose."

"Am I?" he teases, his voice low and husky, causing an unwanted flutter in my chest. But I refuse to let him see how much he's affecting me.

"Untie these ropes and get your hands off me," I demand, my voice wavering only slightly. He chuckles, but finally, he pulls the last knot free, and my hands are my own again. I flex my fingers, rubbing away the lingering soreness.

"Fine, you're free," he smirks, taking a step back. "Now what?"

I square my shoulders, looking him straight in the eye. "I need to go to classes. I have a scholarship to maintain, and I can't afford to lose it because of this… whatever this is."

"Can't you just study here?" he suggests.

"I won’t get a degree educating myself now, would I? Some things require in-person attendance." I roll my eyes at him.

“Did you just… roll your eyes at me?” he asks, raising an eyebrow, laughter playing on his lips.

“Well, yes!” I cross my arms in front of me. “You’re so entitled, Lev Zolotov. You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, with a life of such luxury and power that you’d never understand what it’s like to have to fight your way up.” I point around at his office. “I don’t have a family to support me. I can barely make ends meet. I work, morning to night, that is before you kidnapped me, just to pay rent. I’m a scholarship student and if I mess this opportunity up, I will never get another chance like this again. Don’t you understand? My education is important to ME!” I scream at him.

He says nothing, the silence lulling me to find my voice again. In near whisper, I beg, “I could lose everything, and I have no future, unless if I get the chance to build it…please.”

He studies me for a moment, his eyes glaring into mine. There’s a tense silence in the air, and I begin to regret ever having raised my voice. For a second there, I forgot I am his prisoner.

If I make him angry, there could be serious consequences. My heart pounds in my chest and I open my mouth, prepared to apologize for my outburst, but to my surprise, he speaks first.

"Fine. You can go to your classes. But I'll be sending one of my men with you. No arguments."

I’m about to say thank you when the rest of the sentence hits me.

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