Page 68 of Bound By Hate (Born in Blood)

With a sigh, I open the door and get out. “Happy?”

“I am,” he answers in a sincere tone. “Come along.”

I follow him inside, where his housekeeper greets me. She’s an older woman named Nika. At least she’s old. If Aleksanderhad a young woman as his housekeeper, I’m not sure I would’ve been fine with it.

The foyer is grand, with marble floors and a large chandelier overhead. It all screams “new money.” The house I grew up in was understated because my parents—who were born into wealth—knew not to flaunt it.

I guess Aleksander didn’t get the memo.

“You look disgusted,” he observes. “Don’t like what you see?”

“I don’t. It’s all so … gaudy.”

“I can assure you, it’s just the foyer that’s like this. The rest of the house isn’t so … loud. The bedroom is quite calming.”

My face turns hot at the talk of “the bedroom.”

Aleksander leads me into the kitchen, where a large spread of food is already on the table. “Eat,” he orders.

For once, I don’t hesitate to dig into the food, and I eat and eat and eat until I can’t eat anymore.

Once I’m done, Aleksander sits back in his seat and eyes me over. “How do you feel?”

I don’t like how he thinks he has any power over me. In fact, Ihateit.

But if I’m being honest … this was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time. When I was eating, I wasn’t thinking of anything else. Not Mila or Sofiya. Not what Gleb did to me. Akim.

Not even dance was on my mind.

I felt free for just a moment.

So, I answer Aleksander’s question. “I feel perfect.”

Chapter

Eleven

VIKTORIYA

Over the next few days, Aleksander and I fall into a routine. He makes me eat. I do. And I don’t throw it up.

He doesn’t try touching me. My rib is still cracked, but it’s getting easier to move around and breathe. It only hurts if I move too fast.

Which means dance is out of the question for now.

I spend my days thinking longingly of ballet and how I might never be able to do it again. My ankle has grown stronger, which is encouraging. But the more I eat, the more weight I gain. I look healthier now in a normal weight range.

But it’s too much to dance ballet.

I try not to let it bother me, but I can’t stop it from reaching my mind. Not even Aleksander can save me from my thoughts.

“I have an idea,” he tells me after dinner when we’re sitting on the couch.

“What’s that?” My hands rest over my stomach, where I feel truly full after eating a large meal.

“You don’t fully know who I am. I’ve shown you a little bit, but you don’t know the full extent. I like to partake in BDSM, Viktoriya.”

I stare at him for a moment before I scoff. “What? Like whips and things?”

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