Page 80 of Bound By Hate (Born in Blood)

For the first time since I’ve known Aleksander, he looks like he could truly shake me out of frustration.

He bangs on the back door, and it opens, revealing the two guards who forced me onto the stage before. I stumble back, catching my breath. The urge to vomit hits me again.

These men participated in hurting me.

Aleksander punches each of them in the face in quick succession, knocking them both back.

But they’re not unconscious yet.

Aleksander grabs his gun and aims it at their heads. “Back up,” he growls. “I don’t have time to waste.”

The two men slowly step back, letting Aleksander and me into the building. We’re backstage. It hits me all over again. I was sold in a building just like this one. I was all alone.

I wonder if Mila feels the same way.

Aleksander uses his gun to whip one of the guards in the head, and the man crumples to the floor, knocked out. The other guard runs at Aleksander, but he manages to wrap his arms around the man’s throat and pull him into a chokehold. The man struggles, so I kick him in the balls, making him slump against Aleksander.

Tightening his hold, Aleksander slowly makes the guard go unconscious. He drops the guard’s body down by the other one. “Thanks for your help.”

“I said I would help, didn’t I?”

The look Aleksander gives me is undecipherable.

We walk slowly and carefully toward the stage to avoid anyone sneaking up on us or hearing us.

When the stage comes into my view, I see Mila up there, a collar around her neck, in the same position I was in. The men are auctioning her. We arrived just in time.

I start to rush forward, but Aleksander grabs my arm. “What are you doing?” I hiss. “She’s right there.”

“I know. And if we run onto that stage, then all those men will see us. I don’t have the key to unlock her collar. We’ll wait until she’s sold and then follow her and the man who bought her outside. We’ll grab Mila then.”

“We have to get her know.”

“No.” He tightens his hold on my arm. “I’m not letting you do that, Viktoriya. I’m in charge right now. We need to be smart about this. I will save your sister. Do not worry.”

“How can I trust you?”

He looks like I just slapped him across the face. “I’m here right now, aren’t I?”

I have no response to that.

With a deep sigh, my shoulders slump, and I nod. “Fine. We’ll wait. But we’re not going to let her go without a fight.”

“I promise you that.”

ALEKSANDER

Viktoriya and I hide while we watch Mila on the stage. My wife has surprised me tonight. Her ferocity and bravery are impressive. I wanted her for the challenge she posed. The spoiled rich girl I could tame.

But Viktoriya is showing me that maybe there’s more to her than just the spoiled rich girl persona. Maybe she does have a heart.

And if that’s the case, then breaking her won’t be as fun. It makes me reconsider breaking her at all.

Mila is eventually sold to a middle-aged man for over a million dollars. The look of pure anguish on her face is upsetting. It makes me wonder if Viktorya looked like that when she was on that stage.

The curtain closes.

Then nothing happens. Mila isn’t getting released from her collar. None of the women on the stage are.

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