Page 10 of Shackled

Viktor roars and decks the wall, unloading the punch that was meant for me. A puff of dust goes up as drywall piles on the floor. My insides clench.

Lev holds me at arm’s length and gives me a teeth-chattering shake.

“This is no boy.”

Fuck.

With a sudden movement, he runs his thumb along my jawline, showing a dark smudge of eye makeup left behind on his skin like a fingerprint in ink. “Unless the trending thing to do is to draw stubble with makeup.” He shakes his head. “Kids these days.”

Grabbing my arm firmly, he pulls me closer.

“No!” I scream, forgetting to use the lower voice, as he reaches for my ball cap and yanks it off my head. He tears the elastic straight down, pain exploding along my scalp. Fuck. Thick, glossy waves tumble down around my shoulders. My stomach plummets, but I keep myself together. I will not cave now.

Lev, still holding me tightly, narrows his eyes. “You’re not a boy,” he says, more to himself than anyone. I swallow as his grip tightens, and he seems to be processing this new information.

I swallow. “Neither are you.”

I’m not sure which of us is more surprised.

“Secure the perimeter,” Mikhail snaps, jerking his chin at Ollie and Nikko. They run outside.

I smile at Lev and laugh. “Go on. It’ll make it so much easier to fight if a few of you leave. I’m alone. Though honestly, boys, you should fire that useless watchman you hired out front. If he worked for me, I’d put a bullet in his head.”

Lev scowls and narrows his eyes. I run my fingers through my hair. Now that they know I’m a woman, I have a reputation to uphold. If only I had a tube of lip gloss.

“Who are you?” he demands, his voice a dangerous whisper.

I lay my hand on his cheek, his hand still cuffed at my wrist. “I’m so disappointed you don’t know me, mi querido jefe. I’d bow to greet you, but you are holding too tightly for me to do so.” I grin at him. “Though honestly, I’m no one of any importance.” I toss my hair.

He narrows his eyes. “We’ll see about that.”

Viktor shakes his head. “If it isn’t the Colombian princess herself. Princesa loca. Lev, meet Isabella Morales.”

I clench my teeth. The audacity of him using my brother’s pet name for me in front of them. I hate that name.

Mikhail steps forward, his dark eyes sparking at me. “Meet your new prisoner, brother. Thank me later.”

Prisoner? Well, I’m still alive, and by all accounts and purposes, that’s a positive spin on being captured by the Romanovs.

Lev’s jaw tightens as he circles me, drawing my hands behind my back. I wince in pain, but that doesn’t stop him. I guess it’s better than getting a face full of Viktor’s iron fist. I like my nose.

He holds my wrists against my lower back. “Who else came with you?”

“No one,” I say honestly, angry that my eyes dance with unshed tears because he’s holding me so tightly. My palm throbs with the splinter still stuck beneath the surface of the skin, but my mind is racing.

I can let him take me. I can pretend he’s hurting me, and I won’t go easily. I’ll have to fight, which might even be fun. And then I’ll be right there, in their headquarters, and I can find out everything I possibly can.

Oh my God. If they don’t kill me, which is still a distinct possibility… This could work out quite well.

Nikko and Ollie come back in. “Coast is clear. She told the truth. She’s here alone.”

Lev nods. “Ollie, sweep the loft and make sure she has no phone or any other comm devices.”

My belly dips. Obviously, they’ll have to take my phone. But that doesn’t matter. I’ll find a way to get in touch.

I must.

“I only have a phone,” I tell them. “You’ll find it up there. I have nothing else.”

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