Page 24 of Kidnapped By the Bratva

Did Maxim really think I was too scared to leave on my own?

The thought sends a wave of defiance through me. My fear is real, but I won’t let it paralyze me. Not anymore.

The hallway outside is dimly lit, shrouded in shadows that make the mansion feel like a labyrinth. Each step I take feels heavier, more dangerous. I move quietly, trying not to make a sound as I search for some kind of escape. My footsteps barely echo on the cold floor, but the silence presses down on me, making every creak of the wood beneath my feet sound like a shout.

I don’t know how long I’ve been walking, but the farther I go, the more the walls seem to close in around me. The darkness makes it hard to see where I’m going, and the mansion feels endless, like it’s swallowing me whole.

Suddenly, I freeze. My breath catches in my throat as I hear something. A faint sound—breathing. I turn around, my heart hammering in my chest. There’s nothing. Just more empty shadows and the cold air brushing against my skin.

Stop imagining things.I tell myself.It’s just your mind playing tricks on you.Still, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I feel like I’m being watched, but no one’s there.

I continue walking, my legs shaky but determined. I won’t let this place drive me mad. I need to keep moving. I need to find a way out.

Finally, after what feels like forever, I spot something in the distance—the main door. A surge of hope rushes through me as I hurry toward it. My fingers brush the handle, my heart pounding with anticipation.

Just as I pull the door open, a strong hand slams it shut with a force that makes me jump. I freeze, my heart skipping a beat. The warmth of someone standing right behind me sends a cold chill through me. I don’t need to turn around to know who it is. I can feel his breath at the back of my neck.

“Turn around,” Maxim orders, his voice low and commanding.

My throat tightens. Slowly, I turn, my eyes meeting his as the faint light from outside illuminates his face. His eyes lock on to mine, intense and unforgiving. For a moment, we just stand there, the space between us filled with tension, his broad frame towering over me.

I open my mouth, trying to think of an excuse, anything to explain why I’m standing here at the main door, clearly trying to escape.

“I… I was looking for the bathroom,” I stammer, my voice weak, my nerves frayed.

Maxim’s lips twitch slightly, almost amused. He doesn’t buy it for a second. “You have an en suite,” he says coolly. “Besides, you’re not meant to leave your room.”

I swallow hard, scrambling to think of a response. “It didn’t have a shower,” I lie, my voice faltering. “I wanted to take a shower.”

His gaze sharpens, and I know he’s not fooled. He takes a step closer, his presence suffocating, his body heat radiating against me. I feel trapped, his eyes pinning me down as if he’ssavoring my desperation. He doesn’t say anything for a moment, just watches me struggle with my flimsy excuse. There’s a flicker of amusement in his expression, like he’s entertained by my pathetic attempt at lying.

“You needed a shower, huh?” he asks, his voice dripping with mockery. “You’ve been wandering around the mansion, in the dark, just looking for a bathroom with a shower?”

I bite my lip, my pulse racing. “Yes,” I say, though the word feels weak, hollow.

Maxim leans in closer, his face inches from mine. I can feel his breath against my skin, and my heart thuds in my chest, faster and faster. He’s so close now, the tension between us suffocating. His presence is overwhelming, a constant reminder of the power he holds over me.

“You’re lying,” he whispers, his tone soft but menacing. “You think I don’t know what you were trying to do?”

I shake my head quickly, but I can’t find my voice. My body feels frozen, pinned beneath his gaze, unable to move or even think straight. I’m caught, and we both know it.

His hand reaches up, brushing a strand of hair away from my face, his touch surprisingly gentle. “What were you going to do if you got out, Sophia?” he asks, his voice dark, almost playful. “Run? Disappear? You know I’d find you.”

I press my lips together, refusing to answer. Fear twists in my gut, but there’s something else, something darker beneath the fear. His touch lingers on my skin, and I hate that I can feel it, that it’s affecting me in ways I don’t want to admit.

Maxim steps back slightly, though his eyes never leave mine. “I’ll tell you something,” he says, his voice quieter now, almost thoughtful. “The next time you think about running,remember this—there’s nowhere you can go that I won’t find you. You’re not going anywhere, Sophia. Not unless I let you.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. He’s right, and the worst part is, I know it. There’s no escape. Not from him.

Maxim’s eyes remain locked on me, dark and unreadable, as I stand frozen in place. His proximity feels overwhelming, suffocating, as though the very air around us thickens with tension. I try to take a breath, but my chest is tight, and I can feel my pulse racing in my throat. He steps closer, his presence dominating, and without a word, his hand reaches up and lifts my chin with rough, calloused fingers, forcing me to look directly at him.

My breath hitches, the intensity of his gaze making my heart pound even harder. His eyes scan my face, searching, reading me in a way that makes me feel exposed. Vulnerable. It’s as if he’s stripping me down to my very core, leaving me with nowhere to hide.

“Are you scared?” he asks softly, his voice a low growl, his thumb brushing lightly against my jaw. The roughness of his touch contrasts with the quiet control in his tone, and my skin tingles under his fingertips. He’s too close, too commanding, but I can’t pull away.

I don’t answer, too paralyzed by the strange mix of fear and something else I can’t quite place. My pulse thrums in my ears as I struggle to maintain control, but his presence makes it impossible. There’s something about him—something dangerous and magnetic—that has me frozen in place, even though every instinct screams at me to move.

He leans down, his breath warm against my skin, his hand shifting from my chin to the side of my neck. His grip tightens, just slightly, enough to send a shiver down my spine. I shouldbe terrified, and I am, but there’s something else simmering beneath the fear. Something I don’t want to acknowledge. The spark between us ignites in the silence, unspoken, heavy.

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