Page 36 of Embrace of the Russian Tiger

Last time, the anonymous man had said he didn’t want me dead. But I didn’t know him. I didn’t even know if he was telling the truth. Yet here I was, walking straight into whatever trap might be waiting for me. Because I had no choice. I couldn’t live like this, trapped in the dark, with Maxim holding all the cards.

When I reached the street, my heart pounded in my throat. Every instinct screamed at me to turn back, to run home to the safety of the mansion, but I forced myself to wait. The shadows swallowed me whole as I moved deeper into the alley, my footsteps echoing off the brick walls.

"Hello?" I called out, my voice shaky. "Is anyone here?"

Silence.

I took another step forward, the cold seeping into my skin. My nerves were on edge, my pulse racing, and every sense was heightened. I could feel something was off, but before I could react, a sharp, cold sensation pressed against the back of my neck.

A gun.

"Not another word," a voice growled in my ear, low and menacing.

I froze, fear coursing through me like ice. My breath caught in my throat as rough hands grabbed my arms, yanking me backward. I struggled, kicking out, but two men appeared from the shadows, grabbing me with iron grips.

"Let me go!" I shouted, my voice trembling.

But they didn’t respond. Instead, one of them shoved a hood over my head, plunging me into darkness. My heart pounded, panic rising in my chest as they dragged me toward a vehicle—a van, from the sound of it. I kicked and thrashed, desperate to break free, but they were too strong. Before I knew it, I wasthrown into the back of the van, the door slamming shut behind me.

The van sped off, bouncing over the rough streets as I lay there, my hands tied behind my back, the hood suffocating me in the darkness. My mind raced. Why was this happening now? The man who had texted me before had said he didn’t want me dead. So, what changed? I was so stupid, really. What was I thinking?

I couldn’t think straight. The fear was suffocating, and every bump in the road made my heart leap into my throat. My mind was a mess of conflicting emotions—fear, anger, betrayal. Was this because I had left the mansion? Was this a punishment for betraying Maxim? Or was it something else? Someone else?

The van came to a screeching halt, and before I could even process what was happening, the door slid open. More hands grabbed me, dragging me out into the cold night air. I stumbled, disoriented, as they pulled me into what felt like a building. The smell of damp concrete and mildew hit me, making my stomach churn.

My heart raced as they led me down a series of hallways, their footsteps echoing off the walls. I couldn’t see anything, couldn’t hear anything but the steady rhythm of my own breathing. Finally, they shoved me into a chair, chaining my wrists and ankles to the cold, metal frame.

The hood was ripped off, and I blinked against the sudden brightness of the lights. My head spun as I looked around, trying to make sense of my surroundings. The room was small, concrete walls with no windows. No way out.

And then I saw him.

A man stepped forward from the shadows, tall and imposing. I didn’t recognize him, but there was something about the way he moved, something in the way he looked at me, that sent a chilldown my spine. His face was cold, cruel, his eyes glinting with amusement as he stared down at me.

"Who are you?" I demanded, my voice trembling with fear and anger.

He smiled, slow and mocking. "Oh, you don’t know me, do you? I’m hurt, Anna.”

“I am asking you again. Who are you and what do you want?”

The man chuckled, stepping closer, his presence overwhelming. "What I want, little princess, is for you to understand just how insignificant you are. How worthless you are in this world. Inhisworld, especially.”

My heart lurched in my chest, the fear turning to anger. "You don’t know anything about me or Maxim."

"Oh, but I do," he said, his smile widening. "I know that he doesn’t care about you. You’re nothing but a pawn to him. Something to be owned, controlled. He doesn’t love you, Anna. You’re just another one of his toys, little girl.”

I clenched my fists, the chains digging into my wrists. "You’re wrong."

"Am I?" He crouched down in front of me, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Let me tell you something, Anna. The game has changed. Maxim is onto me, and before he can make his move, I have you. And now, you’re the leverage I need. So now, you aremytoy.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Leverage. That’s all I was to him. To Maxim. My heart twisted painfully, the reality sinking in. But I couldn’t let this man see my fear.

"You still haven’t told me who you are," I spat, glaring up at him.

The man straightened, his smile widening. "I’m Nikolai."

My blood ran cold. Nikolai. The name Mikhail had mentioned once, in passing, when he had been drinking too much one night. A childhood friend of Maxim’s. Someone whohad disappeared, only to resurface recently. I didn’t know the details, but I knew enough to feel the sharp sting of betrayal on Maxim’s behalf. I knew Nikolai knew Katya.

"And you think this is going to save you?" I said, my voice shaking with fury. "Kidnapping me? Holding me hostage?"

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