Page 37 of Embrace of the Russian Tiger

Nikolai laughed, a dark, twisted sound. "Oh, this isn’t just about saving myself, Anna. This is about making Maxim pay. For everything."

"Maxim will come for me," I said, my voice steady. "He will find you. And when he does, you’ll wish you never touched me."

Nikolai’s eyes darkened, his smile fading as he leaned in closer. "Do you know why Katya died?"

My breath hitched at the mention of her name. Katya. Maxim’s sister.

"I told Rossi that Katya was laughing at him, making a fool of him. I knew what Rossi would do. I wanted to teach her a lesson, that bitch. I was eighteen at the time, and Katya was sixteen. She thought she was too good for me, refused to go on a date with me. So, I made sure she paid for it. No one dares to refuse me.”

I stared at him, horror and disbelief crashing through me. "You… you’re the reason she’s dead."

He smiled again, that cruel, twisted smile that made my stomach churn. "Rossi punished her, just like I knew he would. I was there, Anna. I watched. I enjoyed every second of it."

I felt bile rise in my throat, my heart pounding as the truth hit me like a sledgehammer. This man, this monster, had been behind Katya’s death. He had manipulated everything, twisted the truth to get what he wanted.

"And afterward," Nikolai continued, "I took her necklace. A little keepsake. But recently, I noticed it was gone from my West Coast residence. I flew back the other day to deal with business, opened my safe and it was gone. And that’s when I knew I had to act quickly."

My hands clenched into fists, rage bubbling up inside me. I wanted to scream, to hit him, to tear him apart for what he had done. But I was trapped. Helpless. And I couldn’t let him win.

"What do you want from me?" I whispered, my voice trembling with fury and fear.

Nikolai’s smile widened, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. "Either you marry me, and I inherit Rossi’s assets, or I kill you. Your choice, little girl."

My heart pounded, my mind racing. I knew he was bluffing. If he killed me, he would get nothing. But I couldn’t let him see that I knew. I had to play the game. For now.

"You’ll never get away with this," I said, my voice steady.

Nikolai leaned in closer, his breath hot against my skin. "We shall see about that."

And with that, he turned and walked out, leaving me chained, alone, and more determined than ever to survive.

The moment the door slammed shut behind Nikolai, I slumped back in the chair, letting the breath I’d been holding rush out of me in a shaky exhale. The chains clinked softly as I shifted, testing my wrists and ankles again. No give. They had made sure of that.

I blinked back the angry tears that burned at the back of my eyes, forcing myself to focus. I couldn’t break down. Not now. I couldn’t let Nikolai win, and I couldn’t let this suffocating fear swallow me whole.

I replayed his words in my mind, each revelation more horrifying than the last. Nikolai had orchestrated everything—the betrayal of Katya, her brutal death, and the lies that had manipulated Rossi into doing his dirty work. I could feel the weight of the truth pressing down on my chest, suffocating me. But beneath the shock and the horror was a rising tide of fury. The image of Katya, her life had been stolen because of Nikolai’s sick need for power and control.

I couldn’t allow him to do the same to me.

I glanced down at the chains again, my fingers aching from clenching them into fists. I had to stay calm. I had to think clearly. Nikolai believed he had me cornered, but he didn’t know me. I wasn’t going to break. And I certainly wasn’t going to marry that bastard.

But I had to play the game, at least for now. If I resisted too soon, he’d snap. And I couldn’t risk that—not when I still had a chance to outsmart him.

In the silence of the room, my mind spun, trying to find an escape. If I didn’t get out of here, if I didn’t find a way to contact Maxim, everything Nikolai had planned would fall into place. Maxim wouldn’t just lose me—he would lose everything. I knew Nikolai was banking on that.

Nikolai thought he understood me. Thought I was just some fragile girl, desperate for answers, desperate for Maxim’s approval. But he was wrong. I hadn’t survived this long by being weak. And I certainly wasn’t going to roll over and let him use me like a pawn.

I strained against the chains again, the cold metal biting into my skin, frustration gnawing at my patience. There had to be a way out.

I kept replaying what had happened leading up to this—the messages, the tension building between me and Maxim, the confusion and frustration I had felt when Maxim kept holding back. And now, I was here, trapped, because I had needed answers. Because I couldn’t just sit back and wait for someone else to tell me who I was.

And despite everything, despite knowing I had walked into a trap, I couldn’t help but feel... conflicted. Betrayed, yes, but also angry at myself. I had left the mansion, left Maxim behind, thinking I could handle this on my own. And now, because of that decision, I had walked straight into Nikolai’s hands.

I had to get out of here. I had to warn Maxim.

But first, I needed to keep Nikolai talking. I needed more information—more leverage. And I knew that, just like with Maxim, playing into Nikolai’s ego would be the key to getting what I wanted. The man clearly loved hearing the sound of his own voice, and he thrived on feeling superior.

When the door creaked open again, my heart skipped a beat, my breath catching in my throat. I forced my expression to remain neutral, even though every nerve in my body screamed at me to fight, to lash out. But I couldn’t—yet.

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