Page 24 of Embrace of the Russian Tiger

I didn’t speak. I didn’t need to. We both knew that in this moment, nothing else mattered but the way we fit together, the way our bodies had moved in perfect harmony. And as I held her close, feeling the rise and fall of her chest against mine, I knew that I would never get enough of this. Enough of her.

CHAPTER 12

Iwoke up tangled in the sheets, my body still humming with the aftermath of the night before. My skin tingled where Maxim had touched me, and every time I closed my eyes, I could still feel the way he had made me unravel. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced—intense, consuming, and so incredibly intimate.

But now, in the cold light of day, I felt conflicted. I had spent so much time fighting against him, trying to resist the control he exerted over my life. Yet last night, I had given in—completely. I had let him claim me, not just physically, but emotionally too. And that terrified me.

I pulled the sheets tighter around me, my thoughts swirling.

Maxim was cold, distant, calculating, and yet, every time we were together, there was something deeper. Something I couldn’t explain. I felt it in the way he looked at me when he thought I wasn’t watching. The way he touched me when his guard was down. It was as if, for brief moments, the mask slipped, and I saw the man beneath the mafia boss.

But it wasn’t enough.

He won’t tell me the truth. I couldn’t do this anymore. I couldn’t just wait for him to give me answers. I needed to know.

I stared at the message that I received last night, my mind made up. Whoever this person was, they knew something about me—something that Maxim had been hiding.

I slipped out of bed, quickly dressing and grabbing my bag. Last night, Maxim allowed me to go outside again to the library, mentioning that I am not a prisoner. I didn’t know if Maxim had spies watching my every move, but I couldn’t take the chance of him stopping me. So, I went.

The moment I stepped outside, I hailed a cab, giving the driver the address from the message. I forgot to mention to Maxim that I would not be using his driver. He’d have understood. My pulse thrummed with a mix of excitement and fear as the cab wove through the streets of the city. I paid the driver and stepped out, my heart racing as I approached the entrance. I couldn’t help but feel like I was walking into something dangerous, but there was no turning back now.

Papa Joe’s Pizzacame into view, a small, run-down place that looked like it hadn’t seen a renovation in years. My stomach twisted with unease as I stepped out of the cab, glancing around. The street was quiet, almost too quiet for a place in the city. Something about it felt… off.

I entered the pizza shop, the bell above the door jingling as I stepped inside. The door creaked open as I pushed it, revealing a dark, musty hallway. I hesitated for a moment before stepping inside. The place was empty—completely empty. There were no customers, no staff, nothing. The only sound was the hum of the refrigerator behind the counter.

I frowned, glancing around. Was this a joke?

And then I saw him.

A man in a hoodie stepped out from the shadows in the back corner of the shop, his face obscured by the hood. He moved silently, his gaze locking with mine as he approached.

“Follow me,” he said, his voice low, almost a whisper. “And don’t ask questions.”

Every instinct screamed at me to run, to get out of there. But I couldn’t. I had come this far, and I needed answers. So, without a word, I followed him out of the shop and into the alley behind it.

There was a sleek black car waiting, the engine running. The man opened the back door, gesturing for me to get in.

“Where are we going?” I asked, my voice trembling despite my attempt to sound strong.

He didn’t answer, just nodded toward the car. I hesitated for a second, my mind racing. This could be a trap. But at the same time, this could be my chance to finally know the truth.

With a deep breath, I slid into the car, the man following me in and closing the door behind us. The driver took off without a word, the city blurring past the windows as we sped through the streets.

I turned to the man beside me, my fear giving way to frustration. “You need to tell me what’s going on,” I demanded, my voice firmer now. “Who are you? Where are you taking me?”

He glanced at me from beneath the hood, his expression unreadable. “All your questions will be answered soon. Just be patient.”

I clenched my fists, my anger simmering just below the surface. “I’ve been patient long enough,” I shot back. “I want answers now!”

The man didn’t respond, his attention focused on the road ahead. I bit my lip, trying to calm myself down. There was no point in arguing with him, not when I didn’t even know whohe was. But the tension inside me continued to build, my mind racing with possibilities.

We drove for what felt like hours, the city fading away as we entered a more industrial part of town. Finally, the car came to a stop in front of a large, industrial building. There were no signs, no windows—just a heavy metal door at the entrance.

The man opened the door and gestured for me to follow him inside. I hesitated for a moment, my heart pounding in my chest, but curiosity won out. I needed to know.

The inside of the building was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of smoke and something else—something heady and intoxicating. I followed the man through a series of corridors, each one darker than the last, until we reached a set of stairs leading down.

“Where are we?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly now.

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