Page 72 of Captivated By Him

He’s lost his damn mind!

The grand opening is tonight, and my husband has gone too far.

“I understand, Mrs. Staszek, but your husband gave instructions you are not to leave the apartment yet.” One of his soldier boys repeats the same sentence over and over as I try to argue with him. As soon as I stepped out of the elevator this refrigerator-shaped goon blocked me from making my way to the exit.

“What exactly doesyetmean?” I argue back, already pulling out my phone from my purse. Jakub said nothing to me this afternoon about needing to wait for a specified time to go to the club.

I throw a finger up in the air to shut the brute up while I press my phone to my ear. I don’t want his excuses; I want Jakub to explain to me why he has me locked up again.

He’d finally stopped being such an overbearing ass and let me go about my daily activities so long as one of his soldiers stayed with me. But now he’s quietly barricading me inside again.

“Nicole.” Jakub’s deep voice answers. “Don’t start yelling yet.” He cuts me off before I can get one word out.

“Explain,” I order, folding my arms over my chest. I’m dressed for the opening with a new dress I let Lena talk me into, and a pair of heels so damn high I’m pretty sure I’m going to sprain an ankle by the time the night’s over.

“After I left you this afternoon, I got wind of some activity. I don’t think it’s safe for you to be here tonight. It’s going to be busy and crowded. If Piotr or Henry show up—”

“Oh, for shit’s sake, Jakub!” I yell into the phone. “I’m sick of this. I’m not going to hide away in your damn apartment the rest of my life.”

“It’s not the rest of your life—”

“Of course it is! There will always be a threat, Jakub. Jesus Christ, we live over a fucking warehouse that I’m sure would get you a few dozen years in prison if it was ever raided. This is your life. This is what comes with it.”

“Stop yelling at me.” His order falls flat, because I’m done.

“No. I won’t. And I won’t let you keep me locked up here anymore.” I step forward but his security men block me.

“It’s for your protection. Kasia and Lena aren’t going to be here tonight either.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better? Your sister and your sister-in-law are willing to play sweet little submissive wives so I should too?”

“Nicole. I don’t have time to argue with you about this.”

“Tell your goons to let me pass.” The anger balled up in my chest loosens a bit and rolls right into panic. “Jakub, I worked on this opening. I have bloggers and press to greet. This is my job, let me do my job.”

A hefty sigh comes through the phone. “It’s not safe, Nicole. I won’t put you in jeopardy.”

“I’m done, Jakub,” I say, turning away from the men and facing the wall. “We said this was temporary. You said it was just until Henry got off my back. He’s back in New York, he’s getting married. I don’t need your protection anymore.” I pause, wait for him to say something, but there’s nothing but dead air. “Your family is causing more trouble for me than protection.” I hit the elevator call button.

“We’ll talk about this later.”

“No, Jakub. We won’t. There is no later.” I step into the elevator, sticking my tongue out at the dutiful soldiers as the doors slide closed.

“It’s one night, Nicole.”

“It’s one too many. I’ve let this go on too long, letting you think you can control this, that you can control me.” I blink back a sudden attack of tears. “I’m not doing it anymore.”

Before he can answer, I click off the call. Leaning against the side of the elevator, I close my eyes, letting the hot tears roll down my cheeks. This pain, this clenching in my chest, sucks the strength from me. I was all ready to celebrate with him, with his family. My family.

I step off the elevator into the apartment and throw my clutch at the couch as I pass it on my way to the stairs. They aren’t my family. He’s not really mine. And I’m not his.

This was all such a stupid arrangement. Marriage for protection? What the hell was I thinking? His protection is a locked cell, and I won’t be caged forever.

My phone dances on the dresser as another text message comes through, then it rings, but I ignore all of it. Jakub can keep trying to get me, but it’s too late.

He’ll always want to protect me from things he has no control over. There will always be an enemy to watch out for.

I leave all the clothes he’s bought me and only stuff my own clothing into my bag. Dressed in a more reasonable outfit of jeans and t-shirt, I lace up my gym shoes. I brush out the curls in my hair and pull it back into a high ponytail.

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