Page 5 of Deadly Vows

I reached over and picked up the broken leg of one of the rickety chairs that littered the room. “With this,” I said, holding it up like a makeshift weapon. “We just need to be quiet and quick.”

As I began to work on loosening the boards, Maxim stood watch, his body tense and alert. Sasha stirred in her sleep but didn’t wake. The minutes ticked by, each one a small eternity. I managed to loosen one of the boards, the rusted nails giving way with a painful creak. I paused, listening for any sounds from below. When I was sure it was safe, I continued, but the work was slow and nerve-wracking. Every noise seemed amplified in the quiet of the morning.

As I was progressing on the second board, Maxim waved his hands wildly to get my attention. I froze in place, listening for signs of movement. Heavy footsteps were on the stairs and would soon be at our door. I fixed the loose board, so no attention was drawn to it and quickly sat in one of the chairs, hiding the broken chair leg behind my back.

The door swung open with a sudden crash. Maxim jumped back just in time to avoid being hit with it. Sasha woke up, startled, scurrying backward toward the window. One of Vic’s associates, the husky one called Pete, held a food tray. Three bottles of water, plain bagels, and apples were on the tray. He dropped it on the table, glanced around the room, then retreated, locking the door behind him.

Dropping the chair leg, I picked up Sasha, cradling her in my arms. She hiccupped, sobbing quietly as I stroked her silky blonde hair. “I want to go home,” she whispered, burying her face in my neck, her arms wrapping tightly around me.

“I know, baby,” I whispered, rocking her. “I’m working on it.”

Just then, my stomach rumbled. Pregnancy cravings were nagging me, but the best I could do was eat the food Pete brought and hope it was enough for the baby. “Let’s have something to eat,” I suggested, placing Sasha in one of the chairs.

Maxim sat down next to her and held her hand in his. “It’s okay, Sasha. We’re going to get out of here soon,” he assured her. He handed her an apple and took one for himself. We sat together quietly as we ate the meager breakfast.

Just as we finished, Vic barged in. He stood in the doorway, flanked by his two thugs. His eyes scanned the room, taking in the scene with a smirk.

“Morning, sunshine,” he drawled, his voice oily and unpleasant. “Time for a little chat, Talia.”

I felt a wave of nausea but managed to nod. “Just let me get Sasha settled,” I said, trying to keep calm.

He waved his hand dismissively. “Hurry up. I don’t have all day.”

I leaned down to whisper in Maxim’s ear. “Stay with Sasha. Keep her calm. I’ll be back soon.”

Maxim nodded, his eyes wide but determined. “I will.”

I followed Vic out of the room, my heart pounding. He led me down the creaking stairs and into a dimly lit kitchen that smelled damp and decayed. One of his men closed the door behind us, and I suddenly became very aware of how isolated we were.

Vic leaned against the counter, his posture casual but his eyes sharp. “We need to talk about your future.”

I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the bile rising in my throat. “What do you want from me?”

He smiled a slow, predatory grin. “Straight to the point. I like that. You see, I’ve decided I will keep you for myself. Aleksandr will come for the kids, but you…you’re a different story.”

I stiffened, every muscle in my body screaming to run. “What do you mean,keepme?”

His smile widened. “You’ll see. But for now, all you need to do is behave. Do as you’re told, and no one gets hurt. Understand?”

I nodded, unable to trust my voice. He stepped closer, his hand reaching out to touch my face. I flinched but didn’t pull away. His touch was cold, and a fresh wave of nausea washed over me.

“Good girl,” he murmured, threading his thick fingers through my hair. He wasn’t a tall man, and he certainly wasn’t attractive with his balding brown hair and squinty brown eyes. I was disgusted by his hands on me, but I held still, afraid of what he’d do to the children.

His gun was on the counter next to him, and a fleeting thought of grabbing it and shooting him crossed my mind. He rubbed his thumb across my lips and squeezed my breast with his other hand.This can’t be happening.I broke out in a cold sweat as he tugged at my sweater, lifting it over my head. I wanted to fight, to knee him in his cock and flee. Memories of being groped as a child in those horrible foster homes flooded my mind. Vic’s revolting hands removed my bra, leaving me bare and vulnerable in front of him.

“You’re beautiful,” he said, grinning like a sly fox. “No wonder Aleksandr wants you for himself.” His eyes dragged from my breasts to my belly, freezing when he saw my baby bump.

“You’re pregnant?” he asked, visibly shocked. “Who’s the father?” His eyes narrowed, and I saw he was about to hatch a heinous plan. “My ex-boyfriend,” I lied. There was no way I would tell him Aleksandr was the father. He might just cut the baby out of me to hurt Aleksandr even more than he already has.

Sucking on his front teeth, he hesitated before cuffing me behind the neck. “No matter, we’ll get rid of it after it’s born. I know plenty of people that will pay a shitload of money for a baby.”

He slammed his lips on mine, biting my lower lip and drawing blood. I dug my nails into his arms, and he let me go.“You’re going to behave, Talia, or something terrible will happen to those brats.”

He grabbed the gun off the counter and shoved the barrel into my cheek. Pulling me closer, he squeezed my breast, twisting the nipple until I saw stars behind my eyes. But I didn’t make a sound. I wouldn’t give in and let him see how terrified I was. Shoving his hand down the front of my pants, he dragged his finger through my folds. He got off on terrorizing me as he licked his lips with a deranged gleam in his eyes.

“Such a sweet pussy,” he growled, pulling his hand out of my pants. My skin crawled as he continued to look me over.

Grabbing me by the throat, he walked me backward to the table, pushing me onto my back. My hands trembled as I tried my best to stay in control, although I could feel the tears stinging the corners of my eyes. Leaning down, he sucked a nipple into his mouth, scraping his teeth along it. He squeezed and twisted my other breast roughly, continuing to suck on my nipple and lick my breast.

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