Page 48 of Deadly Vows

I tried to scream, to thrash, but my body refused to respond. I could feel him lifting me, his arms wrapping around me in mock tenderness. My stomach turned at the contact, every instinct screaming for me to fight, but I couldn’t. The taser had rendered me completely helpless.

When we got inside the house, he carried me to bed. The handcuffs were hanging from the bedpost, ready to enslave me again. He laid me down carefully, like I was fragile and he hadn’t just shocked me into submission.

I felt the metal snap around my wrist, the sound of the lock clicking into place. The other handcuff followed, chaining me to the bed like some kind of animal.

“You’ll thank me for this one day,” he said, his voice soft, almost soothing as he stood over me. “You’ll realize that I did this for you…for us.”

I turned my face away. The only thing I wanted was to be free of him and be with Aleksandr, the man I loved and the father of my child.

Danny leaned closer, his breath warm against my cheek. “Get some rest. You’re going to need your strength.”

He left the room, the door shutting behind him, and I was alone again. Alone in the darkness, chained to the bed, trapped.

I closed my eyes, willing the tears to stop, willing the pain in my chest to ease. But all I could think about was the baby and Aleksandr. I prayed silently that the baby was okay after being tasered.When will Aleksandr find me?I visualized him tearingthrough the city with that dangerous, determined look in his eyes.

Sleep came in fits and starts, nightmares blending with reality. I dreamed of Danny’s hands on me, of the baby growing inside me, of Aleksandr’s face fading away, disappearing into the shadows.

By the time morning came, the room was bathed in pale light, and my body ached from the restraints. My wrists were raw, and my throat was hoarse from crying silently into the pillow. I had spent the night going over every moment, every missed opportunity to escape, every terrible thing Danny had whispered to me.

The door opened, and he stepped inside, his expression unreadable. He carried a tray of food, setting it down on the nightstand like this was a normal routine and I wasn’t handcuffed to the bed. Like I hadn’t tried to run from him just hours before.

“You need to eat,” he said flatly. “It’s not just you anymore. You’ve got the baby to think about.”

I glared at him, my voice raspy as I spoke. “Thebaby?Do you know what an electric shock can do to a baby?“ I hissed through gritted teeth.

“Oh, come on, it was just a little shock. We were just having some fun. The baby is fine.”

My eyebrows snapped together as I gave him a death glare. “I’ll never love you, Danny.”

He stopped fussing with the sheets, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at me. He was eerily silent, and then he laughed. He actuallylaughed!

“I don’t need your love. I’ve given you a chance, but you refuse to take it. And that’s fine. Really, it is. Because I’ve realized something. Once that baby is born, I won’t need you anymore.”

My stomach twisted as his words sank in.

“What... what are you saying?” My voice wavered despite my best efforts to stay strong.

He smiled a twisted, hollow grin that didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m saying I’ve been patient. I’ve tried to give you everything. But you don’t care. So, here’s what will happen - when the baby is born, I will take it. And you? Well, you won’t be around anymore.”

A sob caught in my throat as I shook my head. “You wouldn’t—“

“I would,” he cut me off, his tone ice-cold. “You’re nothing but a complication. But the baby? The baby’smine. And I’ll raise it the way it should be raised. Without you poisoning it with your feelings for Aleksandr.”

I stared at him, horror coursing through me. How had I ever thought I could reason with him? How had I ever thought I could get away?

“You’ll never get away with this!” I shouted. “Aleksandr will find me, and he’ll kill you!” I thrashed against the handcuffs, kicking at Danny.

His expression hardened, the faint smile disappearing. “Maybe. But he’ll be too late. By the time he does, you’ll be dead.”

I felt the air leave my lungs, the world tilting on its axis as Danny’s threat hung in the air. He walked out of the room, leaving me there, chained to the bed, helpless and terrified.

I couldn’t let him win. I wouldn’t let him take my baby and destroy everything I loved. But I was trapped, handcuffed to the bed, powerless against this man.

As the door closed behind him, I closed my eyes, swallowing back the sobs threatening to consume me.Aleksandr will find me.He has to. Because if he didn’t, I knew I wouldn’t survive.

Time passed. My body ached from the restraints, and Danny’s threats plagued my thoughts. Every time I shifted, the handcuffs dug into my wrists, the metal biting into my skin. I thought of Aleksandr, hoping he was out there, searching for me. I refused to give up hope.

Then it started.

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