Her chest is rising and falling quickly. Her breath is heavy and fast.

She bites her lower lip and my heart begins to pound faster.

Fuck.

I want her.

This talk is not going how I planned.

I need to get out of here before I do something I will regret.

“Raisa, just know that I don’t want anything bad for you,” I say with a heavy heart.

“Then let me go,” she begs.

“No.”

I turn out of her room and walk away from her because if I don’t, I am going to kiss her again—and I won’t be able to stop anything that happens after that.

Chapter 8 - Raisa

I have been pacing around this house for days and I’m going crazy with boredom. It’s one thing to be a prisoner in Oleg’s home, that’s a whole emotional wreckage I will have to process at some point—but to be this bored, on top of all of that is just driving me insane. Nothing is happening. No one is talking to anyone about what Oleg did. I feel as though everything is stagnant and all I want is to be able to talk to my brothers and find a way to get back home.

I stomp down the stairs loudly, letting out my frustration on each step. I march all the way to the kitchen in a huff.

I’ve been in a bitter mood all week and it only seems to be getting worse as each day passes. I hate this place. I hate that I am being held here against my will. None of this is fair.

When I get to the kitchen, I sigh in annoyance. Oleg is there.

“Oh, good I wanted to talk to you, Raisa,” he say,s sounding friendly and calm. I hate the fact that he is still being sweet to me the whole time. I hate the fact that he is still so fucking good-looking. Why does he have to be so sexy? It doesn’t seem fair somehow. My kidnapper—Iwantto hate him.

I do hate him.

But I also want him—I roll my eyes.

And it doesn’t help at all that he’s currently shirtless and in a pair of sweatpants.

“What do you want?” I snap, annoyed at myself as much as I am annoyed at him. I need to get my body under control.

“Tonight, we are going out.”

“Where?” Every cell in my body is suddenly alert. This might be my chance to escape. “What are we doing?”

“You will have a chance to see your brothers. We are leaving at seven o' clock. I have sent a dress up to your room and you will wear that.”

“A dress—what—how—“

“Just wear the dress. Don’t argue with me on this. If you want to see your brothers, just do as you’re told for a change.” He sighs, looking exhausted by my constant resistance to his requests.

He has been trying to be friendly. He’s always asking me if I need anything and he offers me tea and food and anything I might want. He’s done his best to make sure I am comfortable—but it doesn’t make up for the fact that he kidnapped me and forced me to marry him.

I hate doing what he tells me to do.

But if he wants me to wear a damn dress and that gets me time with my brothers—that’s all I need. I can see them. I can tell them what is going on—and maybe by the end of the night, I will be on my way back to my real home.

In fact, I will make sure I am on my way home.

When we leave the house, we will leave all of these damn guards behind. I can definitely find a way to escape.