Page 52 of Hear Me Roar

“I will,” he assured her, “as soon as I get back from my place. I just need to leave Kilo some fresh food and water for themorning.”

“Bring him back here with you,” Isuggested.

“You sure,bro?”

“Positive. This place is pet-friendly, and he’s trained to attack on command,right?”

“Yep.”

“All the more reason not to leave him behind. His presence will add an element of surprise if, like you said, this bastard tries some shit in the middle of thenight.”

“I didn't even think about that, but you're right. He's a good weapon and a real good boy. I can promise you he’ll be extremely well-behaved,” he explained, and Hazel was quick to wave himoff.

“It's fine, seriously. Go get him and come back. I'm gonna clean up while you're gone. Way too wired to sleepnow.”

“I'll be half hour, at most. Lock all the doors and do not answer unless it'sme.”

As soon as he walked out, I did exactly as he instructed and locked the door, deadbolt included. This Russian fucker wasn’t getting into my home, not on my watch. And if, for some reason, he was able to bypass everyone and everything implemented to keep us safe, I’d drive a bullet straight through his damn head. After the whole Jason debacle last year, I'd went out and bought a 17mm. I didn’t ever carry it on me, but until this mess was sorted, it was sleeping on mynightstand.

Hazel was already picking up plates and cups to toss in the trash when I stalked back into the living room. Noting all the beer bottles strewn about, I went around collecting them just as Maya made her way to thehallway.

“Will you wake me up if something happens?” she asked, her voice soft,afraid.

“Of course,” my girl said from thekitchen.

“Okay… Goodnight, you two. Oh, and Knox.” She paused, waiting for me to give her my attention. “Thank you for your kind words. I can rest a little easier knowing you don't hateme.”

“I never hated you, Maya. I was just concerned,” Iexplained.

“Rightfully so.” Her lips thinned as obvious guilt marred her face. “Goodnight.”

“Good night,” Hazel and I said in tandem, though, I wasn't sure any of us were really going to have a good night. Not until this man was no longer a threatanyway.

Viktor,better known as Dimitri’s driver, pulls up at the curb outside our building and hustles around the back end of the Mercedes to open the door. Dimitri thanks him gruffly, then yanks me out onto the pavement by the arm, without reservation for those who might be watching. The doorman greets us and steps aside to let us in, not an eyelash batted in our direction as Dimitri storms us toward the elevators. Either he's paying them to keep quiet, as he does with the rest of the world, or they truly don't realize what's about to happen once we make it up to the penthouse. I don't understand how the latter would be possible though. Dimitri is clearly enraged and nothing about our arrival would appear normal to a bystander. He's practically dragging me down the hallway, for crying outloud.

Regardless, no one says a word.Ever.

Perhaps they’re afraid of himtoo.

His thick thumb smashes against the up arrow on the illuminated panel and we wait in a tense silence for the cart to arrive. It feels like centuries pass before the doors slide open and in a split-second, Dimitri tosses me inside and promptly stabs his thumb into the P. He's growling now, his grip on my arm tightening all the more as we approach our home. Ha! That’s not my home. That’s his home, a home where I’ve, for all intents and purposes, become the prisoner. I'm fighting back tears because I've grown to learn that crying only serves to make him angrier. He couldn’t care less that I'm afraid. In fact, he relishes myfear.

As we near the top of the skyrise, Dimitri inserts his keycard and punches in the passcode, allowing us access to the penthouse. The elevator dings and much like before, he tosses me out into the hallway. Only this time I don't have his death grip for support. My heel catches the hem of my gown and I tumble onto the floor. Pain shoots up as my wrist from the abrupt catch of my fall and I whimper, easing back onto my knees to cradle to my hand. My head remains downcast...but not for long. As Dimitri comes to stand in front of me, I crane my head back slowly into malevolent greeneyes.

“Get. Up,” he grits out, so I scramble to my feet and flatten myself against thewall.

Unfortunately, the wall can’t saveme.

Dimitri takes hold of my arm once more and drags me the rest of the way down the lone hallway to our doors. Again, he flings me inside and again, I fall, only this time onto marble floors. It hurts a lot more than the carpeted hallway, but I don't protest. I just lay there, hoping like hell he’ll simply leave me alone. It's not like he didn't rough me up already. He practically choked me out at the event. I suspect what kept him from killing me right then and there were too many eyes and the fact he'd have a body to disposeof.

God forbid he get his handsdirty.

I lay there for I don't know how long with my eyes tightly closed, listening to the sound of him shuffling about. Surprisingly enough, he's not slamming doors or tossing stuff about as usual. But then, suddenly, it's silent. Dead silent. I drag my eyes open and pick my head up off the floor, looking out into the massive living area from the where I lay in the foyer. He’s not on the black couches. He’s not just beyond the wall of windows on the large balcony. I can’t hear him in the kitchen either. Perhaps he’sshowering…

Very quietly, I lift myself off the floor and gather my dress in one hand to avoid falling a third time. I slip out of my heels, too, and leave them by the door beside where he laid his. With my heart hammering in my chest, I start padding down the hallway. A faint voice in my head begs me to turn around and leave, but I have nowhere to go. I’ll get through this, just like I have every other time. As I pass the kitchen, I confirm he's not in there, or the office, or the study either. I poke my head into the doorway of our room and hear the shower running, just as I’d suspected. My saving grace. Showers always calmed him. Whenever this happened, he'd have a shower straightaway, as if it cleansed him of what he’ddone.

“See,” I whisper to the little voice in my head. “We’re safe, we’re okay. It'sover.”

Except I waswrong.

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